SZA has become as mainstream as you can get. Coming from humble origins and without a true music background, she made her claim to fame after her debut mixtape “See.SZA.Run.” followed by the EP “S.” After signing with Top Dawg Entertainment, she went from strength to strength, with multiple Grammy Awards nominations to her name.
Now, she’s making her way to the Super Bowl 59 Halftime Show stage alongside Kendrick Lamar. But before the big game’s festivities get underway, fans might be curious to know about the pronunciation of her unorthodox stage name.
SZA’s Pronunciation
Solána Imani Rowe took on the stage name SZA as an acronym. It is derived from the Supreme Alphabet of the Nation of Gods and Earths, an alphanumeric code developed by Clarence 13X. Each letter stands for an ideology and name.
As she explained herself, “The S stands for Sovereign or Self, Savior, Z stands for Zig-Zag-Zig, which is enlightenment and acknowledgment of one’s self, and the A stands for the most high of all [Allah].”
However, the name is officially pronounced “SIZ-uh” or “SIZZ-ah,” something that she admits people have gotten wrong multiple times. In an interview with InStyle, she revealed how she had heard some truly weird permutations of her name.
“You name it. Like anything ‘Zah.’ Anything, like ‘Zzzz,’ stopping at the ‘zzz’ or going over it,” the Missouri native revealed.
But despite a stage name and a real name, Rowe revealed that her friends have a separate nickname for her. “My friends call me Sos, and I’m cool with that. I prefer not to be called Solána because my mom doesn’t even call me that. It makes me feel like I’m in trouble and immediately uncomfortable. But SZA is not my favorite, either.”
SZA’s Career and the Super Bowl
Her parents noticed SZA’s talents at an early age, introducing her to jazz artists like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. Her college life was less than ideal before she found her footing with Billionaire Boys Club, a clothing brand founded by designers and music producers Pharrell Williams and Nigo.
However, in 2011, her career began to slowly take shape. While working with Top Dawg Entertainment, who represented Lamar as well, she won the hearts of the group. After her mixtape “See.SZA.Run.” and EP “S” did well in 2013, she became the first female artist signed by the group.
From there, her musical career took off as she got to work with the likes of Rihanna on “Anti” and wrote “Feeling Myself” for Nicki Minaj and Beyoncé. Her big break came with 2018’s “All the Stars” from the “Black Panther” soundtrack alongside Lamar, earning her several Grammys and even an Academy Award nomination.
Her debut album “Ctrl,” followed by “SOS,” introduced her to the mainstream, with the latter earning the “Best Progressive R&B Album,” and “Snooze” from the album earning Best R&B Song at the 2024 Grammy Awards.
She’s quickly built out her niche and earned her stripes in the music industry. Now, she’s headlining one of the biggest stages in the world alongside Lamar, who shows up in her story time and again.
Apple Music released another video announcing the singer’s appearance with the decorated rapper after the initial video on the NFL halftime performance on Lamar’s YouTube channel in September 2024.
Catch @kendricklamar with guest @sza. #AppleMusicHalftime #SBLIX https://t.co/VxWPUamYKp@pgLang @RocNation @NFL @NFLonFOX pic.twitter.com/9aQCv9mCvH
— Apple Music (@AppleMusic) January 23, 2025
“What’s up with it? Everything’s smooth. I’m on the field right now. … This feels a lot better than what people think, so that’s a must,” says Lamar on the phone, as SZA approaches the rapper from behind.
“Nah, I’ve been thinking about a guest performance,” Lamar continues before SZA splashes him with a gallon of Gatorade as the beat for “Hey Now” from GNX starts playing in the background.
Jay-Z, whose Roc Nation co-produces the halftime show, added in a statement, “Kendrick Lamar is truly a once-in-a-generation artist and performer. His deep love for hip-hop and culture informs his artistic vision. He has an unparalleled ability to define and influence culture globally. Kendrick’s work transcends music, and his impact will be felt for years to come.”