The Super Bowl halftime show is among the grandest of stages for any artist to perform at. As the league continues to make the marquee event a spectacular celebration, some of the top artists of all time have taken over the Super Bowl stage. This year, the honor falls upon Kendrick Lamar for the Super Bowl 59 Halftime Show.
But he isn’t coming alone. Alongside the 2025 Grammy Award winner for Best Song, as announced by Apple Music, is singer SZA. Here’s everything you need to know about the Missouri native.
What Is SZA’s Birth Name?
Born to Audrey Rowe and Abdul-Alim Mubarak-Rowe in St. Louis, Solána Imani Rowe adopted the stage name SZA. But, before becoming an international icon, she was a Muslim girl making her way through school.
Her parents noticed her 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 the EP “S” did well in 2013, she became the first female artist signed by the group.
She took on the stage name SZA, after the Supreme Alphabet created by Clarence 13X. She herself explained, “The S stands for Sovereign or Self, Savior; the 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.”
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 made a special announcement to make it official.
Apple Music Announces SZA for the Super Bowl
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.”