Diamond Boy (DTM)

Last updated

"Diamond Boy (DTM)"
Song by SZA
from the album Lana
Written2023
ReleasedDecember 20, 2024
Recorded2023
Genre R&B [1]
Length3:37
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Scum
  • Carter Lang
  • Declan Miers
  • Solomonophonic
  • Michael Uzowuru
Audio
"Diamond Boy (DTM)" on YouTube

"Diamond Boy (DTM)" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022).

Contents

Background

American singer-songwriter SZA released her second studio album SOS on December 9, 2022, to widespread acclaim and high commercial success. [2] [3] It opened with a score of 94 on the review aggregate website Metacritic, [4] debuted atop the Billboard 200, broke a string of chart records, and spawned several career milestones. [5] SZA teased the imminent release of its deluxe version on Instagram upon SOS's release, [6] and she teased it again on a December 21 post, where she expressed gratitude for the album's number-one debut: "Imma take another swing at it for the deluxe then shut up for a while." [7]

SOS spawned six singles. The latest, "Snooze", was sent to radio in April 2023 after its slow-burn success on the Billboard Hot 100, with its music video released in August. [8] [9] SZA teased the video a few weeks prior, posting two clips of behind-the-scenes footage soundtracked to unreleased music. [10] The same snippet appeared again in the music video's outro, [11] which continued SZA's tradition of previewing upcoming songs at the end of music videos. [12] Fans and publications began calling the song "OD" and "Diamond Boy", [13] [14] and in a Rolling Stone interview, SZA revealed its official title as "DTM". She told the magazine the song would appear on the deluxe edition of SOS, entitled Lana. [15]

Music and lyrics

SZA continued to make music after the release of SOS, working with producers such as Carter Lang on Lana during occasional bursts of creativity. [16] Work on "Diamond Boy (DTM)" began in mid-2023, around when she shared the Instagram preview, [16] with a stripped-down demo of the entire song that featured only guitars, a bassline, and soft vocals infused with a rap cadence. [17] After SZA recorded the demo, she sent it to Lang, who created a call and response between SZA and the music by adding other instruments around her melody such as drums [17] [18] and keyboards. [19] The song was finished around August, about a week after its first teaser. [16] The first parts of the final product are acoustic, and the drums appear later in the song. [20]

"Diamond Boy (DTM)" gets its name from the lines "Am I doing too much?" [16] [21] and "Diamond boy, why you so shiny? / Diamond boy, come get behind me." [22] The song is a ballad about love; according to SZA, it was the first love song she could remember writing about someone she "actively liked", which she did during the "thick of the romance". [17]

Release

"Diamond Boy (DTM)" was originally set to be released as part of a single bundle for "Snooze", [16] before an acoustic version of "Snooze" featuring Canadian musician Justin Bieber was recorded and released in September, delaying the release of Lana and "Diamond Boy (DTM)" as its lead single. [15] [17] In the meantime, SZA performed it in some shows of the SOS Tour, [23] [24] and prior to that, she debuted the song during an exclusive concert at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in celebration of SOS, where she announced Lana evolved into an album of its own. [25] Her performance of "Diamond Boy (DTM)" at Brooklyn's Barclays Center during the SOS Tour was featured on a video series on Apple TV+ that premiered on February 1, 2024. [21] [22]

In mid-March 2024, SZA teased another unreleased song via her Instagram, posting a video of her in a bikini as she poses in front of a camping tent and sings the lyrics. In the comments, one fan asked about where "Diamond Boy (DTM)" was, to which SZA replied: "on the deluxe I’m bout to drop". [26] [27] Lana was released on December 20, 2024. [28]

Credits

Charts

Chart performance for "Diamond Boy (DTM)"
Chart (2024–2025)Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [29] 80
Global 200 ( Billboard ) [30] 146
UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC) [31] 39
US Billboard Hot 100 [32] 60
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs ( Billboard ) [33] 9

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SZA</span> American singer-songwriter (born 1989)

Solána Imani Rowe, known professionally as SZA, is an American singer-songwriter. She first gained recognition through her self-released EPs See.SZA.Run (2012) and S (2013), which helped her become the first female artist to sign with Top Dawg Entertainment. Her third EP, Z (2014), was her first project to be released to digital retailers and reached the top-ten on the U.S. Independent Albums chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SZA discography</span>

The discography of American singer-songwriter SZA consists of 2 studio albums, 1 reissue album, 3 extended plays (EPs), 1 live album, and 48 singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shirt (song)</span> 2022 single by SZA

"Shirt" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the third single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). Produced by Darkchild and Freaky Rob, it is an R&B song, with elements of trap music, backed by synthesizers and 808 beats. The lyrics are about a toxic relationship that consumes SZA and entices her to return, despite leaving her directionless and mentally exhausted. They include themes present throughout SOS: deep introspection, the pursuit of perfection, and the conflict between love and hatred. A snippet of "Shirt", prior to its official release, spawned a viral dance challenge on TikTok, where over a million videos used the sound. After being first previewed online two years beforehand, the song was released on October 28, 2022.

"Blind" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It is a beatless R&B and folk-pop song, featuring an orchestral production that consists of acoustic guitars, violas, and trumpets. SZA's vocal performance combines a rap cadence and slow falsetto vocals, with added vocal runs. In the song, SZA explores the duality of love and muses on a former relationship, as she expresses her disappointment to a toxic past partner while also expressing her continued attraction to him. For the chorus, SZA admits her insecurities in spite of seeking validation through sex, feeling empty and unable to find self-love within herself as a result of a failed romance. "Blind" also incorporates several pop culture references to figures such as Bob Saget and Jesus.

"PSA" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was intended to appear on her second studio album SOS (2022), as well as its reissue Lana (2024).

<i>SOS</i> (SZA album) 2022 studio album by SZA

SOS is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released on December 9, 2022, by Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) and RCA Records. The album features guest appearances from Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. SZA worked with a variety of record producers and songwriters such as Babyface, Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Darkchild, DJ Dahi, Ant Clemons, and Lizzo. It serves as the follow-up to SZA's debut album Ctrl (2017).

"Nobody Gets Me" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the fourth single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It was sent to Italian radio on January 6, 2023, and US contemporary hit radio four days later. The song peaked at number 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the Canadian Hot 100, and the Official New Zealand Music Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kill Bill (SZA song)</span> 2023 single by SZA

"Kill Bill" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the fifth single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It is a pop and R&B murder ballad, built around a midtempo, groovy rhythm and a detuned melody. Guitars, a bassline, and a flute that was sampled from a Prophet-6 synthesizer constitute the song's production, which is influenced by the boom bap subgenre of hip hop. Mirroring the plot of the Kill Bill film duology (2003–2004) after which the song is named, the lyrics discuss a fantasy to kill an ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend out of jealousy, and they employ humorous irony alongside violent imagery that contrasts with SZA's soft vocals. "Kill Bill" was sent to US radio on January 10, 2023, after achieving success on streaming services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Snooze (SZA song)</span> 2023 single by SZA

"Snooze" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the sixth single from her second studio album, SOS (2022). It is an R&B song with a midtempo rhythm, featuring an instrumental that consists of bass, guitars, drums, and synthesizers. The main vocals are complemented by several layers of harmonies beneath, and a riff appears at the song's beginning. The lyrics are about SZA's obsessive devotion to a love interest who does not reciprocate her intense feelings of yearning, despite her willingness to prove her love with violence. "Snooze" was sent to radio on April 25, 2023, and a four-track single was released on digital streaming platforms on August 25. An acoustic version featuring Justin Bieber followed on September 15.

"F2F" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022). "F2F" is a rock song that draws influence from genres such as country, pop rock, and grunge. SZA wrote the song with Lizzo, who provides background vocals, and producers Rob Bisel and Carter Lang. The song was one of around five rock-inspired songs SZA created for SOS, out of a desire to experiment with various genres outside of her usual R&B music. The song begins with acoustic guitar strums before transitioning into a chorus backed by drums and power chords from electric guitars. The lyrics talk about having sex with someone to cope with breaking up with a former partner.

"Joni" is an unreleased song by American singer-songwriter SZA featuring a yet-to-be-announced artist. It was intended for Lana (2024), the reissue of SZA's second studio album SOS (2022), but ultimately did not make the final tracklist. A trap song inspired by the music of singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell, "Joni" combines realist and idealist writing styles, discussing SZA's love for her family and desire to overcome challenges in pursuit of perfection. The song was originally uploaded to SoundCloud on August 22, 2021, and is a leaked outtake from SOS's standard edition.

<i>Lana</i> (album) 2024 studio album (reissue) by SZA

Lana is the reissue of SOS (2022), the second studio album by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released on December 20, 2024, through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. It features a single guest appearance from Kendrick Lamar. The album was supported by the singles "Saturn", "Drive", and "BMF".

"BMF" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). It references Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'", both of which feature a "south Detroit" line, and interpolates the 1960s bossa nova single "The Girl from Ipanema". "BMF" was originally going to feature American singer and rapper Lizzo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saturn (SZA song)</span> 2024 single by SZA

"Saturn" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA. It is the lead single from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). It is a song about nihilism and escapism, discussing one's lamentations about why bad things happen to good people and wishes to leave Earth for another planet, Saturn, where they could possibly live a better life. "Saturn" features a twinkly instrumental, a result of a combination of arpeggios and beaming synthesizers. The song was surprise-released on February 22, 2024, after its official debut at the year's Grammy Awards ceremony over two weeks prior. "Saturn" is nominated at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards for Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance. The cover is a reference to the cover of her song "Love Galore" (2017).

"Crybaby" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). The lyrics center on SZA's mental health, insecurities, and self-destructive behavior. She sings about her public image as an emotionally sensitive celebrity, later embracing the reputation while listing several ways she can evolve into a better individual. Musically, "Crybaby" combines twinkly synthesizers with a groovy bass.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drive (SZA song)</span> 2024 single by SZA

"Drive" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). It was released on December 20, 2024, by Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records as the second single from Lana. A music video for the song, starring Ben Stiller, premiered on the same day.

"Take You Down" is an upcoming song by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was intended to be a track on Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). The song was scheduled to be released on January 6, 2025.

"Kitchen" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released on December 20, 2024, as the eleventh track from Lana (2024), the reissue of SZA's second studio album SOS (2022). The song samples "Voyage to Atlantis" (1977) by American music group the Isley Brothers.

"Scorsese Baby Daddy" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). The title references film director Martin Scorsese. In the lyrics, SZA expresses her desire to find a boyfriend who reminds her of the characters from Scorsese's filmography, who tend to be violent criminals. SZA has teased a music video for "Scorsese Baby Daddy".

References

  1. ↑ https://www.billboard.com/lists/sza-lana-tracks-ranked/diamond-boy/
  2. ↑ Williams, Sophie (February 23, 2023). "How SZA Inspired a Generation of R&B Storytellers: 'She's a Radical Light'". NME . Archived from the original on December 17, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  3. ↑ Mitchell, Gail; Unterberger, Andrew (October 5, 2023). "Why SZA's SOS Could Bring R&B Back to the Grammys Big Four". Billboard . Archived from the original on October 13, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ Espinoza, Joshua (December 11, 2022). "Here Are the First-Week Sales Projections for SZA's SOS". Complex . Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 23, 2024.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Trevor (December 9, 2023). "1 Year of SOS: 8 Records & Achievements for SZA's Blockbuster Album". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved December 17, 2023.
  6. ↑ Calfee, Joel (December 11, 2023). "SZA Teases New Music with Mysterious Farm Photos on Instagram". Harper's Bazaar . Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ Peters, Mitchell (December 21, 2022). "SZA's Blown Away by the Success of SOS on Billboard Charts: 'Not What I Expected'". Billboard . Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  8. ↑ Mamo, Heran (December 11, 2023). "What SZA's Long-Awaited Return Taught Us About the Future of R&B". Billboard . Archived from the original on January 12, 2024. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ Unterberger, Andrew (September 26, 2023). "How Did SZA Score Two Simultaneous Top Five Hits Nine Months After SOS?". Billboard . Archived from the original on December 15, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  10. ↑ Geraghty, Hollie (August 13, 2023). "SZA Teases Unreleased Song in 'Snooze' Music Video Preview". NME . Archived from the original on August 25, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  11. ↑ Bell, Sadie (August 25, 2023). "SZA Falls in and Out of Love with Justin Bieber in the Dreamy 'Snooze' Music Video". People . Archived from the original on November 4, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  12. ↑ Wilkes, Emma (August 25, 2023). "Watch Justin Bieber Appear in SZA's Music Video for 'Snooze'". NME . Archived from the original on February 24, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  13. ↑ Kelly, Tyler Damara (September 11, 2023). "SZA Reveals Forthcoming Deluxe Edition of Her Album, SOS, Is Called Lana". The Line of Best Fit . Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ Aswad, Jem (December 11, 2023). "SZA's New Album Lana: Everything We Know So Far". Variety . Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  15. 1 2 Helfand, Raphael (October 3, 2023). "SZA Cancelled Her VMAs Performance After Artist of the Year Snub, Manager Says". The Fader . Archived from the original on October 9, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 Conteh, Mankaprr (October 3, 2023). "What's Behind SZA's Biggest Year Yet? Work, Wonder, and 'Weird Shit'" . Rolling Stone . Archived from the original on February 5, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2024.
  17. 1 2 3 4 Abraham, Mya (October 3, 2023). "SZA Compares Upcoming Deluxe Album Lana to Lil Uzi Vert's LUV vs. the World 2". Vibe . Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  18. ↑ Meara, Paul (October 4, 2023). "SZA Compares Her Lana Deluxe Album to Lil Uzi Vert's LUV vs. the World 2". BET . Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  19. ↑ Galindo, Thomas (August 25, 2023). "Justin Bieber Appears in SZA's New 'Snooze' Music Video". American Songwriter . Archived from the original on November 21, 2023. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  20. ↑ Alexandria, Lavender (February 2, 2024). "SZA Performs An Unreleased Song During Her Apple Music Live". HotNewHipHop . Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  21. 1 2 Hawkins, Ruth (February 3, 2024). "SZA Shares Unreleased Track During Grammy Week Performance". HipHopDX . Archived from the original on February 23, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  22. 1 2 Rigotti, Alex (February 3, 2024). "Watch SZA Perform Unreleased Song 'DTM' for Apple Live". NME . Archived from the original on February 3, 2024. Retrieved February 28, 2024.
  23. ↑ Roa, Ray (September 23, 2023). "At Sold-Out Tampa Show, SZA Brings Healing, and Happiness, to Amalie Arena". Creative Loafing Tampa Bay . Archived from the original on December 26, 2023. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  24. ↑ Olivier, Bobby (October 2, 2023). "SZA N.J. Concert Review: Inside the Huge SOS Tour Homecoming for Jersey's Hottest Star" . NJ.com . Archived from the original on January 2, 2024. Retrieved December 26, 2023.
  25. ↑ Aswad, Jem (December 11, 2023). "SZA's New Album Lana: Everything We Know So Far". Variety . Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved December 24, 2023.
  26. ↑ Gonzalez, Alex (March 13, 2024). "SZA Sings About 'Community D*ck' on a New Snippet Teasing Lana, Which Is 'Bout to Drop'". Uproxx . Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  27. ↑ Blake, Cole (March 13, 2024). "SZA Says Lana Is ''Bout to Drop,' While Teasing New Song". HotNewHipHop . Retrieved March 21, 2024.
  28. ↑ Curto, Justin (December 20, 2024). "SZA's Lana Is Finally Here". Vulture. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
  29. ↑ "SZA Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  30. ↑ "SZA Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 28, 2024.
  32. ↑ "SZA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 7, 2025.
  33. ↑ "SZA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
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