"PSA" | |
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Song by SZA | |
Written | 2022 |
Released |
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Recorded | 2022 |
Length | 1:38 |
Label | |
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Teaser | |
"PSA" on YouTube |
"PSA" (also called "Potting Season") 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).
"PSA" is an orchestral song with a simple, stringed production, consisting of pianos and harps alongside vocal harmonies. The lyrics are delivered in a rap cadence and with braggadocio; SZA demands that people call her nothing but number-one and serve her, says she takes pleasure in angering people, and mocks those she views as "bottom feeders". "PSA" was used for the official teaser for SOS, yet despite this, the song did not appear on the final track list for the standard edition.
The song was released on January 5, 2023, as one of two bonus songs on an exclusive digital version of SOS. The same year, SZA performed "PSA" several times during the SOS Tour as the concert opener, as well as at a surprise concert celebrating the release of SOS. The song was scheduled to be released to streaming services on January 6, 2025, as part of an extended version of Lana, however, its release was delayed yet again.
SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl , in 2017. Primarily an R&B album with lyrics that address facets of contemporary life and romance, [1] [2] [3] it was commercially successful and received considerable acclaim. Critics credit it for being innovative within the R&B genre and establishing her as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music. [note 1] Even so, she grew discontented with being classified as an R&B musician; she later stated that she felt like her music was being reductively categorized because she was a Black woman. [9]
After the album's release, media began speculating on when her next one, SOS , would arrive. [10] [11] Within the following years, SZA began releasing the first singles from the album, fueling anticipation for SOS, starting with "Good Days" in 2020. [12] "I Hate U" followed in 2021, and "Shirt", which she had been teasing since 2020, was released in October 2022. [13]
Upon releasing "Shirt", she posted on Twitter to reveal that it was finally "album time", [14] and outlets surmised that it would have a December release upon noticing that a car had the date written on the license plate. [15] [16] Later on November 8, during SZA's 33rd birthday, she celebrated the occasion by uploading a video to her YouTube account, which uses a snippet of a song titled "PSA", reposting it on social media with the caption "clock starts now." [17]
SZA sought to prove her musical versatility with SOS by imbuing her established sound with elements from multiple genres; [18] [19] one of her visions for the album was to make songs that were orchestral and simple but at the same time aggressive. [20] Producer Carter Lang met with Will Miller alongside two other producers to create around 20 demos that incorporated this sound, inspired by what Lang described to Rolling Stone Music Now as "very minimal" and "beautifully haunting" pieces. Among the demos were "PSA", also called "Potting Season", alongside the standard edition track "Blind". After they arranged the layering on the demos, they sent the songs to SZA for her to write lyrics. [21]
Being an orchestral track, "PSA" is a song that consists of soft piano [22] and harps. [23] SZA raps in a braggadocious manner as she harmonizes in the background; [24] in the lyrics, she demands that people call her nothing but "number-one" and serve her [23] [25] so she can cope with her problems, because she doesn't "know how to take losses [...] even when they are lost causes." [26] She also says she takes pleasure in making people angry—"pissing [them] off just to get off"—then mocks "bottom feeders" who "suck dick by the liter", perceiving them as of less value than her. [17] The closing lines are "you should go cry about it, not trying to fight about it." [24] [22]
The "PSA" teaser for SOS was directed by Bradley J. Calder, [27] with pyrotechnic and luminescent visual effects by Rick Braukis. [28] Nearly two minutes long, [29] it features alternating shots of SZA in two scenes: in one, she wears a brown bikini and crouches in a ring of neon green fire, and in the other, she pours blue, fluorescent liquid over her naked self by a beach. [28] [24] As the teaser ends, she makes her way towards the sea, and the video cuts to black before playing Morse code for the SOS distress signal. [26]
SOS spent ten weeks at number one on the US Billboard 200, [30] and the tracking week ending January 6, 2023, marked its fourth week at the top. For the following week, there was a chance that Taylor Swift's Midnights (2022) might replace SOS at number one. [31] On January 5, when tracking was about to end, SZA and Swift tried to boost their respective albums by releasing digital versions that contained exclusive bonus material. [32] SZA's version was available to purchase only on Top Dawg's website, and it contained all 23 tracks from the standard edition alongside two previously unreleased songs. "PSA" was one of the two, and the solo version of "Open Arms" was the other. [23] [33]
SOS was released on December 9, 2022, and despite being used for the teaser, "PSA" was not one of the 23 songs that made the final cut. [34] SZA said that Punch, president of her label Top Dawg Entertainment, encouraged to excludes unreleased tracks like "PSA" on the standard edition despite her and her fans' wishes because it did not fit with his vision for SOS. [35] [36] According to SZA, he told her that the song sounded "too much like 'Blind'" and "people [would] get bored of hearing" it, saying that only one of them should be on the track list. [20]
As a response, SZA suggested that "PSA" could be a bonus track on the album's deluxe edition. [37] The edition developed into an album reissue she called Lana , which would consist in large part of SOS outtakes. [38] [39] However, like with SOS, Punch scrapped the song from its tracklist. [40] Hours after Lana's release, SZA posted on social media to share text conversations with him, in which she asked permission to release a remastered "PSA" sometime soon. Punch replied by saying she can "give it to [the fans] for new years or Christmas." [41] Due to the holiday break, the label postponed the release to January 6, 2025. [42] The release was postponed again. [43]
The first live performance of "PSA" was during the SOS Tour, debuted at her concert at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio, on February 21, 2023. [44] Her set lists for the European and North American legs started with "PSA", which she performed as she recreated the album cover art on stage, atop a diving board with a screen behind her that projected a video of the ocean. [45] [46] Once she was done with the song, the screen showed her dive into water below. [47]
SZA also played "PSA" during an invitation-only album celebration event in Brooklyn, New York, in September 2023 as the third out of seven songs on the set list, which included three other songs intended for the deluxe edition. [48] When she headlined Glastonbury on June 30, 2024, she included "PSA" as her set's opener. [49]
Region | Date | Format | Label | Version | Ref. |
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Various | January 5, 2023 | Digital download | Teaser version | [50] | |
2025 |
| Remastered version | [51] |
Solána Imani Rowe, known professionally as SZA, is an American singer-songwriter and actress. 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.
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.
"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.
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.
"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.
"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.
The SOS Tour was the second concert tour and first arena tour by American singer-songwriter SZA, in support of her second studio album, SOS (2022). It was announced on December 13 alongside merchandise for the album, four days after the album's release. The international tour took place in North America for the first and third legs, Europe for the second, and Oceania for the fourth, totalling to 63 shows.
"Open Arms" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022), featuring American rapper Travis Scott. It is a ballad backed by an acoustic guitar, conceived as part of an effort to explore soundscapes outside of SZA's usual R&B-leaning music. The lyrics are addressed to a former lover, whom the narrator leaves for the sake of her self-esteem despite her persistent feelings of attachment to him. A tribute to SZA's deceased grandmother, Norma Rowe, begins the song, done in the form of a skit; Rowe's vocals featured prominently on SZA's debut album, Ctrl (2017)
"Joni" is an upcoming song by American singer-songwriter SZA. It is expected to appear on the extended version of Lana (2025), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). 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 samples "Angeles" (1997) by Elliott Smith.
"Diamond Boy (DTM)" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022).
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"BMF" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from Lana (2024), the reissue of her second studio album SOS (2022). It is a bossa nova song that interpolates "The Girl from Ipanema", a 1960s single composed by Brazilian musician Antônio Carlos Jobim. The lyrics contain an allusion to "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey, both referencing the fictional location of South Detroit. "BMF" was originally going to feature American singer and rapper Lizzo.
"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.
"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 reissue's promotional single. 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.
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"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".