SZA didn't hestiate to call out habitual music leakers in her new Variety cover story.
The SOS singer-songwriter spoke to the entertainment publication about her first album after a five-year hiatus, and expressed her dismay at all the leaked music that has made its way online.
“When people leak my songs, they ruin them,” SZA told Variety. “Then it’s not mine anymore; it’s actually yours. It’s something unfinished that you decided was ready to be shared."
In June, fans discovered that SZA was originally supposed to appear on "Calling My Phone" with Lil Tjay and 6lack, although she didn't think her leaked final verse was good enough. SZA's earlier works have also appeared online prior to their release, like the unauthorized Comethru in 2018, which Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence "Punch" Henderson Jr. clarified was "stolen."
She continued, "And it’s like, ‘Fuck you. Now I’m not releasing it.’ Play your leak, but you’re not gonna bully me into dropping music. I’m now embarrassed by this less-than-correct version that you put out. You’ve sent me into a weird space creatively when you could have just waited for me, but you’re selfish.”
The artist also explained that fans can anticipate a deluxe edition of SOS, titled Lana, while adding that the album's runaway hit "Kill Bill" wasn't originally her favorite.
“I hated it," she told Variety. “Well, I didn’t hate it. But I was like, ‘Can I say this? Is it silly?’ Rob [her producer] was like, ‘You have to say it!’ So I sent it to my homegirl, and she was like, ‘I don’t know. I think you should maybe say something to clarify.’ I was really scared that people would harm each other, ’cause some people are fucking strange. But it was a joke.”
SZA has three Grammy Award nominations for the single, including Record of the Yea,r and nine overall. The 66th Annual Grammy Awards will be held on February 4.
