As critics’ and industry year-end charts reiterate, SZA had a hell of a 2023.

After dropping her long-awaited sophomore album, 2022’s ‘SOS,’ the chart-topping songstress broke boundaries and records for R&B – matching or even surpassing some jaw-dropping stats previously lifted by divas like Aretha Franklin, Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Janet Jackson, and Mary J. Blige (as we reported here).

The ongoing success of project is why she was rightfully crowned Hitmaker of the Year over at ‘Variety.’

What’s more, if a deluxe edition of ‘SOS,’ an expanded world tour, and those GRAMMY nods are anything to judge by, her 2024 may be even bigger.

More inside.

SZA ON SCORING 9 NOMINATIONS AT THE 2024 GRAMMYs:

“I’ve lost enough times to know that investing in this moment is not wise,” she says. “And not because it’s not important — I’m so happy for it — but because you have to place your importance on who you are as an artist and as a person. It’s my first time being this popular, and I saw a huge uptick in negativity at the exact same time.”

SZA ON ‘SOS’ DELUXE ALBUM ‘LANA’:

“It was gonna be [‘SOS’] outtakes and some new songs, but it’s become more than I expected,” she says. “It’s definitely turning into its own album… and I guess I could drop a new album randomly, because no one’s actually expecting that from me right now. “But I can’t tell if now’s the time to be consistent, or carefree. On the one hand it’s like, ‘What would Beyonce do?,’ but I am also deeply inspired by people who do whatever the fuck they want, like Frank Ocean and Andre 3000.”

The ‘SOS Tour‘ – originally a North American jaunt that kicked off in February and wraps in December – expanded to include European dates during its first run. According to the article, international trek will touch down in Central America as well as Australia and New Zealand next year.

Click here to read the full ‘Variety’ interview.

[photo courtesy: Mason Poole / Variety]

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