SZA to drop 'music dump' collection of previously unreleased tracks after shutting down 'Ctrl' deluxe version
Singer and rapper Solána Imani Rowe aka SZA has confirmed that we won't be seeing the fruition of the deluxe version of her debut studio album 'Ctrl' on May 25. On the same day, we do have a hint of a new collection of music on the way. Fans have been waiting on a follow-up to 'Ctrl' or at least the deluxe version for nearly three years now since its debut. The record received wide critical acclaim from music critics after its release.
It earned a No. 3 slot on the US Billboard 200, moving 60,000 equivalent-album units in its first full tracking week. In 2018, 'Ctrl' was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. Additionally the LP and its songs were nominated for four Grammy Awards, while SZA was nominated for Best New Artist.
SZA turned to Twitter on May 25 to tease the possibility of new music and to ask her fans about an idea she is calling "music dump". She asks, "So like a music dump... similar to a photo dump but not an album... this concept make sense to anyone? Has anyone ever done it?" before leaving the note, "Asking for me." The neo-soul singer added in another comment that the project would consist of about 20 original songs that were recorded over the last six years.
SZA is also being interactive with fans as she welcomed suggestions about including the full-length versions of songs that were only shared in snippets in the past. "Okay dead ass THIS IS NOW A COLLECTIVE EFFORT EVERYONE IF U HAVE A SNIPPET IN MIND PLACE IT IN THIS THREAD I DONT REMEMBER ALL OF THEM SO GATHER WHAT U WANT AND ILL SEARCH THE HARDDRIVE TODAY," she said. When a fan suggested she sell the album for an environmental cause, SZA responded by saying, "Def tryna sell it for charity... too many ppl hurting to make a dollar rn."
In a 2018 interview with FADER in 2018, SZA said that 'Ctrl' came about similarly to her new "music dump", without any specific throughline. "I just made a gang of songs over the course of four years. Heard 'em all together and I was like, 'Huh, alright'," she said.
For those thinking the new project has anything to do with the long-awaited deluxe version of 'Ctrl', SZA briefly closed that door in another Twitter convo. When asked what happened to the deluxe version, SZA responded with, "It was like a missed text message I felt like too much time passed and it didn’t matter anymore started something new.. I was wrong lol." Meanwhile, Hayley Williams has recently covered SZA's 'Drew Barrymore' on Instagram. Read more on that here.