Last night, SZA won a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for the Doja Cat collab “Kiss Me More” at the 2022 Grammys. This turned out to be a dramatic awards acceptance. not just because of the way Doja Cat arrived on stage, the obvious emotion, or due to Lady Gaga holding the train of her dress for her, but because SZA appeared on crutches.
This was a shock for fans because up until the show we had no idea she’d been in an accident. SZA cleared things up in an interview with Variety.
“I fell out of bed before I came here. Whenever something big happens to me, something crazy happens too.”
The crutches made things a little awkward on stage, especially a Grammy Award isn’t the most subtle and portable of trophies. SZA gamely tried to balance all three, explaining to her publicist:
“I just don’t wanna take pictures in the wheelchair!”
Joint award winner Doja Cat also nearly had an embarrassing moment. Just before the winners were announced she’d headed to the bathroom and had to run back as fast as she could in order to take the stage. Despite these wobbles, the pair gushed over each other on stage, with Doja Cat ending her speech by thanking SZA:
“SZA, you are everything to me. You are the epitome of talent. You’re a lyricist. You’re everything.”
The Variety interview also confirmed exciting news — SZA’s sophomore album is finished and will release imminently.
“I just finished it up in Hawaii, and it’s coming soon!”
SZA is known for her perfectionist streak. Her debut album CTRL was originally set for a 2015 release, though she continually reworked it until the record company literally took the hard drives from the safe she was keeping it in and forcibly released it.
While her next album probably won’t need that drastic an intervention from the suits, the delay indicates that she’s been tinkering extensively with it, so expect something incredible when it finally drops. Here’s hoping that it will be released sooner rather than later.
More on SZA as we hear it.