SZA prefers to write “interesting” songs rather than joyful ones. The Grammy Award-winning artist becomes bored of writing music that isn’t “embarrassing” to share.
“I guess it’s because I get bored as f### writing about anything that isn’t, like, super embarrassing,” SZA told Variety. “And I feel like those things that I don’t want to say or acknowledge about myself are (songwriting) material – if it interests me to the point where it’s worth the risk.”
The “Snooze” hitmaker tends to make music about her life’s “hidden aspects” rather than the obvious ones.
“There’s mad aspects to my life,” SZA explained. “But people don’t really know that because all I sing about are the hidden aspects that I think are more interesting. Honestly, I could write about jet-skiing with my friends, but I don’t want to make a song about that, and I don’t want to hear a song about it either.”
Elsewhere in the interview, SZA revealed that she never has a topic in mind when she sits down to write a song.
“I just let the beat tell me what to do, and then I start babbling and making words, and it starts to form itself,” SZA told the publication, revealing her phone is filled with memos and voice notes. “It’s like a puzzle. Sometimes I write down phrases, but I never go back to those – even though they’re always good-a*s phrases!”
She added, “They go back years and years and years. It’s all music and random bounces and writing.”
