Ladies and gentlemen, we’re just a couple of weeks away from stepping into a new Doja Cat era. The multitalented artist spent the last two years promoting her sophomore album, Hot Pink, which spawned her first chart-topping single, “Say So,” and a number of other highlight tracks, such “Streets,” “Like That,” with Gucci Mane, and “Juicy.” But it’s time to close that chapter as she prepares to release her third album, Planet Her. After a few delays, Doja finally shared the tracklist and release date for the upcoming album.
Planet Her will arrive on June 25 bearing 14 songs, and it will feature guest appearances from Young Thug, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, JID, and SZA. The album is currently led by one single, “Kiss Me More” with SZA, but earlier today, Doja teased another. The song is titled “Need To Know” and in speaking about it on Twitter, Doja wrote, “Need to know isn’t even the next single is just some sh*t before the next more important single comes out for you to enjoy.”
need to know isn’t even the next single is just some shit before the next more important single comes out for you to enjoy.
Next week, Top Dawg Entertainment’s SZA and friends will be featured in a one-time stream of a new, immersive virtual performance on Thursday, June 17th at 8pm ET, it will also celebrate the 4-year anniversary of her hit album, CTRL. This UNSTAGED performance is free for all card members in celebration of the first ever Membership Week (June 14-18), for […]
An undeniable highlight from SZA’s classic debut album, Ctrl, was of course “The Weekend” and the side-chick tales she delivered on it. Another excellent moment from the project came on “Love Galore,” her collaboration with Travis Scott. The song would grow to be one of the highest-charting tracks from the album. Fast forward almost four years and SZA expressed her desire to perform it live once again. The only issue, however, was she couldn’t get in contact with Scott as she no longer had his number. After sending out a tweet asking the rapper to perform the song with her one more time, Scott arrived to answer her request.
Can somebody ask Travis to perform love galore w me one last time for old times sake. Ion got his number lol .
“Of courseeeee,” he replied to SZA’s initial tweet. “1 last time, a couple more times !!!! When and where? We got the fest coming soon Love galore and Good dayzzzz,” a reference to the singer’s “Good Days” track which became her first top-10 Billboard singles chart entry. As for the festivals, Scott is set to headline Rolling Loud in Miami this summer, and his Astroworld festival is set to return later this fall as well.
AAHHH PERIADDD!!!count me INN for the fest for all the things!!! I BEEN wanted to play astro ! iss WAY PAST time ! https://t.co/ZdZcEtw0UW
SZA caught wind of his reply and answered back with pure excitement. “AAHHH PERIADDD!!!” she wrote. “Count me INN for the fest for all the things!!! I BEEN wanted to play astro ! iss WAY PAST time !”
The back and forth came after SZA said she “burst into tears” while rehearsing “20 Something,” the outro from Ctrl. It turns out the performances are all in preparation for a show she will hold as a part of American Express’ Unstaged series. SZA will perform on June 17th at 8 p.m. EST, just a week removed from the fourth anniversary of Ctrl and tickets for it can be purchased here.
This month marks four years since SZA released her classic debut album, Ctrl. Fourth anniversaries typically don’t warrant much celebration in the music world, but it appears the singer could have something up her sleeve for it. Her hope apparently is that it’ll involve a performance of “Love Galore” with Travis Scott as she hopped on Twitter to request his phone number to make it happen.
“Can somebody ask Travis to perform love galore w me one last time for old times sake,” she wrote. “Ion got his number lol.”
Can somebody ask Travis to perform love galore w me one last time for old times sake. Ion got his number lol .
“Love Galore” is of course one of the standout efforts from Ctrl and the second-highest charting song from the album, behind the fan-favorite, “The Weekend.” SZA and Scott have performed the song together on a few occasions, including at a New York City tour spot and a visit to The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, both of which occurred in 2017.
With SZA’s next album set to hopefully arrive in the coming months, it would be nice to see her perform “Love Galore” and potentially more from Ctrl before moving on to the next chapter of her career.
SZA’s tweet comes after she revealed she “burst into tears” while rehearsing “20 Something,” the outro from Ctrl, which adds fuel to the speculation for a special performance for her debut album.
Finally, concerts are returning and festival season is coming up. So, yesterday, SZA was rehearsing some songs, but when it came time to run through one of them, she had a hard time: On Twitter yesterday, SZA revealed that she cried after performing her Ctrl song “20 Something.”
SZA wrote in a pair of tweets, “Jus tried to get through 20 something at rehearsal n burst into tears LMAOOO what ? Is wrong w me ? 20 something makes me think of my granny . N everyone else I’ve lost . What a ride .”
Jus tried to get through 20 something at rehearsal n burst into tears LMAOOO what ? Is wrong w me ?
It’s certainly one of the more vulnerable songs from SZA’s discography. On it, she sings about feelings of instability and uncertainty she was experiencing at the time: “How could it be? / 20 something, all alone still / Not a thing in my name / Ain’t got nothin’, runnin’ from love / Only know fear / That’s me, Ms. 20 Something / Ain’t got nothin’, runnin’ from love / Wish you were here, oh.”
Meanwhile, SZA is a couple months removed from the release of her Doja Cat collaboration “Kiss Me More,” which is a strong contender for the unofficial Song Of The Summer title. Also, as SZA tends to do from time to time, she shared her frustrations with her record label, a stance she later clarified.
Now that the world is eagerly rushing a return to normalcy after over a year of shutdowns, cancellations, and rigid social distancing rules, the need for music to keep everyone’s spirits up is more integral than ever.
Since music serves as a snapshot of our life experiences, the Song Of The Summer plays a huge role in remembering and cherishing those moments. (I’ll never forget the summer before eighth grade thanks to Rihanna’s “Pon De Replay.”) If 2021 is as massive in real life as it is in theory, this year’s summer hit could be etched in our memories forever.
While we have the power to christen our own Song Of The Summer, there is often one song that the mainstream unofficially dictates as “the one.” This song is inescapable, often catchy, gives you the feeling of being carefree, and sometimes, it’s incredibly danceable. What better way to kick things off than with a prediction of what that coveted track will be?
Here’s a list of 10 potential “songs of the summer.”
Justin Bieber – “Peaches” Feat. Daniel Caesar and Giveon
The sweet and tangy vibe of the Billboard chart-topper basically oozes fun in the sun, so this pick should be a given. Its continent-trotting chorus — where Biebs mentions hitting up Georgia, California, and his Canadian home up-north — also provides inspiration for listeners’ safe, CDC-regulated summer travel plans.
Dua Lipa – “Levitating” Feat. DaBaby
Lockdown didn’t allow Dua Lipa to have the summer anthem she deserved in 2020 after releasing the Grammy-winning albumFuture Nostalgia last spring. However, the rap remix to her hit “Levitating” continues to sit pretty on the 2021 charts, so there’s a chance her reign will finally hit. (Better late than never!) The song’s disco-heavy energy also capitalizes on the country’s collective yearning for better, simpler times.
Doja Cat – “Kiss Me More” Feat. SZA
Doja Cat owned summer last year with her ‘70s inspired “Say So,” so another hit for the singer/rapper during the sunny season would be most apropos. As with “Levitating,” “Kiss Me More” has old-school club vibes (with an interpolation of Olivia Newton-John’s “Physical”) that brings throwback themes to the forefront, while Doja’s slick-tongued rap and SZA’s laid back swagger modernize the tune.
Kali Uchis – “Talepatía”
In a sea of chart-topping anthems, this is somewhat a dark horse in the competition. However, given the song’s theme about a long-distance lover, it works perfectly given our socially-distanced circumstances. The TikTok-favorite found on Uchis’ sophomore album, “Talepatía” also comes equipped with production befitting of her Colombian heritage, which provides a different sound for those cross-country, top-down road trips.
Olivia Rodrigo – “Good 4 U”
Unlike other Song Of The Summer selections which utilize the disco/R&B sound, the pop-punk style is strong with “Good 4 U.” With Hayley Williams-levels of enthusiastic aggression overlaying the entire track, Rodrigo shows her range as a performer. Plus, if she rules the summer, it’s proof that the *future* Grammys Best New Artist nominee is a singer for all seasons. (Remember, she had winter on lock with “Drivers License.”)
Silk Sonic – “Leave The Door Open”
The soulful, smooth, and silky song evokes vintage vibes (do we see a pattern here?), which is perfect for ditching our collective present-day COVID-19 nerves for a few minutes. The inviting, sensual lyrics could provide listeners with the courage to begin a potential summer fling, or to have a chill evening with that special someone…
“Twerkulator,” City Girls
…but if you’re trying to live out #VaxxedGirlSummer or #ShotGirlSummer to the fullest, look no further than “Twerkulator.” Thanks to long-awaited sample clearance (it uses Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force’s “Planet Rock”), the Miami rap mainstays released their highly-anticipated song just in time for Memorial Day Weekend. It certainly may be time for the twerkulator, so shake what ya mama gave ya.
Nicki Minaj – “Itty Bitty Piggy”
If you’re looking to be on your boss b*tch tip this summer, allow Nicki Minaj to give you the anthem. Now that the streets are opening back up, Onika’s enduring hit from her now-streamable mixtapeBeam Me Up Scotty is a perfect contender for the coveted Song Of The Summer honor, especially since it continues to “go awf” 12 years after its initial release. The Queen of Rap could still be on top.
BTS – “Butter”
With synthy, ‘80s-drenched production, the Bangtan Boys’ latest dance-pop anthem (released May 21) hit DSPs just in time for the change in temperature, and is sure to keep things “hot like summer” for both their diehard fans and casual listeners.
Natasha Bedingfield – “Unwritten”
Though it was released in 2004, the English singer’s euphoric pop track was given new life thanks to a trap-friendly TikTok remix (“Like Yhop” by Esco featuring Shawn P). The original musical breath of fresh air has been heavily praised since the dance challenge popped off. Many hope that Summer 2021 is a reintroduction to freedom, and we’re ready to (safely) “feel the rain on [our] skin” again.
Honorable Mention: Whatever Drake Drops
Drake had the summer season in his clutches at least two times in the past. 2016 was the year of “One Dance,” and 2018 gave us “In My Feelings.” Given what he teased fans with his March EP Scary Hours 2, we don’t have any doubts that Certified Lover Boy will provide some sort of summer anthem whenever it drops. Kudos to you, Drake, for keeping us on our toes.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
SZA did some damage control on Twitter after her earlier comment about “hating” her label apparently led to fans lashing out at Top Dawg Entertainment and its president Punch, the most active member on social media. “Punch is my manager (not a machine or a label) lol,” she clarified. “also been like my stage dad the last 10 yrs. be nice to him pls. he really fights for me. Not angry w him. Or anybody really. Jus my own choices.”
Punch is my manager (not a machine or a label) lol also been like my stage dad the last 10 yrs. be nice to him pls . he really fights for me. Not angry w him . Or anybody really . Jus my own choices .
She also made the self-aware observation that her words were being taken out of context because they were stated on a public forum. “I be in the comments of my supporters pages thinking I’m talking freely to 4 ppl lmao,” she noted. “I’m not. Woops lol.”
I be in the comments of my supporters pages thinking I’m talking freely to 4 ppl lmao I’m not woops lol
It’s not the first time that one of SZA’s outbursts have led to a stir on social media — and unsurprisingly, also involved Punch. In August of last year, she tweeted, “At this point y’all gotta ask punch. I’ve done all I can do.” However, after fans took her tweet more seriously than she intended (always a danger on Twitter, where concepts like “sarcasm” and “inside jokes” are practically held in contempt if they’re acknowledged at all), she elaborated, “Don’t nobody need to free me. I’m not held hostage n neither is my music!! me n punch be disagreeing ..hes never steered me wrong and I trust Gods timing.”
Incidentally, she might be right; in 2017, after the runaway success of SZA’s debut album CTRL, she told The Guardian that her TDE cohorts had to physically take her hard drive away from her to keep her from tinkering and ensure its release.
SZA has had her fair share of quarrels with her label, Top Dawg Entertainment. An example came on Tuesday after news that her most recent single, “Good Days,” fell out of the Billboard Hot 100 after staying within the singles chart for 20 consecutive weeks. The song was released on Christmas Day and later peaked at No. 9 on the chart before its descent began. After getting word that the song was gone, SZA didn’t take it kindly.
“I really hate my label . So much,” she wrote under a SZA fan account page that shared the news. The singer did not specify why she put the blame on her label. It should also be noted that SZA is signed to both TDE and RCA, so it’s unknown who her comments are exactly directed at, but given her past, it’s safe to guess that the message is aimed at the former.
Last summer, SZA called out TDE’s president, Terrence “Punch” Henderson, for not releasing some of her new music. “At this point y’all gotta ask punch,” she tweeted, adding, “I’ve done all I can do.” SZA’s frustration was exacerbated when one person revealed that Punch merely said “soon” when they asked him about a release date for her upcoming music. “This is all he says to me as well,” she wrote. “Welcome to my f*cking life .”
count me INN for the fest for all the things!!! I BEEN wanted to play astro ! iss WAY PAST time ! 
woops lol