The Magic of SZA's CTRL Still Remains, 5 Years Later
glamour.comCTRL. The 2017 album put the artist—born Solána Imani Rowe—on the map for the general public and earned her four . But even though it was her debut studio album, the R&B singer had long been in the wings of fame.
The 32-year-old artist began making music in 2010, releasing two EPs and writing music for industry legends. (She famously wrote “Consideration” off 's 2017 album, ) But while her early career singles were celebrated among in-the-know music circles, nothing came close to CTRL's commercial success.
Featuring verses from heavyweights like Kendrick Lamar and , the album seemed engineered to top the charts. And it did—CTRL debuted at number three on the Billboard 300 chart, eventually reached number one in its second week and was certified double platinum.
Coming from a known , it isn't hard to understand why CTRL was such a success both commercially and critically. (She did tell that her record label had to take the hard drive away from her so the album could finally be released.) Clocking in just under 50 minutes, CTRL was more than a dreamy case study on delectable trap beats and smooth vocals—it was a rallying cry for young people.
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