Taking CTRL: SZA’s Groundbreaking Debut 4 Years Later
It’s impossible to ignore impact. When an artist releases an album that goes on to become critically-acclaimed, besides holding great quality, the album typically has an inarguable impact on the culture. In retrospect, when looking back on albums that have reached this status within the last five years, SZA’s album ‘CTRL’ is a release that instantly comes to mind.
The album opens with an open letter to an ex-boyfriend in, "Supermodel". Before SZA even graces the track, a recording plays and says “That is my greatest fear. That if, if I lost control. Or did not have control. Things would just, you know. It would be fatal.” This short piece of dialogue introduces the idea of control, and what it means to SZA, a theme discussed repeatedly throughout the album. It foreshadows what the rest of the album will entail. The production on the track is stripped, with nothing but a guitar loop driving the instrumental until light drums come in for the last forty seconds in the outro.
From a lyrical standpoint, it’s easy to see why this decision was made, as it places a heavy emphasis on what SZA was saying. She expresses her insecurities in a manner that’s relatable to any woman, whether they’re in her position or not. Lines such as, “Leave me lonely for prettier women, you know I need too much attention for shit like that” leave the listener stung. "Supermodel" is the introduction of the notable themes discussed throughout the album. Control, insecurities, self-esteem, and love (or lack thereof at times).
"Love Galore" follows "Supermodel" and immediately ups the tempo of the album. It’s the first time love is mentioned on the album, and the idea of love is referred to as a necessity. SZA repeatedly complains about the man she’s singing about, yet says herself that as long as they’ve got love (or what she perceives as love), she’ll stay. With lines like, “Should’ve never let you hit it…I regret it.” it’s clear to see that SZA regrets giving her time to this guy, yet her idea of love prevents her from cutting ties.
She even asks questions such as, “Why you bother me when you know you don’t want me? Why you bother me when you know you’ve got a woman?”. It’s clear to see that while the problem lies with the guy she’s referring to, it also stems from her idea of what love is. "Love Galore" isn’t the last time love is discussed on the album, but it is the most direct dialogue about the subject.
"Doves In The Wind" opens with the line “Real n*ggas do not deserve p*ssy”. Upon first listen, it’s shocking, and four years later, it's still just as salacious. SZA has referred to it as a song “dedicated to vaginas”, and it absolutely lives up to that description. SZA and label mate, Kendrick Lamar, exchange bars to talk about just how far men will go for sex, and how much more there is to offer beyond sex. Kendrick Lamar’s verse in particular is an analysis of the mental effect that sex has on men. Even in 2021, there’s truly no other song like "Doves In The Wind" out. It’s raunchy and creative in all of the right ways.
Insecurity, self-esteem, and self-worth, all take the stage on the following track "Drew Barrymore". It’s not until this track that it’s revealed how deep SZA’s insecurities truly lie. With lines such as, “I get so lonely, I forget what I’m worth” and “I’m sorry I’m not more ladylike”, SZA addresses insecurities shared by nearly every young woman around the world.
It’s also the first track that societal pressure is discussed. She apologizes for not being more attractive, and then again for not shaving her legs at night. The chorus of the song repeatedly asks “Is it warm enough for you inside me?”, a double entendre. SZA’s referring to the sexual manner of being “warm enough”, but she’s also referring to the emotional aspect of being “warm enough”. It prompts a question of her femininity. She’s questioning whether she’s affectionate enough. Caring enough. Even romantic enough. There’s a constant and consistent societal pressure for women to be “warm enough” for their romantic interests.
It’s impossible to discuss "CTRL" without touching on the biggest track on the album, "The Weekend". The content matter of the song is reminiscent of Xscape’s 1998 single "My Little Secret" and TLC’s 1994 single "Creep", with the only difference being that SZA’s song is about three women, and not two.
SZA writes from the perspective of one of the three women, who decides that they don’t care about the man’s mid-week activities, as long as he make time for her on “The Weekend”. The way she conceptualizes the situation is meant to feel empowering for women, as they’re supposed to be the ones taking control in this instance. The man may feel as if he’s playing them, but SZA insists otherwise. The production on the track carries the heaviest R&B influence and SZA rides the beat so well and so smoothly. If there’s one track you listen to on this album, let “The Weekend” be that track.
"Go Gina" is the seventh track on "CTRL" and is comprised of two verses that serve as a first hand account into the way SZA is perceived by others. SZA utilizes the character Gina from Martin as a representation of someone who’s talking negatively on her name. She uses the line “Them jeans must be uptight mama, you need some get right mama” to characterize Gina as someone who’s uptightness is a factor into the way that they perceive and judge SZA. SZA believes that if Gina would just let loose a bit, she’d probably have a bit more fun with her life, similar to the way SZA talks about her own in the first verse.
"Garden (Say It Like Dat)" follows ‘Go Gina’ and talks a bit about emotional vulnerability in a way that only SZA can. She describes the love this guy has for her as conditional. She doesn’t feel as if she can be her true self around him because her true self isn’t enough. It’s the first time on this album that we get more of a look into how SZA perceives herself within romantic relationships.
It’s clear that she has self-esteem issues, and she seems to be aware of them as lines like “I know you’d rather be laid up with a big booty…you know I’m sensitive about havin’ no booty” make an appearance more than once. SZA does such an incredible job of outputting personal insecurities that most young women carry in a relatable manner, and it's the main reason so many young women feel songs like "Garden" on a such a deep and personal level.
“Broken Clocks” is the first track where we begin to see SZA’s growth as a woman. No longer is she settling in her romantic life, and she’s self-aware in a way that we as the listener haven’t been privy to seeing yet. She’s consumed with her work life in this track and repeatedly expresses that she no longer has time for the antics she used to put up with from others, yet she has still has love for them.
“Anything” continues this road of maturity and acceptance. She still has a few lingering insecurities, but is self-aware enough to be “down for the ride”, and willing to just see where this road takes her.
“Wavy (Interlude)” featuring James Fauntleroy is a groovy break from SZA’s self-reflection and my only complaint about this track is the fact that it’s an interlude and not a complete song. Coming in at only about a minute and a half, it leaves the listener desiring more.
“Normal Girl” takes a dive back into SZA’s insecurities with lines such as, “Wish I was the type of girl that you take over to mama, the type of girl my daddy he’d be proud of” taking centerstage. In the second verse, she pays homage to Drake’s 2016 hit, "Controlla" with a light Caribbean flow.
"Pretty Little Birds" has assistance from TDE label mate Isaiah Rashad, where the two team up to croon about the concept of openness and vulnerability within a relationship.
The last track on the album is "20 Something". The production on the track is eerily similar to the album’s intro track "Supermodel". Perhaps this was a purposeful decision as it provides the listener with a feeling of coming full circle. She uses the track to admit that she doesn’t have it all together, but she’s okay with that.
When discussing why this album struck such a chord with both its intended audience and the culture, it’s not difficult to see why. SZA has a unique way of taking personal insecurities and making them relatable to her listener. There aren’t very many other artists who can utilize vulnerability within their music to connect to their audience in the manner that SZA does.
This is an album that anyone can listen to and find a song or lyric that they relate to. Impact is one of the most crucial aspects of having a critically-acclaimed classic. SZA’s vulnerability on "CTRL" sparked an entirely new wave for female R&B artists. Four years later, "CTRL" holds up extremely well and is only continuing to age like fine wine. Its impact on the culture is becoming more and more visible each and everyday.
