SZA Hints at 'Lana' Album Art — Potential Release Date Surprises Fans
SZA unveils the captivating album cover for 'Lana,' the deluxe edition of 'SOS' With eager fans speculating about its release, it seems this highly anticipated project might just be the perfect gift arriving in time for the holiday season
SZA Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Will SZA surprise her fans with a new album before Christmas, beating Santa Claus to the punch?
On Sunday, December 10, the 34-year-old singer shared six different photos on Instagram, hinting at her upcoming release. One photo showed her inside a tent, while another featured her sporting a plant bikini in a grassy field, giving off a Poison Ivy vibe. SZA also connected with nature in three other images, including holding a turkey, leading a horse, and hanging out with pigs and sheep. The final photo showed her in all white, with the exception of brown loafers, sitting elegantly in a folding chair.
The singer, whose real name is Solána Imani Rowe, used the word "LANA" as the caption for each of her six posts. Some fans speculated that this might signal a collaboration with Lana Del Rey, but it was actually the title of the deluxe edition of her 2022 album, SOS.
While she didn't announce a release date for the project, some fans thought they might have found a clue in her Instagram posts. Specifically, in three photos where she posed with farm animals, SZA was seen wearing a blue football jersey with the number 15. It's worth noting that December 15, 2023, falls on a Friday, which is the typical day for new album releases on streaming services. If the album doesn't drop on that date, the next Friday the 15th is in March 2024.
SZA revealed the deluxe edition of SOS in September while performing at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. She announced that the project would be named Lana, after her real name, and would consist of "seven to 10 songs." SZA indicated that the deluxe edition, set for release in the fall, would be like another album. During the performance, she shared, "We're just playing some songs off the deluxe, and we’re just going to play a couple of songs you already know. It was really just — I just wanted to do something for free that was a vibe. ’Cause I was here in town. Literally, there’s no other point to this whatsoever."
Many others have caught the vibe. SZA recently shared a tweet from @SzaOnStats on her Instagram Story, highlighting that Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, NPR, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times all crowned SOS as the top album of 2023. (Despite being released in December 2022, the album was featured in numerous year-end round-ups.)
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"I have no idea what it's like to go from begging for people to listen to my music to this," SZA wrote of the critical praise. "I am so incredibly grateful and confused. Thank you all. THANK GOD."
SOS received numerous accolades at the end of the year and also earned SZA a total of nine nominations for the 66th Grammy Awards, the highest number for any artist this year. Her nominations include Record of the Year for "Kill Bill," Album of the Year, Song of the Year for "Kill Bill," Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Ghost in the Machine" featuring Phoebe Bridgers, Best R&B Performance for "Kill Bill," Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Love Language," Best R&B Song for "Snooze," Best Melodic Rap Performance for "Low," and Best Progressive R&B Album.
