Released in 2017, SZA’s debut studio album, Ctrl, wasn’t just a collection of songs: it was an honest portrayal of young womanhood, vulnerability, and understanding life and love. Far from the polished and distant R&B of the past, Ctrl established Solana Imani Rowe as the genre’s new and refreshingly messy kind of voice. Her message went straight to a generation dealing with insecurities, complicated relationships, and the hardship of navigating their twenties.
The album’s core message, the idea of “control,” is conveyed from the very beginning. The opening track and the following songs feature candid voicemails from SZA’s mother and grandmother, setting a tone of familial feelings mixed with her own chaotic reality. This turns the album into an audio diary filled with confessions and realizations. The music itself is a mix of soul and hip hop, and it further dives into the emotion of familiarity, and its warm, yet raw nature makes the listener feel intimate.
Across the 14 tracks, SZA does not convey an impression of perfection. Her lyrics are direct, detailing complicated relationship dynamics with a rare blend of resentment, yearning, and learning about herself. On tracks like “Supermodel” and “Drew Barrymore,” she discusses self-doubt and the pressure to follow unrealistic beauty and behavioral standards. “I’m sorry I’m not more attractive,” she sings on “Drew Barrymore,” a line that resonated with many because it shared the “unladylike” struggles that aren’t explored in mainstream music.
Ctrl doesn’t stick to one story, as SZA is the vengeful ex-girlfriend, the other woman, and the insecure romantic. The refusal to be a “normal girl,” as explored on the track of the same name, is what made the album a cultural model, particularly for young black women who saw their own identities reflected outside of pre-existing stereotypes.
While the individual singles facilitated its overall success, the true influence of Ctrl is experienced throughout the album as a whole. It’s a captivating listen that touches on the anxiety of growing up, the difficulty of balancing work and personal life, and the discovery that only you can control how you react to the uncontrollable. The album’s final moment, the reflection of “20 Something,” offers a tolerant yet hopeful closure, realizing that the search for control is a journey, not a destination.
Eight years since the release, Ctrl remains an essential and lasting classic. It didn’t just mark SZA’s arrival to the music industry, but it changed the landscape of R&B in an era where vulnerability and “messiness” became the new standard for genuine emotion.
