The self-directed music video released in March 2021 further established her signature fairy-core aesthetic, racking up millions of views and introducing a teaser of her next massive hit, "Shirt," at the very end. Chart-Topping Collaborations and Crossover Appeal

: In August 2021, SZA randomly uploaded three anonymous tracks to an unverified SoundCloud account under the radar. Among them was an early cut of "I Hate U".

In 2021, SZA reminded us why she’s R&B’s most unpredictable storyteller. After the massive success of Ctrl , fans eagerly awaited her next chapter. That year, she dropped the ethereal “Good Days” (a late 2020 hit that bled into 2021) and the raw, unfiltered “I Hate U” — both later appearing on 2022’s SOS . These tracks showcased her signature blend of vulnerable confession and cosmic production, setting the stage for her long-awaited sophomore album. 2021 wasn’t the year of SOS , but it was the year SZA proved she was still in full control.

Which of the three would you like?

is not just a file name. It’s a chapter in modern R&B history—a year when an album was promised, delayed, leaked, and finally reborn. For archivists, it’s a goldmine of alternate versions. For SZA, it was a nightmare. For fans, it was a frustrating but unforgettable prelude to one of the decade’s best albums.

: Originally uploaded to an anonymous SoundCloud account alongside other unreleased leaks, "I Hate U" went viral on TikTok. Recognizing the massive demand, SZA officially released it to streaming services on December 3, 2021. The song debuted at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the Spotify record for the most streams for an R&B song by a female artist in a single week.

and her record-breaking collaborations first reached the public. Context of SZA's 2021 Releases Following her 2017 debut

SZA’s SOSRAR is a quiet storm — intimate, restless, and luminous. Released in 2021 as a surprise short-form project between larger albums, it feels less like a stopgap and more like a revealed corner of an artist mid-metabolism: processing fame, desire, grief, and the strange elastic of time.

Expanding her sonic palette globally, SZA joined forces with Kali Uchis for a sultry remix of in September 2021. Singing entirely in Spanish, SZA surprised fans and critics alike with her vocal fluidity and emotional delivery, proving that her unique R&B phrasing transcended language barriers.