SZA Reacts to Music Leaks: ‘You Are a F—ing Thief’
Written by Ashley Iasimone on January 7, 2024
SZA is calling out listeners who are leaking music.
With the release of Lana — the upcoming project that she’s described as the deluxe version of the chart-topping SOS — on the horizon, the singer-songwriter says she’s “tired” of song leaks and intends to hold people accountable for their actions.
“LEAKING MY MUSIC IS STEALING . THIS IS MY JOB . THIS IS MY LIFE AND MY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. YOU ARE A FUCKING THIEF AND I PROMISE TO PUT MAXIMUM ENERGY INTO HOLDING EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW . I AM TIRED,” SZA wrote Saturday (Jan. 6) on X, formerly Twitter.
She also addressed song leaks in a November interview with Variety: “When people leak my songs, they ruin them,” said SZA. “Then it’s not mine anymore; it’s actually yours. It’s something unfinished that you decided was ready to be shared.”
At the time, she noted, “And it’s like, ‘F— you. Now I’m not releasing it.’ Play your leak, but you’re not gonna bully me into dropping music. I’m now embarrassed by this less-than-correct version that you put out. You’ve sent me into a weird space creatively when you could have just waited for me, but you’re selfish.”
In December, SZA shared a cover art series for Lana, though a release date was not confirmed. She previously told fans the album would include seven to 10 songs.
SZA, whose real name is Solána Rowe, leads the pack of Grammy nominees for the Feb. 4, 2024, ceremony with nine nominations, including record and song of the year nods for Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Kill Bill” and an album of the year nod for Billboard 200 chart-topper SOS.
See her post addressing music leaks below.
