Special (SZA song)

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Not to be confused with Special (Lizzo song), which has a remix that features SZA.
"Special"
Song by SZA
from the album SOS
Written2022
Released
  • December 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
Recorded2022
GenreFolk-pop
Length
  • 2:38
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Lyric video
"Special" on YouTube

"Special" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022).

Background[edit]

SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl, in 2017. Primarily an R&B album that deals with themes like heartbreak, Ctrl received widespread acclaim for SZA's vocals and the eclectic musical style, as well as the relatability, emotional impact, and confessional nature of the songwriting. The album brought SZA to mainstream fame, and critics credit it with establishing her status as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music and pushing the boundaries of the R&B genre.[note 1] Her next studio album was therefore highly anticipated,[8][9] and she alluded to its completion as early as August 2019[10][11] during an interview with DJ Kerwin Frost.[12]

From April to May 2022, SZA told media outlets that she had recently finished the album in Hawaii and said that it was coming soon.[13] Wanting to prove her versatility, she revealed her vision for the album involved an amalgamation of various disparate musical styles: "a little bit of everything". It would incorporate the "traditional" R&B sound that had been a staple of SZA's past works,[14][15] alongside tracks of a more stripped-back and acoustic nature.[16]

Music and lyrics[edit]

SZA had begun working on the second studio album, SOS (2022), by 2019, but some tracks were written and recorded in 2022 alongside a number of other songs due to bursts of productivity from time pressure. Carter Lang, one of SOS's producers, commented, "that's when [we] started feeling like, hey, 'We gotta do this shit like, it's been some years.' We bottled up that energy and everything was just sort of a preparation for that moment. The track "Special" was among those recorded in 2022.[17]

"Special" is a folk-pop[18] acoustic ballad,[19] built around guitars and chiming melodies from a keyboard.[4] The lyrics are self-deprecating[20][21] and explore feelings such as jealousy and body dysmorphia.[22][23] In the first verse, SZA critiques her body, lamenting her dry skin and the "pimples where [her] beauty marks should be",[24] and envies "the girl from the Gucci store", who owns haute couture clothes and does not need to wear makeup.[25][26] She sings of contradictory desires and needs: to be skinny and curvaceous, to be an "art piece" and an "ordinary girl", and to be given attention and be left alone.[18] Kyle Denis of Billboard wrote that the song can be placed within the context of misogynoir, prejudice against Black women, because it reflects the insecurities and self-hate that make it difficult for Black women in particular to find fulfilling romantic relationships.[20]

The song's central theme is about giving one's best to the wrong person and, in turn, feeling hollow and left behind in a failing relationship.[19][27] It is addressed to a former lover, whom the narrator deems a loser who has made her feel like a loser too, despite giving them "all [her] special".

Critics observed melodic and lyrical similarities between "Special" and the song "Creep" (1993) by Radiohead,[4][28] noting that the songs resembled each other by their use of guitars and themes of self-hatred.[29][30] The "I wish I was special" line from the chorus of "Special" can be found in the pre-chorus of "Creep".[26][note 2] Rob Bisel, another of SOS's producers, acknowledged the comparisons in a podcast interview with Rolling Stone in December 2022, where he described "Creep" as a "subconscious" influence. He said: "The thought crossed my mind as we were recording it, but I didn't want to necessarily create a creative speed bump or set a creative agenda by pointing that out and addressing it."[17] Other critics likened the songwriting in "Special" to SZA's 2017 single "Drew Barrymore", which contains similarly self-conscious lyrics such as "I'm sorry I'm not more attractive / I'm sorry I'm not more ladylike/ I'm sorry I don't shave my legs at night,"[21][32] as well as the works of Taylor Swift.[21][23]

Credits[edit]

Adapted from the liner notes of SOS[33]

Recording and management

  • Engineered at 555 Studio Pee Pee Palace (Los Angeles), Cosmonaut (Vancouver), and Westlake Studios A, D, and Production Room (Los Angeles)
  • Mixed at MixStar Studios (Virginia Beach)
  • Mastered at Becker Mastering (Pasadena)

Personnel

  • Solána Rowe (SZA) – lead vocals, background vocals, songwriting
  • Benjamin Levin (Benny Blanco) – background vocals, songwriting, production, instrumentation, keyboards, programming, engineering
  • Shellback – songwriting, production (for MXM), instrumentation, programming
  • Blake Slatkin – songwriting, production, instrumentation, keyboards, guitar, programming
  • Omer Fedi – songwriting, production, instrumentation, keyboards, programming
  • Rob Bisel – background vocals, songwriting, engineering
  • Dave "Spanks" Schwerkolt – engineering
  • Jeremy Dilli – assistant engineering
  • Syd Tagle – assistant engineering
  • Hayden Duncan – assistant engineering
  • Serban Ghenea – mixing
  • Bryce Bordone – engineering (for mix)
  • Dale Becker – mastering
  • Katie Harvey – assistant mastering
  • Noah McCorkle – assistant mastering

Charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Special"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[34] 47
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[35] 38
Global 200 (Billboard)[36] 49
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[37] 80
US Billboard Hot 100[38] 37
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[39] 16

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for "Special"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[40] Gold 40,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Cited to Vulture,[1] The Recording Academy,[2] The Line of Best Fit,[3] NME,[4] The Daily Telegraph,[5] The New Yorker,[6] and Consequence[7]
  2. ^ The pre-chorus and chorus of "Creep" has the lyrics "I wish I was special / You're so fucking special / But I'm a creep / I'm a weirdo / What the hell am I doing here?"[31]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Curto, Justin (December 9, 2022). "SZA Finally Unleashed Her Inner Rock Star". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  2. ^ Mitchell, Ashlee (December 13, 2022). "5 Takeaways from SZA's New Album SOS". The Recording Academy. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Taylor, Ims (December 9, 2022). "SZA Hits the Heights on the Dense but Masterful SOS". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  4. ^ a b c Daly, Rhian (December 9, 2022). "SZA – SOS Review: A Comeback Album Well Worth the Wait". NME. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  5. ^ McCormick, Neil; Haider, Arwa; Johnston, Kathleen (December 9, 2022). "Sam Ryder Is No One-Hit Wonder, SZA Channels Princess Diana – The Week's Best Albums". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  6. ^ Pearce, Sheldon. "SZA: Ctrl (Deluxe)". The New Yorker. Archived from the original on January 2, 2023. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Siregar, Cady (December 9, 2022). "On SOS, SZA Once Again Blows Expectations Out of the Water". Consequence. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  8. ^ Lee, Cydney; Lipshutz, Jason; Mamo, Heran; Robinson, Kristin; Unterberger, Andrew (January 4, 2023). "Five Burning Questions: SZA Holds at No. 1 for Third Week with SOS Album". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 5, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  9. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (December 14, 2022). "What Gives SZA Her Edge". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on December 26, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  10. ^ Robinson, Ellie (June 7, 2021). "SZA Reveals She 'Burst Into Tears' During a Rehearsal of '20 Something'". NME. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  11. ^ Alston, Trey (January 3, 2020). "SZA Is Dropping a New Album This Year but When Is Beyond Her Ctrl". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  12. ^ Reese, Alexis (August 20, 2019). "SZA Reveals Sophomore Album Is On the Way". Vibe. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2023.
  13. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (April 4, 2022). "SZA Says New Album Is 'Finished' and Describes It as Her 'Most Unisex' Project Yet". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  14. ^ Phan, Karena (December 9, 2022). "Review: SZA's Perfection Takes Time in Second Album SOS". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  15. ^ McNeal, Bria (December 9, 2022). "SZA's SOS Is Unpolished—and Completely Thrilling". Esquire. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Wang, Steffanee (December 10, 2022). "SZA's SOS in 5 Essential Songs". Nylon. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  17. ^ a b Hiatt, Brian (January 29, 2023). "The Making of SZA's Chart-Topping SOS". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  18. ^ a b Kearse, Stephen (December 15, 2022). "SZA, 'Special'". NPR. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2022.
  19. ^ a b Wood, Mikael (March 23, 2023). "At the Forum, the Enthralling Confessions of SZA". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  20. ^ a b Denis, Kyle (December 11, 2023). "What the Year of 'I'm the Problem, It's Me' Taught Us About the Future of Pop". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  21. ^ a b c Guy, Zoe (December 9, 2022). "Everything SZA References on SOS (Including Herself)". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 20, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  22. ^ Caramanica, Jon (March 5, 2023). "On Her Biggest Tour Yet, SZA Makes Small Feelings Huge". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 31, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  23. ^ a b Shepherd, Julianne Escobedo (December 9, 2022). "SOS: SZA". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  24. ^ Wood, Mikael (December 8, 2023). "On the Dazzling SOS, SZA Spares No One, Least of All Herself". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  25. ^ Ampil, Izzy (February 3, 2023). "How SZA Rose from Indie Favorite to National No. 1". BuzzFeed News. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  26. ^ a b Gonzalez, Alex (December 9, 2022). "SZA Flips a Radiohead Classic on Her SOS Cut, 'Special'". Uproxx. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  27. ^ Sophia, Kat (March 20, 2023). "The SOS Tour: SZA Onstage Is Sensational". The Santa Barbara Independent. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  28. ^ Pareles, Jon (December 13, 2022). "SZA Revels in Mixed Emotions on SOS". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  29. ^ Petridis, Alexis (December 9, 2022). "SZA: SOS Review – R&B Innovator's Long-Awaited Return Is an Eclectic Sprawl". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  30. ^ Thorpe-Tracey, CJ (December 15, 2022). "SZA: SOS". The Quietus. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  31. ^ Patton, Alli (May 18, 2023). "The Semi-Autobiographical Meaning Behind Radiohead's Hit 'Creep'". American Songwriter. Archived from the original on December 30, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  32. ^ Robinson, Otis (December 9, 2022). "SZA – SOS". DIY. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  33. ^ SZA (2023). SOS (vinyl liner notes). Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. 19658-77921-1.
  34. ^ "SZA – Special". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  35. ^ "SZA Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  36. ^ "SZA Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  37. ^ "Official Audio Streaming Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  38. ^ "SZA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  39. ^ "SZA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved December 30, 2023.
  40. ^ "Canadian single certifications – SZA – Special". Music Canada. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
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