SZA, Saturn | Song Review 🎵

Grammy-winning R&B singer SZA is deep in thought, seeking a change of pace on her delightful, reflective single, “Saturn.”

“If there’s a point to losing love / Repeating pain (Why?) / It’s all the same (Same) / I hate this place.” Word, SZA.  The Grammy-winning R&B artist has outer space on her mind in her single, “Saturn”… to an extent.  Essentially, she needs a change of pace, one that doesn’t seem like an option on earth or in her current trajectory.  In the pre-chorus, she asserts, “Stuck in this paradigm / Don’t believe in paradise / This must be what hell is like.” Ooh-wee! She adds that she’s “Sick of this head of mine / Intrusive thoughts, they paralyze.” True, true.  Getting inside of your dome – it can mess you up!

What isn’t a mess in the least is “Saturn” from a musical perspective.  SZA penned this three-minute-and-change standout alongside Carter Lang, Rob Bisel, Solomonophonic, and Scott Zhang (Lang, Bisel, Solomonophonic, and Monsune produce). Both the lyrics and music are fabulous.  The backdrop matches the introspective nature of the lyrics with a recurrent, string-like rhythmic synth, robust bass line, and soulful groove.  The melodies are tuneful and rhythmic in the verses, where SZA is critical of her current status and has questions.  In the second verse, she asks, “If karma’s really real / How am I still here?” As she sings, she sounds radiant, with that signature, expressive and warm tone.  The centerpiece is no surprise, the chorus, where Saturn arrives, ‘rings’ and all: “Ooh / Life’s better on Saturn / Got to break this pattern / Of floating away / Ooh / Find something worth saving / It’s all for the taking / I always say.” Once again, SZA brings the heat.  “Saturn” is nothing short of delightful.

SZA // “Saturn” // Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA // 2.22.24

[📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Top Dawg Entertainment / RCA; Clker-Free-Vector-Images, Królestwo Nauki, OpenClipart-Vectors, Pete Linforth, Tumisu from Pixabay]