American singer and songwriter SZA
Credit: © Tinseltown/Shutterstock

The summer of SZA! SZA, pronounced like SIH zuh is an American singer and songwriter. SZA’s second album SOS (2022), is at the top of the Billboard charts this summer. SOS sits with Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time and Taylor Swift’s Midnights in mid-year reports.

Solána Imani Rowe was born on Nov. 8, 1989, in St. Louis, Missouri. She spent much of her childhood living in Maplewood, New Jersey. Her stage name, SZA, makes use of the Supreme Alphabet, a system of text interpretation used by the Five-Percent Nation. The Five-Percent Nation is a Black nationalist movement based in Islam. Black nationalists seek to develop an independent Black social structure.

SZA rose to fame in 2014 after releasing the EP Z. EP stands for extended play and is a type of musical recording that includes several songs but is not considered a full-length album. SZA’s music is described as alternative R&B with jazz and rap influences. Critics have praised her controlled, dreamy vocals.

In 2012, SZA released her first EP, See.SZA.Run. Her second EP, S, released in 2013, received praise from critics. SZA released two singles before her third EP, Z. SZA began collaborating with major recording artists, including Beyoncé, Maroon 5, Nicki Minaj, and Rihanna.

SZA signed a major-label recording contract in 2017. She released her debut album, Ctrl, that same year.  In 2021, SZA released “I Hate U” on SoundCloud. The song went viral on the social media platform TikTok. When SZA released her second album, SOS, in 2022, the album hit number one on the “Billboard 200” music chart.

American musician Tina Turner
Credit: © Rob Verhorst, Redferns/Getty Images

Tina Turner was simply “The Best.” Turner was an American rhythm-and-blues and rock singer. She became known as the “Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll” for her raspy voice and dynamic stage performances over a decades-long career. Turner died on May 24, 2023.

Turner was born in Brownsville, Tennessee, on Nov. 25, 1939. Her real name was Anna Mae Bullock. She met the guitarist-bandleader Ike Turner in an East St. Louis, Illinois, nightclub in 1956, and he later hired her as a singer. They performed together as Ike and Tina Turner and were married. The couple’s first hit record was “A Fool in Love” (1960). Their record “River Deep – Mountain High” (1966) became a big hit in the United Kingdom and increased their popularity in Europe. The couple’s best-selling record was “Proud Mary” (1971).

Ike and Tina separated in 1976 and were divorced in 1978. Tina then built her own career. Her greatest individual success as a singer came in 1984, when her Private Dancer album and its single “What’s Love Got to Do with It” became best-selling records. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1991 with Ike. In 2021, Tina was inducted again, as a solo performer.

Turner had a small role in the motion picture Tommy (1975) and a major role in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Her autobiography I, Tina (1986) was made into the movie What’s Love Got to Do with It (1993). Turner also wrote the autobiography My Love Story (2018). In 2019, the musical Tina, based on her life, opened on Broadway. Turner wrote the self-help book Happiness Becomes You: A Guide to Changing Your Life for Good (2020).

Turner became a Kennedy Center honoree in 2005. She became a Swiss citizen in 2013. Turner won a number of Grammy Awards for her music, including a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018.

Musician Lizzo plays James Madison’s crystal flute
Credit: © Shawn Miller, Library of Congress

The Library of Congress let American rap artist, singer, and musician Lizzo play James Madison’s crystal flute at a concert in Washington, D.C., making history this September. The flute was given to America’s fourth president James Madison in 1813 on his second inauguration. The flute has not been played for a long time, if at all! Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden reached out to Lizzo inviting her to see the flute collection at the Library of Congress while in town for her concert. Lizzo accepted the invitation and was especially interested in trying out the precious crystal flute. Lizzo is known for playing the flute, a talent she mixes into her freestyle rapping with ease.

Melissa Jefferson was born on April 27, 1988, in Detroit, Michigan. Her family later moved to Houston, Texas. Her family was deeply religious and frequently listened to gospel music. Lizzo played flute in her high school marching band. She began rapping when she was 14. After high school, Lizzo studied classical flute at the University of Houston. She moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 2010, following the death of her father.

Lizzo performed with a few music groups before releasing her first hip-hop album, Lizzobangers (2013). She worked with the American pop musician Prince on his album Plectrumelectrum (2014). Her self-released second album, Big GRRRL Small World (2015), incorporated gospel, hip-hop, and R&B influences. Lizzo signed a recording contract in 2016 and released the EP Coconut Oil that year. An EP, short for extended play, is a recording considered shorter than a full album. Coconut Oil included her hit singles “Good as Hell” and “Worship.”

Lizzo, American rap artist, singer, and musician
Credit: © Aaron J. Thornton, FilmMagic/Getty Images

Lizzo gained international fame for such hits as “Good as Hell” (2016), “Truth Hurts” (2017), and “Juice” (2019). Lizzo achieved widespread popularity with her album Cuz I Love You (2019). The album reached number four on the “Billboard 200″ chart, a list of the top 200 albums compiled by Billboard magazine. The album’s hit song “Juice” reached number five on the Billboard “Hot R&B Songs” list. The success of Cuz I Love You helped to bring new attention to Lizzo’s previous work. The catchy and fun “Truth Hurts” quickly regained attention and peaked at number one on the Billboard “Hot 100” chart, as did “Good as Hell.” Lizzo has collaborated with many artists, including the rapper Missy Elliot. Their song “Tempo” (2019) reached number 21 on the Billboard “U.S. Digital Song Sales” chart. She won Grammy Awards in 2020 for best pop solo performance for “Truth Hurts”; best traditional rhythm and blues (R&B) performance for her song “Jerome” (2019); and best urban contemporary album for Cuz I Love You (Deluxe) (2019).

Lizzo briefly co-hosted the television music program “Wonderland” in 2016. In 2019, she provided her voice for the animated musical film Ugly Dolls. She also acted in the movie Hustlers (2019). Lizzo has also become known for promoting body positivity and self-acceptance.

Musician Doja Cat
Credit: © UPI/Alamy Images

From the Grammy Awards to the Billboard Music Awards, Doja Cat has been winning all year long. Doja Cat is an American rapper, songwriter, and music producer. She rose to fame in 2018 after releasing the single “Mooo!” on the video-sharing website YouTube.

Amala Ratna Zandile Dlamini was born on Oct. 21, 1995, in Tarzana, outside Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish American mother and South African father. Her mother, Deborah Sawyer, worked as a graphic designer. Her father, Dumisani Dlamini, was an actor in New York. Doja Cat lived with her grandmother in Rye, New York, northeast of New York City, for five years before moving to Sai Anantam Ashram with her mother and brother. The ashram was a Hindu worship community run by the musician Alice Coltrane outside of Santa Monica, California. Dlamini’s family then moved to Oak Park, California. Dlamini studied dance and piano throughout her childhood. She attended high school in Los Angeles, dropping out in her junior year.

In 2013, Dlamini began releasing songs on the music-sharing website SoundCloud under the name Doja Cat. The American producer Yeti Beats invited Doja Cat to record in his studio after hearing her song “So High” (2014). Through Yeti Beats, Doja Cat signed a contract with Kemosabe Records, part of RCA Records, in 2014. That same year Doja Cat released her first EP “Purrr!” and a series of singles. EP stands for extended play and is a type of musical recording that includes several songs but is not considered a full-length album. She released the music video “Mooo!” in 2018. The single went viral—expanding rapidly in popularity—on YouTube. Doja Cat released her debut album, Amala, in 2018. Her other albums include Hot Pink (2019) and Planet Her (2021).

Doja Cat has received many music awards. In 2022, she won her first Grammy Award, for the song “Kiss Me More” featuring the American singer SZA. At the 2022 Billboard Music Awards on Sunday, May 15, Doja Cat won four awards, including top R&B artist.

August 17, 2018

Yesterday, on Aug. 16, 2018, American rhythm and blues singer Aretha Franklin died at age 76 at her home in Detroit, Michigan. Franklin ranks among the best-selling female artists in the history of recorded music. Popularly known as the “Queen of Soul,” her 1967 recording of “Respect” became an inspirational anthem for the civil rights movement and a symbol of black pride.

American rhythm and blues singer Aretha Franklin died on Aug. 16, 2018. Credit: © Jamie McCarthy, Getty Images/Thinkstock

Aretha Louise Franklin was born on March 25, 1942, in Memphis, Tennessee. She was raised in Detroit. She began her singing career at the age of 12 in the Detroit church of her father, C. L. Franklin, a noted preacher and gospel singer. She later transferred the passion and intensity of her gospel singing to popular songs. Most of Franklin’s recordings also feature her piano playing.

Aretha Franklin, center, performs on an American television program in 1968. Credit: © CBS/Landov

Franklin’s period of greatest popularity came in the late 1960′s and early 1970′s. In 1967 alone, she had five top-10 hit recordings. They were “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You),” “Respect,” “Baby, I Love You,” “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman,” and “Chain of Fools.” In 1968, she recorded the hits “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone,” “Think,” “The House That Jack Built,” and “I Say a Little Prayer.” Franklin’s other hits include “Share Your Love with Me” (1969), “Call Me” (1970), “Spanish Harlem” and “Rock Steady” (both 1971), “Day Dreaming” (1972), “Until You Come Back to Me (That’s What I’m Gonna Do)” (1973), “Freeway of Love” (1985), and “Jimmy Lee” (1986). Franklin also recorded gospel music. Her gospel albums include Amazing Grace (1972) and One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism (1987).

Franklin won numerous Grammy Awards and, in 1987, she was the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She sang “I Dreamed a Dream” at President Bill Clinton’s first inauguration in 1993. In 2005, Franklin received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor awarded by the president of the United States. Memorable later performances included her rendition of “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in 2009; and “(You Make Me Feel Like) a Natural Woman” at the 2015 Kennedy Center Honors, where she herself was honored in 1994. Kennedy Center Honors are awarded annually to men and women in recognition of their lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts.

February 8, 2016

R & b diva Beyoncé gave an energetic and politically charged performance at the halftime show at Super Bowl 50 on Sunday, February 7, as the Denver Broncos took on the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. She also performed with the halftime show’s headliner, British rock group Coldplay. Beyoncé had also performed at Super Bowl XLVII in 2013. Bruno Mars was another repeat performer at the 2016 halftime show. He headlined Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014.

Beyoncé is a popular American singer and actress. She first gained fame as a member of the singing group Destiny’s Child. In the early 2000′s, Beyoncé established herself as a successful solo performer. Credit: © Shutterstock

One of today’s biggest megastars, Beyoncé rose to fame in the late 1990’s with the hugely successful all-woman r & b singing group Destiny’s Child. As a solo artist and with Destiny’s Child, she has won 20 Grammy Awards and has been nominated for 53 Grammys, making her the most nominated woman in Grammy history.

Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was born on Sept. 4, 1981, in Houston, Texas. At the age of 9, she began singing with an all-girl group called Girl’s Tyme. The group changed its name often before the members settled on Destiny’s Child. It recorded a number of hit songs, notably “No, No, No” (1998) and “Independent Women Part I” (2000). Destiny’s Child disbanded in 2005.

In the early 2000’s, Beyoncé established herself as a successful solo performer while still singing with Destiny’s Child. Her first album, Dangerously in Love (2003), was an international hit. It was followed by the other number-one albums B’Day (2006), I Am…Sasha Fierce (2008), 4 (2011), and Beyoncé (2013). The latter, a surprise release in late December 2013, became the fastest-selling album in the history of the iTunes Music Store. Beyoncé’s most popular singles include “Crazy in Love” (with rap singer and songwriter Jay-Z, 2003); “Irreplaceable” (2006); “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)” (2008); “Drunk in Love” (also featuring Jay-Z, 2013); and “Partition” (2014). In 2008, she married Jay-Z.

As an actress, Beyoncé made her debut in the television musical Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001). She also appeared in the motion pictures Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002), Dreamgirls (2006), Cadillac Records (2008), and Obsessed (2009). She also provided her voice for a character in the animated feature Epic (2013).

Other World Book articles:

• Popular music (2011) – A Back in Time article
• Popular music (2014) – A Back in Time article