Snooze (SZA Song)

"Snooze" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA and the sixth single from her second studio album, ''SOS'' (2022). It is an R&B song with a midtempo rhythm, featuring an instrumental that consists of bass, guitars, drums, and synthesizers. The main vocals are complemented by several layers of harmonies beneath, and a riff appears at the song's beginning. The lyrics are about SZA's obsessive devotion to a love interest who does not reciprocate her intense feelings of yearning, despite her willingness to prove her love with violence. "Snooze" was sent to radio on April25, 2023, and a four-track single was released on digital streaming platforms on August25. An acoustic version featuring Justin Bieber followed on September15.

The song received significant critical and commercial success. Many critics praised it primarily for its composition, describing it as dreamy, relaxing, and timeless, and it won accolades for R&B categories at the Grammy Awards and MTV Video Music Awards. In 2024, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked it as one of the best R&B songs of the 21st century. "Snooze" was also the 17th-best-selling single of 2023 and was a sleeper hit worldwide. It debuted at number29 on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in December 2022, staying on the chart for months as a non-single until it was officially promoted on radio. It peaked at numbertwo on the chart, spent 70weeks there in total, and was the only song to chart for all of 2023. It additionally broke the record for the most weeks atop the US urban radio chart, with 37.

A music video for "Snooze", directed by SZA alongside Bradley J. Calder, premiered on YouTube on August25. It features cameos from four celebrities, one of them being Bieber, who play SZA's love interests. They can be seen with SZA in a multitude of romantic interactions, but eventually, their relationships deteriorate and end. The video concludes with a snippet of the song " Diamond Boy (DTM)" from ''SOS'' reissue, ''Lana'', a promotion strategy she had consistently been doing to tease new music. Outside of the music video, SZA performed "Snooze" during the SOS Tour (2023–2024) and an assortment of music festivals like Glastonbury 2024. Multiple musicians, including Bieber, have done covers of the song.

Background

In 2017, SZA released her commercially successful and well-acclaimed debut studio album, '' Ctrl''. Critics throughout the years have credited it as being innovative within the R&B genre, and for establishing her as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music. SZA spoke in ''Ctrl'' variously about romance, desire, and self-esteem, often in a vulnerable tone, as well as the many ways in which emotions like jealousy and intense desire can destroy them.

The next album after ''Ctrl'' was ''SOS''. Disappointed that she had become frequently categorized as an R&B musician, which she felt was due to her being a Black woman, SZA opted to incorporate several genres and musical styles on ''SOS.'' However, she still retained her already-established sound. Declaring before the album's release that she "love making Black music, period", SZA said that she was fine with making R&B songs but wanted space to diversify her work. Certain tracks on ''SOS'' have an aura SZA described as "aggressive", while others, like "Snooze", were softer and slower.

Composition

"Snooze" is an R&B song set to a midtempo pace. Its instrumental consists of drums and twinkling synthesizers, combined with bass and guitars to build the chords and rhythm. SZA's main vocals are accompanied by layered harmonies and several ad libs; she also does a vocal riff at the start of the song.

Critics have frequently described the song's sound as "dreamy". Writing for ''Billboard'', Andrew Unterberger said that the composition felt like "being in bed with someone you love and deciding you just have to have another 15minutes there". Julianne Escobedo Shepherd of ''Pitchfork'' wrote that "Snooze" is heavily influenced by "classic" R&B songs from the past, citing how the song ends via a fade-out as a demonstrative example.

Production

The first "Snooze" demo came from producer Blair Ferguson (BLK) in late 2021, while he was staying the winter in Glasgow at his aunt's attic. Before it became a part of ''SOS'' tracklist, the song was a planned duet by SZA and Babyface for the latter's ninth studio album, '' Girls Night Out'' (2022). BLK, in his words, took a "traditional R&B route" for the demo, infusing it with "the dreamy and smooth aspects of ZA'ssound". "Snooze" was one of two songs that SZA and Babyface finished during their 2021 recording sessions.

Upon finishing the demo, BLK sent his work to Leon Thomas III, member of the production duo the Rascals. Once he was informed about the duet alongside his co-producer Khris Riddick-Tynes, Thomas flew from Atlanta to Babyface's Los Angeles studio, working on the drums en route. He met the others at the studio the next day. With BLK's demo as their reference, the producers, as Thomas recalls, " uiltthe whole thing from scratch". The turnaround time for their song was short.

During the session, SZA entered the recording room intending to finish another track. Noticing the producers were rehearsing one of their beats, she heard Thomas use his voice as a sample on a "Snooze" instrumental. He had done a vocal chop, which he made by slowly singing the melody in a different key then increasing the tempo. Meanwhile, Babyface was playing various instruments like guitars to build the song's melody. Impressed, SZA began writing all of the lyrics, finished within 20–30 minutes, and recorded her vocals in the same day. They put Thomas' pitch-shifted vocals near the end of the song, specifically the bridge.

Lyrics

According to SZA, the making of ''SOS'' involved several "palate cleanser" sessions, in which she would quickly write tracks like "Snooze" within an hour to refresh her mind in preparation for her more demanding projects. What resulted from her "Snooze" session was a love song about an obsessive, passionate romance. Romance is a frequent subject across ''SOS'' tracks, and SZA often discusses it with an idealized, melancholic, or vicious tone. Aside from love, other topics and themes that the album covers include hate, self-worth, and revenge. In 2022, SZA told '' Glamour'' that ''SOS'' would explore the feelings of heartbreak and "being pissed": "This is my villain era, and I'm very comfortable with that. It is in the way I say no ..It's in the fucked up things that I don't apologize for."

In "Snooze", SZA sings that her dedication to the song's subject is so great that she will go to risky extremes to prove her love. The opening lyrics are violent, reading: "I'll touch that fire for you, I do that three, four times again, I testify for you/ I told that lie, I'd kill that bitch/ I do what all of them around you scared to do, I'm not." Her loyalty is characterized by dependency and possessiveness. Giving her lover her undivided attention, she urges them to reciprocate and think about her even in their dreams. Lyrics from the chorus ("I can't lose when I'm with you/ How can I snooze and miss the moment?") indicate that SZA cannot fathom a life without their romantic relationship and will take every possible chance to be with them.

Dispersed throughout ''SOS'' are pop culture references to several films, with tracks named after ''Kill Bill'' (2003) and '' Gone Girl'' (2014) as well as mentions of characters from the ''Star Wars'' and ''Despicable Me'' franchises. "Snooze" in particular references the crime drama film '' Scarface'' (1983) and the character Elvira Hancock, who marries the criminal protagonist and is portrayed with a bob haircut. The relevant lyrics read: "In a drop-top ride with you, I feel like ''Scarface'' (''Scarface'')/ Like that white bitch with the bob, I'll be your main one", implying that SZA wants to be partners in crime, or extremely close, with her lover.

Then, her degree of yearning is revealed to be one-sided, much to her dismay. "Snooze" demonstrates, as Larisha Paul writes for ''Rolling Stone'', that "in both lust and love", vulnerability in SZA's music "prevails with limitless devotion." Despite promising to kill, steal, or start a fire for her lover, SZA feels as though they are failing to return the same amount of attention and effort to make their romance work. The bridge shows how the argument between them takes place: "How you frontin' on me and I'm the main one tryin'?/ How you blame it on me and you the main one lyin'? How you threatenin' to leave and I'm the main one cryin'?"

Release

In November 2022, SZA announced the release date of ''SOS'', alongside its title, via an interview with ''Billboard''. The album was released on December9, through Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. Its tracklist consists of 23 songs, with "Snooze" placed at number eight.

Over time, "Snooze" became a fan-favorite album track, experiencing a steady surge of streams bolstered by its viral popularity on the video-sharing application TikTok. In response, Top Dawg and RCA sent the song to rhythmic, R&B/hip-hop, and pop radio stations in April 2023 as the album's sixth single, following the number-one "Kill Bill". A four-track bundle of "Snooze", which includes sped-up and instrumental versions, was released on digital streaming platforms on August25, the same day as its music video's premiere.

Canadian singer Justin Bieber, who made a cameo on the music video, features on an acoustic remix of the song. The remix was released on September15, via digital streaming platforms. Although there is no new verse, Bieber provides background vocals and replaces SZA as the second verse's main vocalist.

Critical reception

"Snooze" has received critical acclaim. The instrumental was a recurring subject of attention; ''Billboard'' Andrew Unterberger and ''Rolling Stone'' Larisha Paul said it was "intoxicating", and several others wrote positively about the "dreamy" sound. Shanté Collier-McDermott of '' Clash'' said that the drum rhythm, vocal melodies, and honest songwriting created a highly relaxing aural experience that she likened to a soft and warm blanket. Also invoking imagery of a comfortable rest, Regina Cho of ''Vibe'' wrote that "Snooze" could make one "want to gaze up to the sky and fall into the sweetest daydream." She added that "the punch of the potent lyrics bring neback to reality."

In the context of "Snooze" appearance on ''SOS'', critics focused on both the lyrics and music; a few of them considered it an album standout. The catchiness and composition were points of praise for '' News24'' Joel Ontong, who recommended listeners play the song on repeat and said that its instrumental was the album's best. ''Essence'' Okla Jones thought the lyrics exemplified SZA's distinctive approach on female sexuality which, according to Jones, elevated SZA from her peers. Other critics judged the song based on how it contributed to the album's cohesion. ''Slant Magazine'' Paul Attard wrote positively, saying that its R&B composition did not clash with the other tracks' sounds, whereas '' Gigwise'' Millie O'Brien thought that "Snooze" marked the beginning of ''SOS'' "forgettable" middle part.

In retrospective evaluations, certain magazines placed "Snooze" on their lists of the best 2023 songs. ''Billboard'' ranked the song at number 22, whereas ''Clash'' put it at 2nd place. Speaking about its long-term impact, several critics have regarded "Snooze" as a timeless single that will become a classic. Cho, who ranked it as the 7th-best R&B song of 2023 for ''Vibe'', pointed to the "daring lyrics and comforting sonic ambiance". Mesfin Fekadu, in his personal year-end list for ''The Hollywood Reporter'', quipped: "aunties ave approvedof Snooze"R&B authenticity". In January 2024, ''Rolling Stone'' published its list of the greatest R&B songs of the 21st century, where Paul placed "Snooze" at number 19.

Commercial performance

In the US, "Snooze" debuted on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number29 as a non-single track on December24, 2022. Due to consistent streaming numbers, it slowly climbed the chart and reached the top 10 eight months later, in August 2023. With a chart run of 70 weeks, "Snooze" was the only song to appear on every ''Billboard'' Hot 100 issue in 2023. It peaked at number two there, as well as on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Among airplay charts, "Snooze" peaked atop the all-genre Radio Songs, and it spent 37 weeks at number one on R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay. In doing so, it broke the record set by Chris Brown and Young Thug's " Go Crazy" (2020) for the longest time at the top.

On the ''Billboard'' Global 200, which tracks worldwide streams and downloads for songs, "Snooze" peaked at number 6. It was propelled from its number-42 position from the previous chart issue by the acoustic remix's release. Outside the US, "Snooze" reached the top 20 in numerous countries like the Philippines (2), Suriname (9), Singapore (10), Canada (11), South Africa (12), the UAE (18), and the UK (18). In Australia, the song debuted at number 50 and slowly rose to its peak of number 21, staying there for two weeks. "Snooze" had a chart run of 73weeks in New Zealand, where it debuted at number 27 and reached number 5 after 33weeks. The acoustic version peaked at number6 on the country's Hot Singles chart for trending songs; it also reached the top50 in Sweden.

"Snooze" was the 17th-best-selling single of 2023. According to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry, it had sold over 1.06billion units, consisting of streams and digital sales, worldwide. Countries where "Snooze" placed on their corresponding year-end charts include the Philippines (5), the US (9), New Zealand (14), Australia, and Canada (43). Multi-platinum certifications have been issued for the song in Australia, Brazil, Canada, New Zealand, and the US.

Because of "Snooze" slow-burn success, some publications have called it a sleeper hit. In a ''Billboard'' roundtable discussion, staffer Heran Mamo told the others that by the month of September 2023, "nobody ouldsleep on that song anymore." In another roundtable by the magazine, some said that despite failing to reach number one, "Snooze" arguably overshadowed the chart-topping "Kill Bill" as ''SOS'' most popular single because of its longevity. They added that for this same reason, "Snooze" would become SZA's career-defining song.

Music video

To tease the music video for "Snooze", SZA posted two behind-the-scenes footage on Instagram on August12, 2023. Each clip was set to unreleased music.

The music video premiered on YouTube on August 25, 2023, and was directed by Bradley J. Calder and SZA. According to her, most of what was in the video was entirely improvised, save for a dance scene involving a robot. One of their spontaneous decisions was including Bieber, which happened because he coincidentally was on location during the day of filming. Aside from Bieber, the list of cameos consists of ''SOS'' co-producer Benny Blanco and actors Young Mazino and Woody McClain; all four of them play as SZA's love interests. ''Dazed'' Elliot Hoste ranked the music video as the fourth-best one for 2023.

The video begins with multiple romantic scenes, each featuring SZA with one of the four suitors. She can be seen with Mazino in a farm, where they feed a horse and ride a quad bike; McClain in a gym, where she strips and performs a sultry dance for him; Bieber in a bedroom, where they smoke cannabis after a picnic outdoors; and Blanco on the lawn, where he eats fries with ketchup from atop SZA's buttocks. As the video progresses, her relationships with them deteriorate, a result of the men's failure to give SZA enough attention. After finding herself in a series of arguments with them, she ends her romances with all four of the suitors. Near the end, she settles for a robot on a couch wearing a baseball cap, giving it a lap dance and being accompanied by two backup dancers.

Concluding the video is a snippet of " Diamond Boy (DTM)", a track from ''SOS'' reissue titled ''Lana''. The outro's format is consistent with SZA's promotion strategy of previewing future music at the end of her music videos. The short "DTM (Diamond Boy)" preview accompanies various scenes of SZA and an unknown lover, who both run towards each other in a large meadow and share an embrace. Afterwards, the outro cuts to several shots of her near a white Ferrari car as the sun sets. Walking in a forest somewhere in Cologne, Germany, SZA strips to nothing but G-string underwear as she is followed by a night-vision camera.

Live performances and covers

SZA debuted "Snooze" as part of the regular set list of the SOS Tour, an international tour in support of ''SOS'' that ran from 2023 to 2024. Throughout 2024, she performed the song in a lengthy series of music festivals, including BST Hyde Park, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, and Osheaga. During that year's Grammy Awards, SZA used "Snooze" for the first half of a medley with "Kill Bill", wearing a trenchcoat and singing on a stage that depicted a burning alleyway. The 2023 MTV Video Music Awards ceremony could have included a performance of "Snooze" as well, but it was canceled at the behest of SZA's manager Punch, who was unhappy she was not nominated for Artist of the Year. Elsewhere, she performed the song during her co-headlining Grand National Tour (2025) with rapper Kendrick Lamar.

"Snooze" has been covered by multiple artists, including Bieber and Thomas. Thomas's version was uploaded to YouTube in late January 2023, and Bieber performed his at a surprise Toronto concert during the NHL All-Star Player Draft on February1, 2024. Other covers include one from Terrace Martin, who did an instrumental-only rendition on the saxophone; it was later featured on his 11th studio album, ''Fine Tune'' (2023). When John Legend attended an online influencer's birthday party in November, he was asked to sing "Snooze" impromptu, to which he agreed and performed for the guests with a piano. Non-Western acts who covered the song include Stacey and Mikha of the Filipina girl group Bini.

Accolades

Credits

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of ''SOS''.

Recording and management
* Engineered at Westlake Barn and Studios A and D (Los Angeles, California)
* Mixed at Ponzu Studios (Los Angeles)
* Mastered at Becker Mastering (Pasadena, California)

Personnel

* Solána Rowe (SZA) vocals, songwriting
* Kenny B. Edmonds ( Babyface) songwriting, production
* Khris Riddick-Tynes songwriting, production
* Leon Thomas songwriting, production
* Blair Ferguson (BLK) songwriting, production
* Rob Bisel vocal production, engineering, mixing
* Jonathan Lopez assistant engineering
* Syd Tagle assistant engineering
* Dale Becker mastering
* Katie Harvey assistant mastering
* Noah McCorkle assistant mastering

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

Release history

See also

* List of ''Billboard'' Global 200 top-ten singles in 2023
* List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2023
* List of ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten singles in 2024
* List of number-one R&B/hip-hop songs of 2023 (U.S.)
* List of ''Billboard'' Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number ones of 2024
* List of ''Billboard'' Rhythmic number-one songs of the 2020s
* List of Radio Songs number ones of the 2020s

Note

References

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{{Grammy Award for Best R&B Song
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2022 songs
2023 singles
2020s ballads
Contemporary R&B ballads
Pop ballads
SZA songs
Justin Bieber songs
Songs written by SZA
Songs written by Justin Bieber
Songs written by Babyface (musician)
Songs written by Leon Thomas III
Songs written by Khristopher Riddick-Tynes
Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician)
Song recordings produced by the Rascals (producers)
RCA Records singles
Top Dawg Entertainment singles