SZA performs during the 2024 Dreamville Music Festival at Dorothea Dix Park on April 6, 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Astrida Valigorsky/WireImage
SZA is firing back at body-shaming critics on social media.
On Monday (Dec. 30), the 35-year-old Grammy-winning artist shared a since-deleted throwback video on X reflecting on her time living at her mother’s house during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the mental toll the quarantine period took on her.
While many fans left positive comments, one user remarked on her changing appearance, writing, “aka before she got big and bbl culture like.” SZA quickly responded, explaining that such comments are part of the reason she has distanced herself over the years.
“Yall say weird s— like this and wonder why I’m different and don’t feel comfortable w yall anymore . Lol,” she wrote. “Yall do realize I mean different as in I don’t go on live+ talk and don’t communicate w yall like that anymore lmao not different as in change my appearance tf.”
While some fans noted that SZA seemed happy in the video, she clarified that the pandemic was an especially tough time for her.
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“Covid was hard … my granny had just died .. I was hella depressed n masking . Not eating. Over working out,” she explained. “but I always had my childhood home to n get lost . Still do . Grateful to be in a much better mental space now. s/o to those days tho.”
SZA has been open about her mental health struggles in the past. In a May 2021 Instagram post, she shared her battle with anxiety, writing, “I hate being outside more than I can explain,” she wrote at the time. “I really have debilitating anxiety and I’m only posting these cause Y’all woulda found em anyway. Thank you to my team n my mama. Least I’m alive.”
In her December cover story for British Vogue, the singer also discussed her decision to get a Brazilian butt lift (BBL) and how she feels about the results. “I have other s— that I need to work on about myself,” she told the publication. “I need to get my f—ing mental health together … Not to say you can’t do those things simultaneously, just, for me, I realize wherever you go, there you’ll be.”
SZA hasn’t ruled out more cosmetic procedures in the future. “I’ll do a whole bunch more s— just like it if I want to before I’m f—ing dead because this body is temporary,” she said.
The hitmaker is currently experiencing a chart resurgence as the deluxe edition of her 2022 album, SOS, returned to No. 1 on the Billboard 200. SOS Deluxe: Lana, which includes 15 additional tracks, earned 178,000 equivalent album units in the week ending Dec. 26.
SZA also announced that SOS Deluxe: Lana will get yet another update in the coming days. On Monday, she revealed that she would be tweaking some of the songs on the tracklist and adding new music.
“Just got word all updated Mixes and new songs will be added Jan 6th,” SZA tweeted, noting that her fixes had been delayed until “the label comes back from holiday.”
