If there’s ever a time to announce a new album, doing it in front of an adoring crowd whilst headlining BST Hyde Park is surely one of the best ways to do it.
SZA: the artist that has garnered fans worldwide with songs that seep into the soul, lyrics that cut deep and a voice that makes the hardest of hearts melt. In what was her first ever appearance at BST Hyde Park before popping over to headline at anther behemoth of the British music festival calendar, Glastonbury, the American star brought no less than a stunning spectacle to British shores.
For many that know her only through listening to both her groundbreaking albums CTRL and SOS, and her EP Z, her prowess as a skilled lyricist and songwriter is of no doubt, with her songs capturing the essence of the many struggles we go through in the quest to merely exist well as humans. The depth of her music is such that she surely could just as well sit on the stage, only her and a microphone, and she would still hold an audience of thousands in her thrall.
Yet from the moment that she rose from the stage on a high plinth in Hyde Park on Saturday night, it was more than clear that if you are looking for a popstar to truly wow you with her true performing skills, you need look no further. Set to a theatrical, botanical paradise backdrop, SZA pulled the audience deep into the creative wonderland built to elevate her songs.
Even the most dedicated fan was sure to be enchanted with the feeling that every song was reborn anew for the concert. Whether it be through a new arrangement, the detailed choreography, or SZA’s own electric stage presence, it was a masterclass in breathing new life into already beloved work. Fans were treated to hits from across her career, from ‘Love Galore’, ‘Kill Bill’ and ‘The Weekend’ to deeper cuts like ‘Normal Girl’, ‘Snooze’ and even a cover of Doja Cat’s ‘Kiss Me More’
Special mention has to go to her dancers and band, with whom every single movement and shape helped to make the concert feel more like an immersive, one-of-a-kind theatrical experience.
SZA’s steadfast commitment to her art and her concepts is well known: the singer herself has referred to the intensity of her process and the intentionality behind every creative choice she makes.
This came across in spades in her time in Hyde Park, as if each decision was made to pull the audience as deeply into her mind and music as she possibly can. And she succeeded: for on that glorious Saturday night, Hyde Park was transported out of London and into a wonderland of SZA’s own making.
With millions of records sold in the UK and in Europe, and huge followings in Asia that continue to grow, for anyone who travelled to London from around the world to see her, the experience was surely worth it.
In 2024, we are lucky enough to be experiencing a renaissance of the true pop girl: not just a chart behemoth, but the newest generation of divas and starlets to make audiences dance, scream and dream like the pop queens of old. Of all these new, unique and brilliant pop princesses, SZA is undoubtedly one of the very best.
BST Hyde Park runs until the 14th of July 2024. Get tickets here.
