Who is she? SZA aka Solana Rowe is a 23 year old, who sings songs. She's pretty smooth and a lil funky which we all love. Besides being a bit of a babe, she pours her heart in to her songs and to pin point her music as one type or influenced by one specific artist or genre would be wrong, very wrong. 'Z' is her third album/EP thingy ma jig and it's her first project since signing with Top Dawg Entertainment ... yes TDE which has brought you Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Jay Rock, Ab-Soul and Isaiah Rashad ... they're taking over people.

First things first, SZA and Z might not be for everyone. Whether you're emotionally unstable, whether you're afraid of music that is different, whether you just can't wrap your head around the fact that she's different. I can understand. It takes some getting used to but it's so smooth and chill that it's a good listen if you're just bickin back being bool or if you're making some sweet love to your partner. 

Both Kendrick Lamar and Isaiah Rashad feature on the album and it's fair to say that SZA shares some great creative chemistry with these two. I'd say that that chemistry extends out to the rest of the TDE fam, she appears to be their sister and they are the bros. Rashad features on 'Warm Winds' which doesn't see him spit a hot 16, instead he sort of croons alongside SZA which creates this weird but perfect song. K.Dot features on 'Babylon' (he doesn't feature in the vid) where he spits a typically great verse but it's a verse that isn't out of place on the album because we see Lamar matching SZA's vulnerability and openness ...

Cross my heart and hope to die with a peace of mind,

Piece together my brain soon as this beat rewinds

Nitrogen and propane I spike your drink at times,

I make it hard to swallow this game, you throw up every line,

I notice people got Napoleon complex but that's my confession,

You said that we're equal but I know that your beyond guessing that I'm beyond desperate.

That's a theme of the album, to break down each song would get tiresome as there's a definite theme throughout the project. SZA is at her best when she's putting together sweet melodies that are enough to give the listener an insight in to her heart and brain. Most of the songs are love related, tales of her moving on from troubled relationships and tales of many broken hearts. With SZA it's not as simple as that though as she explores a variety of creative avenues to express her pain and happiness. There's no one behind her saying "no those lyrics are too hearty" or "you really need to cheer up", she just pours everything she has in to Z and every song is a cause for reflection. On 'Green Mile' she sings

"Lately I've been questioning, am I all that I pretend to be? I doubt it, I doubt it."

Chance the Rapper features on 'Childs play' which again reflects the nature of the album. SZA doesn't let a whole host of rappers in on the project, of the 10 songs only three of them have guest appearances. 

Like I said earlier, many might not like SZA or her music but in the age of girls shaking their behinds for attention and singing about basic topics, it's refreshing to have a lady who opens her heart up to us all. Something awesome to listen to whether you're chillin on a Sunday arvo or you're someone who appreciates the power of words coupled with sounds that flow elegantly or if you need some reminding about what it's like to experience the ups and downs of love. I found this album in a love low, so I my experience would be different to yours but I definitely learnt that I wish every girl was like SZA in some way.