SZA Accepts Woman of the Year Award at Billboard Women in Music – Billboard

SZA capped off an astonishing run of vital acclaim and business success by accepting the Girl of the 12 months award on the 2023 Billboard Girls In Music ceremony, taking the stage to just accept the trophy from Coi Leray on Wednesday evening (Mar. 1).

After Leray known as SZA an “wonderful soul” after which launched a pre-recorded congrats from SZA’s “Particular” remix pal Lizzo (“You’re the actual deal! Such a real human being,” Lizzo mentioned), SZA took the stage to rapturous applause, and was beaming as she accepted her trophy. After thanking God, her mother and father, her group and label, SZA revealed that she wished to maintain her acceptance speech as pure as attainable.

“I didn’t write something, however that’s additionally not who I’m,” SZA mentioned. “I’m a really off-the-dome form of particular person, and I suppose what I wished to say is like, there’s so many ladies on this room proper now that I respect so deeply. This might have been any of us on this room.”

SZA proceeded to shout out a number of of the 2023 Girls In Music honorees, from Doechii to Lana Del Rey to Latto, after which talked about how showing ultra-confident is commonly a false impression projected upon artists. “I used to really feel like I didn’t belong,” SZA admitted, “however I noticed that the secret’s to remain open and obtainable for regardless of the universe or God desires to do along with your life.

“I actually simply need my life to be greater than music,” she continued, “to be greater than an artist. I need to serve others, I need to serve folks, I need to be open and obtainable for no matter God desires for me, and saying sure to every part that’s scary, to every part that feels prefer it’s not for you or the place you don’t belong, is admittedly the one method the place we stroll by way of these doorways.”

SZA concluded with a robust affirmation: “You simply should say sure to the likelihood,” she mentioned. “And thank y’all for saying sure to me.”

The Girl of the 12 months honor arrives throughout per week through which SZA’s sophomore album, SOS, spends a tenth nonconsecutive week atop the Billboard 200, changing into simply the eighth album since 2010 to notch double-digit weeks at No. 1 on the chart. The blockbuster full-length has additionally spawned SZA’s greatest solo hit thus far — “Kill Invoice,” which has peaked at No. 2 on the Sizzling 100 chart — and has turned the R&B star into an area headliner, together with her tour in assist of SOS kicking off final month.

“It actually scares me,” SZA instructed Billboard throughout her Girl of the 12 months interview, when requested what the award means to her. “However I actually need to do one thing with my time within the solar proper now. There’s a lot I need to do for different folks. I have to do one thing to deserve that in a method that has nothing to do with me, one thing that’s selfless and uplifts different ladies, folks, interval. It makes me really feel extra accountable than I used to be earlier than. I really feel like I owe everybody a lot extra than simply smiling and getting onstage and waving. A part of it I do know is simply letting God use me and be myself and letting that be a part of the work. However I do know that there’s one thing extra that I’ve to do.”

SZA was beforehand given the Rulebreaker Award at Billboard Girls In Music in 2018. She now joins latest Girl of the 12 months recipients like Olivia Rodrigo, Cardi B, Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande.