SZA Says She's Only Considered An R&B Artist Due To Being Black: 'It's A Little Reductive'

SZA is making waves not just with her music but also with her candid thoughts on how the music industry categorizes artists based on race. In a revealing interview with Dazed, SZA shared her dissatisfaction with being pigeonholed as an R&B artist, a label she feels is tied more to her skin color than her musical talent. She believes this narrow classification restricts her artistic freedom and ability to experiment with different genres.

Highlighting the disparity in treatment, SZA pointed out that artists like Justin Bieber are labeled as pop artists and are free to explore and blend genres like R&B and folk without facing the same type of restrictive labeling. She expressed a longing for the same level of artistic freedom, wishing for her work to be appreciated for its quality and diversity without being overshadowed by racial considerations.