SZA
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The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards was a whole vibe, giving hip-hop and R&B the shine they deserve.
The Dolby Theater in L.A. was packed with the biggest names in the game, and when it came time to hand out awards, the culture was front and center. GloRilla came through and snatched Hip-Hop Artist of the Year, proving once again she’s a force to be reckoned with. Her grind, energy, and bangers had the streets and the charts on lock, so this win was no surprise. Over in the Best New Artist category, BossMan Dlow took home his first-ever iHeart award, putting a stamp on his come-up in a major way.
R&B was just as lit, with SZA securing R&B Artist of the Year because let’s be real, who’s touching her right now? She’s been running the game, and this award just made it official. Meanwhile, 4batz walked away with Best New Artist for R&B, proving that his unique sound is here to stay. And let’s not forget, he and his girl Anycia had everybody talking with their red carpet moment, giving real couple goals.
From the performances to the wins, the night was all about celebrating the culture. The 2025 iHeartRadio Music Awards made it clear: hip-hop and R&B ain’t just alive, they’re thriving.
SZA stopped by Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday night (March 12) and spilled details about her upcoming Grand National Tour with Kendrick Lamar, her excitement for Sesame Street, and dodged a cheeky question about Drake.
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When Kimmel asked if the Grand National Tour would resemble their Super Bowl LVIII halftime performance, the “Saturn” singer teased that fans can expect something entirely new.
“Oh, we’re doing a new thing,” she said. “We’re both just kind of throwing all the paint at the wall… This is our first stadium show for both of us, so we pretty much have to go insane.”
While SZA and Lamar might be co-headlining, she hinted that the Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers rapper is very much in his own lane.
“Well, he’s a wizard, so that’s different,” she quipped when asked if they hang out behind the scenes. “Wizards tend to be solitary beings, from my observation… I think he’s doing the Merlin thing backstage, getting us ready to take off.”
The “Kill Bill” singer also fielded a not-so-subtle question from Kimmel about the tour’s upcoming Toronto stop—where one particular rapper famously resides.
“But what if you-know-who shows up?” Kimmel asked, clearly alluding to Canadian rapper, Drake.
SZA simply shrugged: “Who knows? Who knows?” before Kimmel joked that Kendrick would “wave his wand, and he will disappear.”
“That’s what he’s the man behind the curtain,” she replied.
Beyond the tour, SZA also gushed to Kimmel about a lifelong dream coming true—appearing on Sesame Street.
“That was actually the most intense room of celebrities I’ve ever been in,” she joked. “Elmo, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch… I got to talk to Cookie Monster.”
When Kimmel asked about the blue monster’s conversational skills, she laughed: “Terrible diction and alliteration. Very poor vocabulary, but tons of enthusiasm, I was so inspired!”
“It was like a true indicator that I’ve made it,” SZA added of her appearance on the show. “Shout out to the Super Bowl but Sesame Street..”
The Grand National Tour kicks off April 19 in Minneapolis, with stops across North America before heading overseas.
Lizzo might have teased her new era during a recent Twitch stream, but she also gave fans a preview of a SZA-featuring supergroup that could have been.
The “About Damn Time” singer revealed this bit of her musical past during her Valentine’s Day Twitch stream. Alongside technical difficulties, fan interaction, and the promise of new music at the end of the month, Lizzo also focused on the song “F2F’, which she co-wrote with SZA before it appeared on the latter’s chart-topping 2022 album SOS. While “F2F” was never issued as a single, it became one of the 20 songs from the album to hit the Billboard Hot 100, ultimately peaking at No. 55.
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During her stream, Lizzo turned her attention to the song, noting how it had come about after almost a decade of friendship with SZA, and how it almost aligned with an unrealized rock trio the pair were a part of.
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“We’ve just always been friends, and it’s a sacred space for me in this industry,” Lizzo recalled. “We got this little period of time where we were just linking up in the studio, and eating pasta and drinking.
“This one particular night, mind you, we were gonna start a rock band, called Pussy Lasers. Oh my gosh, she’s not gonna get mad if I say this,” she added. “We were going to start a rock band called Pussy Lasers with an incredible other artist who I don’t know if she even wants to be mentioned, so I’m not going to mention her.”
As Lizzo continued, she explained that while “F2F” wasn’t necessarily set to be a part of the Pussy Lasers project, it was “jokingly” considered so due to the track’s “‘90s grunge kind of rock feel”.
“I was like, ‘This shit is hard, though’, so I was in the studio and I was like, ‘Man, pull that Pussy Lasers shit up,’” she continued. “And let me tell you something: I sat and watched this girl freestyle the whole fucking song, everything except for the chorus.”
Finalizing the song together in a later session, Lizzo also noted that she recorded a “mumble verse” which never made it into the track, though some of her harmonized vocals did make it into the finished product. “After that, I thought about that song all the time,” she added. “I was just like, ‘I hope, I hope she puts it on the album. And then one day out of the blue she just texted me the finished version and I was just like, ‘And this is why you’re the GOAT’.”
“She writes the craziest, most insane shit that you’re thinking and feeling, but she just finds a way to say it, and she sings it so beautifully out the gate, out of her mouth the first time.”
Currently, it’s been almost three years since the release of Lizzo’s last studio album, with fourth album Special becoming her second released via a major label, and second to hit the top ten of the Billboard 200 – peaking at No. 2. Earlier in her Twitch stream, Lizzo confirmed that Feb. 28 will see her waving farewell to her Special era at long last.
“I’ve been working on music for the last two years, and took my time and I did it right. The new era begins today,” she told fans. “I truly am coming to gag throats.”
This year’s Super Bowl has made television history, with the broadcast setting a ratings record for the second year in a row.
According to FoxSports, an average of 126 million viewers tuned in to watch their broadcast on Sunday (Feb. 9), which saw the Philadelphia Eagles emerge victorious over the Kansas City Chiefs with a final score of 40 to 22. According to the network, those figures measure viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, Tubi, Telemundo and NFL digital properties.
That number is a 2% increase on the 123.7 million viewers who watched last year’s event, which outshone any audience previously recorded by Nielsen. Fox also noted that their peak audience of 135.7 million viewers occurred around the game’s second quarter, between 8:00-8:15pm ET.
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Though the evening’s big takeaway was undoubtedly related to the game itself, a sizable portion of the Super Bowl’s viewership likely came thanks to the halftime show, which featured Kendrick Lamar in the spotlight.
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Much of the discourse relating to Lamar’s appearance revolved around the potential content of his performance – specifically whether he would perform his Drake diss track “Not Like Us”.
Having inspired a defamation lawsuit from its subject matter against Lamar (and Drake’s) record label, Universal Music Group in January, and having taken home five Grammys (including Record of the Year and Song of the Year) just a week earlier, Lamar ensured that the song received pride of place in his already-iconic set. Samuel L. Jackson, SZA, and Serena Williams also joined Lamar onstage for the performance at New Orleans’ Caesars Superdome.
Currently, specific break-out numbers for the halftime show have not been made available, though it would likely be in contention for the title of the most-watched halftime show in history. According to The Hollywood Reporter, that honor belongs to the 1993 Super Bowl, which saw Michael Jackson change the face of halftime entertainment, bringing in 133 million viewers for his appearance.
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With all eyes on New Orleans for the Big Game, with the Kansas City Chiefs batting against the Philadelphia Eagles, Grammy-winning rapper Kendrick Lamar is set to headline the Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show on Sunday, Feb. 9.
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Keep reading for a breakdown of ways to watch Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show live from the Caesars Superdome.
And Kendrick Lamar with special guest SZA are not the only music act performing during Super Bowl LIX. Ledisi opens the Super Bowl with a performance of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” while Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle sing “America the Beautiful.” Ahead of kickoff, Jon Batiste performs the U.S. National Anthem.
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When Does Super Bowl Halftime Show Start?
The Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show broadcasts live, with a start time around 8-8:15 p.m. ET/5-5:15 p.m. PT. The halftime show airs on Fox.
Where to Watch Super Bowl Halftime Show for Free
For cord-cutters, there are a few ways to watch Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show — especially if you want to watch for free. DirecTV Stream has a five-day free trial, while other streaming services — such as Fubo and Hulu + Live TV — also offer a free trial so you can watch Fox for free.
Keep reading for more details on how to watch the Super Bowl Halftime Show with DirecTV Stream and Hulu + Live TV.
How to Watch Super Bowl Halftime Show with DirecTV Stream
A subscription to DirecTV Stream’s “MySports” — which comes with Fox for Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show — gets you access to live TV, local and cable channels, starting at $49.99 per month for the first three months of service and $69.99 per month after that. The service’s new “MySports” package even offers a five-day free trial to watch for free if you sign up now.
You can watch local networks such as NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox, while you can also watch many of the best sports networks, including ESPN, FS1, CNBC, NBA TV, NHL Network, Big Ten Network, TNT Sports, The Golf Channel and many others.
How to Watch Super Bowl Halftime Show with Hulu + Live TV
The Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show with Kendrick Lamar on Fox is available to watch with Hulu + Live TV too. Prices for the cable alternative start at $82.99 per month, while each plan comes with Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ at no additional cost.
Hulu + Live TV might be best for those who want all of these streaming services together in one bundle. It also features many other networks, including ABC, Hallmark Channel, BET, CMT, Disney Channel, NBC, Fox Sports and more.
How to Watch Super Bowl Halftime Show with Fubo
To watch Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show on Fox, Fubo starts at $59.99 for the first month, $84.99 per month afterwards (the streamer’s current deal) with more than 210 channels — including local and cable — that are streamable on smart TVs, smartphones, tablets and on web browsers.
The service even gets you live access to local broadcast networks including NBC, CBS and ABC, while it also has dozens of cable networks, such as ESPN, Bravo, CMT, ID, TV Land, VH1, TLC, E!, FS1, MTV, FX, Ion, OWN, Paramount Network and much more.
Additionally, the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show livestreams on Tubi.
How to Buy Super Bowl Halftime Show Tickets Online
Want to attend the Super Bowl Halftime Show? There are still last-minute tickets available via Vivid Seats (get $20 off purchases of $200 and over with code BB2024), SeatGeek (your first purchases can get $10 off ticket order $250 and with code BILLBOARD10), StubHub and GameTime (score $20 off ticket orders of $150 and over with code SAVE20). Prices vary depending on the city and seats available.
Moreover, you can save $150 off when you spend $500 with promo code BILLBOARD150, or $300 off when you spend $1,000 with promo code BILLBOARD300 at TicketNetwork.com.
Starting at 8-8:15 p.m. ET/5-5:15 p.m. PT, Apple Music Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show broadcasts on Fox. It’s also available to livestream on DirecTV Stream for free today.
Want more? For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of the best Xbox deals, studio headphones and Nintendo Switch accessories.
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Kendrick Lamar dropped a bombshell ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl—R&B sensation and frequent collaborator SZA will be joining him as his special guest during the halftime show. The announcement has fans buzzing, especially after months of speculation about who Kenny might bring out for this massive stage. Before the NFL named Kendrick the halftime performer, many had hoped it would be Lil Wayne, given the game is being played in New Orleans this year, but Kendrick’s choice of SZA has quickly turned heads in the best way.
The pairing makes perfect sense. Kendrick and SZA have built a natural chemistry over the years, with their collaborations on tracks like “All the Stars” and “Luther” becoming fan favorites. Their bond runs deeper than just music—they’ve consistently pushed creative boundaries together. Given their shared history and mutual respect, it’s no surprise fans have been clamoring for a full-length collaborative project from them, and with this halftime performance, the dream of a joint album might feel closer than ever.
Could Kendrick use the Super Bowl stage as the perfect platform to announce a surprise album? The timing is certainly right, and the stage doesn’t get bigger than this. While nothing official has been confirmed, fans are already speculating about the possibility of a major announcement during the performance. Either way, the show is shaping up to be an unforgettable moment for both Kendrick and SZA’s legacies—and for hip-hop and R&B fans everywhere.
It’s four years in a row for Taylor Swift, with the U.S. pop icon dominating Australia’s year-end charts once again, according to data published by ARIA
Swift has once more found her way to the top of the ARIA Top 100 Albums Chart, this time off the back of her massively-successful eleventh album, April’s The Tortured Poets Department. With results undeniably bolstered by her seven local shows as part of the record-setting Eras Tour, Swift is a constant presence in the year-end charts, making up 40% of the top ten.
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While The Tortured Poets Department sits at No. 1, 1989 (Taylor’s Version) appears at No. 5, with Lover at No. 7, and Midnights rounding it out at No. 10. Overall, she makes up 11% of the entire Top 100, with original or re-recorded versions of her entire discography (save for her self-titled debut) placed across the top 68 positions. Her 2014 album 1989 doubles up thanks to its original version placing at No. 68.
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It’s not a far cry from the results of last year either, where 1989 (Taylor’s Version) reigned supreme and was joined by the likes of The Weeknd, Morgan Wallen, SZA, and Harry Styles. In 2024, the top ten is rounded out by Billie Eilish‘s Hit Me Hard And Soft, Sabrina Carpenter‘s Short n’ Sweet, The Weeknd’s The Highlights, SZA’s SOS, Wallen’s One Thing At A Time, and Olivia Rodrigo‘s Guts.
The singles chart, however, belongs to U.S. singer-songwriter Benson Boone, whose “Beautiful Things” spent six weeks at No. 1 and has rarely been absent from the top ten since it first debuted. Boone’s success isn’t limited to Australia, with the track having topped numerous charts globally, and peaking at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Shaboozey‘s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” holds the silver medal position, with Carpenter’s “Espresso” closing out the podium finishes. Noah Kahan‘s “Stick Season” and Teddy Swims‘ “Lose Control” round out the top five, with Eilish’s “Birds Of A Feather” following closely behind. Irish musician Hozier‘s “Too Sweet” prevents a clean sweep for American artists, however, with his single hitting No. 8.
Swift’s influence also extends to the Singles Chart, with 2019’s “Cruel Summer” hitting No. 9 off the back of its 2023 viral success and single release. Miley Cyrus‘ “Flowers”, which topped the chart last year, also makes a return appearance, albeit relegated to a respectable No. 39.
Of note, however, is the lack of Australian artists that make up the Albums and Singles Charts. In the latter category, just 5% are home-grown, with Vance Joy’s 2013 single “Riptide” leading the charge at No. 24. Cyril’s reimagining of Suzi Quatro’s “Stumblin’ In” can be found at No. 29, while DJ and producer Dom Dolla‘s “Saving Up” splits the field at No. 50. The Kid LAROI closes out the local representation with “Nights Like This” featuring at No. 84, and his 2021 Justin Bieber collaboration “Stay” in at No. 96.
The Albums Charts, however, boasts only three Australian names – with only one being a studio release. While South Australian veterans Cold Chisel can be found at No. 44 with their 50 Years – The Best Of compilation, so too can INXS‘ Diamond-certified The Very Best be located down at No. 81. The Kid LAROI is once again the only point of difference, with his debut album – 2023’s The First Time – hitting No. 67.
Check out ARIA’s year-end singles and albums charts.
Just weeks after the release of her Lana project, SZA has teased plans for her next musical endeavors, hinting that it may simply be a ploy to satisfy the demands of her recording contract.
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SZA shared these plans in a Tweet on Saturday (Jan. 4), in which she further mused that her next two records may also be her last. “To fulfill my last 2 album requirements I think I just wanna make peaceful children’s music n get outta here,” she wrote. “Then [I’ll] go be a farmer n donate the produce to underserved communities.”
Though it’s difficult to determine whether SZA’s comments were made in earnest or with a sense of fun, recording albums simply to meet contractual obligations is far from a new undertaking.
Ahead of the release of 1968’s now-iconic Astral Weeks album, Van Morrison had attempted to leave his former label Bang Records by recording 36 tracks that would fulfill his obligations and allow his release from the label. Despite recording songs about sandwiches and ringworm on an out-of-tune guitar, the tracks were deemed “nonsense” and not officially released until 2017.
Another famous example came about when Marvin Gaye‘s divorce from Anna Gordy Gaye came to a head in 1977. As part of the legal proceedings, a deal was struck by Gaye’s lawyer to give his ex-wife 50% of the royalties of his next record. Though Gaye had initially planned to simply make a “quickie record — nothing heavy, nothing even good”, his perfectionism resulted in an album that, while not a commercial success, became a well-respected part of his discography.
Currently, SZA’s discography boasts two studio albums – including 2017’s Ctrl and 2022’s Billboard 200-topping SOS – and deluxe editions of each record. It’s not known, however, how many albums her contract requires her to deliver.
The deluxe edition of SOS, dubbed Lana, was released on Dec. 20 and has since seen the album clock up its 12th week atop the Billboard 200 albums chart. As a result, it now holds the honor of boasting the most weeks atop the chart for an R&B/hip-hop album by a woman.
Lana featured an additional 15 songs prepended to the original record, though SZA has since told fans that the deluxe edition would be altered with new mixes. On Dec. 30, she shared that “updated mixes and new songs” will be added once her label “comes back from holiday”.
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SZA doesn’t deny she got upgrades, but she is not here for folks wishing she didn’t get work done in the first place.
Monday, the singer had time for body-shaming trolls who wanted to focus more on her weight than the success of her latest album, SOS Deluxe: LANA.
A video from one of her fan pages showing the “Kill Bill” singer during the 2020 quarantine, with the caption “I miss this era so much,” sparked a discussion of the singer’s weight change.
Most of the comments were positive, but the negative always seems to stick out more when it comes to these celebs. One comment, “aka before she got big and bbl culture like,” really got her attention, explaining that negative comments like that one are the reason she got work done on her body in the first place.
“Yall say weird s–t like this and wonder why I’m different and don’t feel comfortable w yall anymore . Lol,” SZA said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
She further clarified that “I’m different” refers to her social media behavior and interaction with her fans and not changing her appearance.
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 😭
— SZA (@sza) December 30, 2024
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The 35-year-old also revealed that she wasn’t happy in the 2020 video, revealing the year was tough on her following her grandmother’s passing, sending her into depression, and her not eating and working out too much.
Covid was hard … my granny had just died .. I was hella depressed n masking . Not eating. Over working out . 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 (@sza) December 30, 2024
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SZA Has Always Kept It Real About Her BBL
SZA has never been one trying to beat the bbl allegations and proudly flaunts her killer curves in her music videos and posts on social media. She did admit to getting a Brazilian butt lift in 2022 after trying to see results the old-fashioned way, but the gym didn’t work.
In an interview with British Vogue, she said she was “so mad” that she “did that s—t.”
“I gained all this weight from being immobile while recovering and trying to preserve the fat. It was just so stupid,” she continued, “But who gives a f—k? You got a BBL, you realize you didn’t need the s–t. It doesn’t matter.”
As long as SZA’s happy, we’re happy.
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2024 has been a very busy year for Kendrick Lamar as he gave the Hip-Hop culture some new classic diss records and racked up all kinds of accolades as a result.
Looking to close out the year on a high and positive note, Kung Fu Kenny will be taking part in Top Dawg Entertainment’s 11th annual TDE Christmas Concert & Toy Drive along with some of his TDE family members such as SZA, Ab-Soul, Jay Rock and up and coming sensation, Doechii amongst others. Going down on Thursday (Nov. 12) at 1:00pm, the concert is sure to have a horde of fans lining up as the entry fee will be an unwrapped present for the toy drive.
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People will certainly buy a present just to get to see some of their favorite artists do their thing on stage.
While we don’t know how many songs each artist will get to perform or which ones they’ll be, we’d be gobsmacked if Kendrick didn’t perform “Not Like Us” as it’s been the biggest hit of his career thus far.
Aside from the concert and the toy drive, the second day of the event (Dec. 13) will also feature some family friendly activities along with a raffle for gift giveaways, a job fair that’ll offer employment opportunities on site and free haircuts amongst other cool things.
TDE out here doing much good for the community. Props.
Will you be heading to the TDE Christmas Concert & Toy Drive this week? Let us know in the comments section below.