Solána Imani Rowe– better known by the Nation of Islam Supreme Alphabet-derived acronym, SZA– gained industry traction after self-releasing EPs– See. SZA. Run, and S– in her early twenties. In 2013, she became the first female artist signed to Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), joining future collaborators Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock. Since then, she’s continued to change the game with her relatable and synth-heavy albums, Ctrl, and SOS. All of these accomplishments have given her a well-deserved spot as a leader in new-age R&B– all before the age of 34.
As we honor her success in music, we can’t help but to reflect on her awe-inspiring beauty looks as well. When she first came into the spotlight, she was known for her natural makeup looks and long, cloud-like hair. This includes her laid back look at Pitchfork’s 2014 Music Festival– throwing her hair into two scrunchies– and experimenting with red hair dye for the One Music Fest the following year. As time went on, she didn’t stop serving up expressive hair looks. For example, in 2018, she rocked a straightened blowout at the Soul Train Awards, and a natural wavy style at the MTV Music Awards. Later, she became known for her signature copper hair color, and even went yellow at the 2021 Billboard Awards.
Just as with her hair, SZA’s dewy makeup looks are worth mentioning, too. Afterall, we’ve all been taking notes on her iconic nose contour, right? See: her 2020 Vanity Fair Oscar Party or 2022 Met Gala look. To complement the bronzed glow? Pink, neutral-toned lips are often paired with white eyeshadow on the inner corners. She changed up her signature eye look recently at the WSJ Innovator Awards with white, reflective eyeliner and a thick, black wing on the upper lids.
While SZA keeps anticipating what beauty looks her next musical era will bring, for now, in honor of her 34th birthday, we’re taking a look back at some of her most iconic beauty looks thus far.
01
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 01: SZA attends the WSJ. Magazine 2023 Innovator Awards sponsored by Harry Winston, Hyundai Motor America, Montblanc, Rémy Martin and Roche Bobois at MoMA on November 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for WSJ. Magazine Innovators Awards)
02
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 15: SZA attends the 27th Annual Webby Awards on May 15, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Webby Awards)
03
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA – MARCH 19: Singer SZA performs on stage during her ‘The SOS North American Tour’ at Rogers Arena on March 19, 2023 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Andrew Chin/Getty Images)
04
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
SZA (Photo by Penske Media via Getty Images)
05
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
Sza (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Penske Media via Getty Images)
06
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Queen Latifah and SZA pose during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
07
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
SZA (Photo by Abel Fermin/WWD/Penske Media via Getty Images)
08
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 09: (Editorial Use Only) SZA performs on the main stage during Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park on July 09, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)
09
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 25: SZA performs onstage at Spotify’s Night of Music party during VidCon 2022 at Anaheim Convention Center on June 25, 2022 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Anna Webber/Getty Images for Spotify)
10
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 02: SZA attends The 2022 Met Gala Celebrating “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 02, 2022 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
11
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 03: SZA attends the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
12
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 05: SZA performs on stage during the Astroworld Fest 2021 at NRG Park on November 5, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Omar Vega/FilmMagic)
13
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 12: SZA attends the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards at Barclays Center on September 12, 2021 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/MTV VMAs 2021/Getty Images for MTV/ViacomCBS)
14
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: In this image released on May 23, SZA performs onstage for the 2021 Billboard Music Awards, broadcast on May 23, 2021 at Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for dcp)
15
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
SZA and Quinta Brunson at Billboard Women In Music held at YouTube Theater on March 1, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Buckner/Billboard via Getty Images)
16
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
WASHINGTON, DC – February 27th, 2023 – SZA performs at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. during her SOS Tour. (Photo by Kyle Gustafson / For The Washington Post via Getty Images)
17
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
HONOLULU, HI – MARCH 09: SZA flashes a Shaka before the Jacquemus Fashion Show on March 9, 2022 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Darryl Oumi/Getty Images)
18
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 10: SZA is seen at “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on December 10, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
19
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 09: SZA attends the Vanity Fair Oscar Party at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on February 09, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Taylor Hill/FilmMagic,)
20
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 26: SZA onstage at the REVOLT X AT&T 3-Day Summit In Los Angeles – Day 2 at Magic Box on October 26, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for REVOLT)
21
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
VIRGINIA BEACH, VIRGINIA – APRIL 27: SZA performs onstage at SOMETHING IN THE WATER – Day 2 on April 27, 2019 in Virginia Beach City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Something in the Water)
22
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 24: SZA attends the 91st Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on February 24, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
23
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 17: SZA attends the 2018 Soul Train Awards at the Orleans Arena on November 17, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Mindy Small/FilmMagic)
24
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEWARK, NJ – OCTOBER 28: SZA backstage at 2018 Power105.1 Powerhouse NYC at Prudential Center on October 28, 2018 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
25
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 06: SZA onstage during Dove’s Launch of “Girl Collective” – The First Ever Dove Self-Esteem Project Mega-Event on October 6, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Unilever/Dove)
26
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
SHERMAN OAKS, CA – SEPTEMBER 13: SZA onstage during 2018 Songs of Hope Presented By Spotify on September 13, 2018 in Sherman Oaks, California. (Photo by Lester Cohen/Getty Images for City of Hope)
27
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 20: SZA attends the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall on August 20, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage)
28
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 13: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) SZA poses on day 1 of Lovebox festival at Gunnersbury Park on July 13, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Burak Cingi/Redferns)
29
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – MAY 07: SZA attends Heavenly Bodies: Fashion & The Catholic Imagination Costume Institute Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Karwai Tang/Karwai Tang/Getty Images)
30
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
INDIO, CA – APRIL 13: Rapper SZA performs on the Coachella stage during week 1, day 1 of the Coachella Valley Music And Arts Festival on April 13, 2018 in Indio, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images for Coachella )
31
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 30: Recording artist SZA performs onstage during 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards – I’m Still Standing: A GRAMMY Salute To Elton John at the Theater at Madison Square Garden on January 29, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for NARAS)
32
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – JANUARY 28: SZA arrives at the 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Madison Square Garden on January 28, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/WireImage)
33
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – DECEMBER 05: SZA poses backstage at Pandora Sounds Like You: 2017 on December 5, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Pandora)
34
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
RICHMOND, CA – OCTOBER 28: SZA performs onstage at Vevo Halloween 2017 at Craneway Pavilion on October 28, 2017 in Richmond, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for Vevo)
35
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
RICHMOND, CA – OCTOBER 28: SZA arrives to Vevo Halloween 2017 at Craneway Pavilion on October 28, 2017 in Richmond, California. (Photo by Steve Jennings/Getty Images for Vevo)
36
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
MIAMI BEACH, FL – OCTOBER 14: SZA performs at REVOLT Music Gala Dinner & Award Presentation at Eden Roc Hotel on October 14, 2017 in Miami Beach, Florida. (Photo by John Parra/Getty Images for Revolt Music Conference)
37
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – OCTOBER 10: SZA performs at The Box on October 10, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)
38
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
BEVERLY HILLS, CA – FEBRUARY 07: SZA attends the Roc Nation Grammy brunch on February 7, 2015 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
39
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEWARK, NJ – AUGUST 05: SZA poses backstage during Black Girls Rock! 2017 at NJPAC on August 5, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for BET)
40
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEWARK, NJ – AUGUST 05: SZA attends Black Girls Rock! 2017 at NJPAC on August 5, 2017 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for BET)
41
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 25: SZA performs onstage at 2017 BET Awards at Microsoft Theater on June 25, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images )
42
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
NEW YORK, NY – JULY 24: SZA poses backstage at the 2016 Panorama NYC Festival – Day 3 at Randall’s Island on July 24, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images)
43
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 12: Recording artist Solana Rowe aka SZA perfoms onstage at 2015 One Musicfest at Aarons Amphitheatre at Lakewood on September 12, 2015 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
44
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
BROOKLYN, NY – OCTOBER 24: SZA poses for a poratrit backstage during Day 2 of the Fader Fort presented by Converse at Converse Rubber Tracks Studio on October 24, 2014 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images)
45
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
LOS ANGELES, CA – AUGUST 31: Recording artist SZA performs on the Dylan Stage during day 2 of the 2014 Budweiser Made in America Festival at Los Angeles Grand Park on August 31, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Anheuser-Busch)
46
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
BROOKLYN, NY – AUGUST 24: SZA poses for a portrait backstage during day 2 of the AFROPUNK festival at Commodore Barry Park on August 24, 2014 in Brooklyn, New York. (Photo by Roger Kisby/Getty Images)
47
2014 Pitchfork Music Festival – Day 1
CHICAGO, IL – JULY 18: SZA performs during 2014 Pitchfork Music Festival at Union Park on July 18, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/WireImage)
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