SZA Wants To Learn From Kendrick Lamar As She Prepares For Her First Stadium Tour
SZA is ready to step into the spotlight in a big way, and it looks like Kendrick Lamar’s influence will be with her every step of the way. During her appearance on Sherri on January 8, the singer revealed how much Kendrick’s mysterious and genius approach to music has impacted her own work.
The Kill Bill singer shared her surprise and excitement after hearing Kendrick’s latest album, GNX, which features her vocals on the tracks Luther and Gloria. When asked by Sherri Shepherd if she would ever consider doing a joint album with Kendrick, SZA didn’t hesitate: “I would love that,” she said, adding, “I think that would be amazing.”
SZA, 35, praised Kendrick, 37, for his elusive and mysterious nature. She explained, “He’s such a genius and a part of his genius is being so elusive and so mysterious.”
When she heard her vocals on Luther, SZA knew right away: “When ‘Luther’ came out, I said ‘OK — that’s the vocals we’re using, period.’ Same with ‘Gloria,’ I said, ‘OK!'”
It’s clear that Kendrick’s style has deeply influenced SZA, especially in her “fumbling and finding” era. She confessed, “I feel like he’s a huge part of my fumbling and finding era because I’m just trusting all of his expertise and being thrust into these moments and spotlight and saying ‘yes.’”
She added that she admires his ability to stay grounded, even with all his success, saying, “Teach me, sensei, what you know.”
But SZA isn’t just talking about past collaborations. She’s also looking forward to sharing the stage with Kendrick as they co-headline the Grand National Tour, which will be SZA’s first stadium tour. SZA opened up about the thrill of experiencing so many “firsts” in front of her fans, including her first-ever arena tour followed immediately by a stadium tour.
She also revealed what fans can expect when she takes the stage: “I want to tap into the cosplay of it all and have fun and just get lost.” With major inspirations like Janet Jackson, Pink, and Beyoncé, SZA’s stadium tour is bound to be an unforgettable experience.
Kicking off in April, SZA and Kendrick will be hitting major U.S. cities like Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle, Los Angeles, and more, before wrapping up in Washington, D.C., in June.
