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SZA has added another accolade to her impressive collection, this time for her exceptional songwriting! The 34-year-old artist received the Hal David Starlight Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2024 Induction and Awards Gala on Thursday, June 13. This honor celebrates her significant contributions to the music industry through her original songwriting.
In her acceptance speech, SZA expressed her astonishment, saying, "I'm just beyond all of my wildest dreams," and noted that the award "basically validates" every aspect of her career, particularly her songwriting. "I'm just so grateful," she continued. "Thank you for seeing me."
Reflecting on her journey, SZA remarked, "I swear, I'll be like, 'Oh I wrote this and I wrote that,' and [people would] be like, 'OK,' especially if you're a woman, especially if you're a Black woman. So to win this... It just means the world."
After her heartfelt speech, she delivered an acoustic rendition of "Snooze." The award was presented by renowned songwriter Nile Rodgers.
This award adds to a string of recent honors for the “Good Days” singer. Following the success of her global hit album SOS, she has secured three Grammys, four iHeartRadio Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and a Brit Award, along with numerous nominations.
SZA joins the ranks of previous Hal David Starlight Award recipients like Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and Lil Nas X. The gala, held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, also saw the induction of artists such as Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, producer and rapper Timbaland, and R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and Michael Stipe into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Performances and
presentations were made by stars including Missy Elliott, Jason Isbell, Carrie Underwood, and Keith Urban.
SZA is also up for more accolades this summer at the 2024 BET Awards on June 30, where she has five nominations, including one for her feature
on "Rich Baby Daddy" with Drake, a past Hal David Starlight Award recipient from 2011.
Following her successful SOS Tour, which grossed $95.5 million and sold 674,000 tickets in 2023, SZA has been performing at various festivals,
including headlining the 2024 Governors Ball. Her upcoming performances include Summerfest in Milwaukee and the British Summer Time Hyde Park concert series in London.
Beyond music, SZA is set to make her feature-length acting debut in a buddy comedy alongside Keke Palmer, produced by Issa Rae at TriStar
Pictures.
