SZA’s Label Predicted Chart Loss to Swift, But ‘SOS’ Spent 10 Weeks at No. 1

SZA said her label told her in 2022 that SOS wouldn't beat Taylor Swift's Midnights on the Billboard 200 chart. Wrong. The R&B album debuted at No. 1 in December 2022 and stayed there for 10 weeks straight.

"My label told me that it was likely that I wouldn't beat Taylor Swift, and I should prepare for that," SZA told i-D in an interview published March 6. "I was laughing by week three."

The 36-year-old artist said the success caught her off guard. "It was just like, 'What is this? I never even imagined I could be on the radio," she told the publication.

SOS pushed Midnights to No. 2 when it dropped, despite Swift's album releasing two months earlier. The Top Dawg Entertainment artist's work climbed back to the top spot for three more weeks in 2024 after she released the deluxe version LANA.

The chart competition sparked online drama in January 2023. Fans accused the singer of targeting Midnights. SZA shut down the rumors on X within 30 minutes.

"Uhh I feel silly that I even have to say this but i see supporters arguing and I hate that," she wrote in a post. "I don't have beef w ANYONE especially not Taylor lmao. I genuinely loved her album and the writing!"

Swift responded weeks later when her track "Anti-Hero" hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 for eight weeks. She posted on Instagram Stories that she had "been listening to it nonstop" and wrote, "Absolutely adore her music. So much love and respect for her!!"

SZA replied, "Congratulations to tay tay! And thank you so much your album and writing is phenomenal .. as ALWAYS."

The GRAMMY winner told Jennifer Hudson in 2025 that she wanted to work with the pop star. "Every time she walks up to me or approaches me, I'm just like, 'All right, this is happening, because that's fully Taylor Swift,'" she said. "I would love to write with her and build some things together."

SZA and Kendrick Lamar scored a hit with "Luther" in December 2024. The collaboration spent 13 weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

"I feel like anything is possible," she told i-D. "I feel like I'm adulting kind of hard right now, and I might be eating. I feel like I might be alright when it's all said and done."