Music discovery · Influence explorer

Artists like SZA — and the music that made them

Alternative R&B · 2012-present

Neo-soul's vulnerable voice redefining R&B with raw honesty

SZA is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter whose confessional lyrics and ethereal vocals have made her one of the most influential artists of the 2010s. Her debut album 'Ctrl' became a cultural phenomenon, blending alternative R&B with indie and hip-hop influences while exploring themes of self-doubt, relationships, and personal growth with unprecedented vulnerability.

Essential tracks

►Good Days

►Kiss Me More

►Love Galore

►The Weekend

►Broken Clocks

Did you know

Her stage name SZA stands for 'Sovereign' or 'Savior,' 'Zig-Zag,' and 'Allah'

She was a gymnast in high school and considered pursuing marine biology before music

She's heavily influenced by Lauryn Hill and initially wanted to be a rapper

“Neo-soul vulnerability meets atmospheric production and confessional songwriting mastery.”

generations
of influence

Influence tree

Trace SZA's roots back through history

Every sound has a source. Click any node to hear the connection.

SZA

2012-present

Lauryn Hill

1996-2002

cited

Bjork

1993-present

cited

Erykah Badu

1997-present

sonic

Billie Holiday

1933-1959

movement

Sade

1984-2010

sonic

D'Angelo

1995-2014

movement

↑ Click any influence node to see the connection and where to start listening.

What makes the sound

Sonic elements

Breathy, conversational vocal delivery

Atmospheric, minimalist production

Jazz-influenced chord progressions

Confessional, stream-of-consciousness lyrics

Start with these tracks

Good Days

The Weekend

Broken Clocks

Love Galore

If you like SZA, try these

Summer Walker

2010s · Alternative R&B

Kali Uchis

Blends R&B with dreamy pop sensibilities and genre-fluid approach.

2010s · Alternative R&B

Jorja Smith

Sophisticated songwriting with jazz-influenced R&B and introspective lyrics.

2010s · Alternative R&B

H.E.R.

Guitar-driven R&B with personal storytelling and atmospheric production.

2010s · Contemporary R&B

Solange

Experimental R&B approach with unconventional song structures and vulnerability.

2010s · Alternative R&B

FKA twigs

Ethereal vocals over experimental production with intimate emotional delivery.

2010s · Alternative R&B

About this page

Music like SZA — SZA is a Grammy-nominated R&B singer-songwriter whose confessional lyrics and ethereal vocals have made her one of the most influential artists of the 2010s. Her debut album 'Ctrl' became a cultural phenomenon, blending alternative R&B with indie and hip-hop influences while exploring themes of self-doubt, relationships, and personal growth with unprecedented vulnerability.

Artists like SZA today include Summer Walker, Kali Uchis, Jorja Smith, H.E.R.. If you enjoy SZA, these artists share similar sonic qualities, influences, and emotional range.

Bands like SZA and songs like SZA are among the most searched music discovery queries — rootz.guru goes deeper by tracing the roots of the sound itself, not just surface-level similarity.