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SZA is growing into her own as one of the most talented R&B artists in a generation, and her piercing lyrics always feel relatable because she never fears to show us her insecurities and flaws. These aforementioned qualities were apparent when she released her debut album CTRL in 2017, and SZA bore her essence into several songs therein, such as the track “Drew Barrymore.”
For a long time, though, fans have wondered why exactly the song is named after the famous actress and talk show host. Taken at face value, “Drew Barrymore” is a quintessential SZA record, where the singer tackles her insecurity and ponders whether that means she’s unlovable. The song became a sleeper hit from her illustrious debut album and when it came time to finally shoot the video, Drew Barrymore was gracious enough to make a cameo in it.
Now it was time for SZA to return the favor. When the song first came out, SZA was just breaking through the mainstream, but now she’s one of the biggest artists outright, going on stadium tours, breaking streaming records, and working on a budding movie career. She finally appeared on The Drew Barrymore Show to talk about the song and why she named it after the host, even though Barrymore isn’t mention by name on the hook or anywhere else in the song.
For SZA, Barrymore has always been an inspiration. SZA told the host that she even wrote Barrymore a letter to share just how much she meant to the singer when she was still growing up, but she never sent it. SZA said, ““[The song] was inspired by you; it wasn’t just titled after you. You were so yourself — you were quirky, your smile wasn’t perfect. I had a slight speech impediment, and people still laugh all the time. They’re like, ‘What is SZA saying?’ It’s a running joke, but I love the way you talk… it gave me permission to be myself.”
Knowing Barrymore and how emotional she can get on her show, the tears started welling up. It’s heartwarming to see someone getting their flowers while they’re still here. With their busy schedules and the meteoric rise of SZA’s career, the two have never really had the opportunity to discuss the reason why SZA named the song after Barrymore, but we’re more than glad that it finally happened for all of us to see.
For some social media users, the heart-to-heart between the two icons was too overwhelming, and it just ended up in them crying.
SZA is a megastar, and with that comes public scrutiny of her body, her every word, and sometimes even just unmitigated nastiness. But every so often, we get to see her true self, and we’re glad she hasn’t lost that spark that made us fall in love with her talent in the first place. Knowing that the courage with which she’s held on to that charm with ushered along by Barrymore herself makes it all the more endearing. It also sparks hope that, somewhere in the world, SZA is inspiring another young girl to also stay true to herself.
SZA is set to make her feature film debut in One of Them Days, starring alongside Keke Palmer and Katt Williams. The movie is scheduled to premiere on Jan. 17, 2025, in theaters nationwide.