SZA loves the idea of recording a joint album with her longtime collaborator Kendrick Lamar.
The alt-R&B superstar stopped by the SHERRI show on Wednesday (Jan. 8) to promote her upcoming film, One of Them Days, which also stars singer and actress Keke Palmer.
During the interview, host Sherri Shepherd highlighted some of SZA and K. Dot’s past collaborations before asking, “Would you and Kendrick together consider doing a joint album?”
“I would love that,” SZA replied in an animated raspy voice. “I think that would be amazing. He’s such a genius and part of his genius is him being so elusive and so mysterious and I love it. I don’t know what’s going on as much as you know what’s going on.”
She continued, “When ‘luther’ came out, I said, ‘OK, those are the vocals we’re using, period. And same with ‘gloria,’ I said, ‘OK.’” The two songs she mentioned appear on Lamar’s latest album, GNX, which was released without warning in November 2024.
SZA went on to give Lamar his props, pointing out how much he’s influenced her in her journey navigating the music industry.
“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.’ He’s so good at saying yes but staying grounded. So I’m like, ‘Teach me, Sensei, what you know.’”
SZA and Lamar’s run of collaborations dates back to 2014’s “Babylon” from SZA’s Z EP, her first project released under Top Dawg Entertainment.
Since then, the pair have teamed up for “untitled 04 | 08.14.2014” (untitled unmastered.), “Doves In The Wind” (Ctrl), “All The Stars” (Black Panther The Album Music From And Inspired By), “luther” and “gloria” (GNX), and most recently “30 For 30.”
The latter song appears on SZA’s SOS Deluxe: LANA, relased Dec. 20, 2024.
On April 19, SZA and Kendrick Lamar will launch their co-headlining Grand National Tour at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
From there, the two will hit other North American stadiums, including in Houston, Atlanta, and Toronto, before wrapping up June 18 at Northwest Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Watch SZA’s interview with Sherri Shepherd below.