SZA is one of the most eclectic stars in today’s music landscape, and her rise to stardom has been loaded with drama. The 35-year-old star recently shared what she learned from a transformative “silent retreat” in India with her mother, Audrey.
“Not everything has to be said,” she told Essence at the 67th Grammys this past weekend. “And waiting is really important, and a lot of what we create for ourselves as far as drama and chaos is, thankfully, dependent on our willingness to go beyond that pain. And look for anything, desperately, if you’re looking for joy desperately–But if you just chase it tenaciously, I find that it will reveal itself.”
The experience lasted 10 days and was led by Sadghuru. She shared photos of the “Samyama Experience” on Instagram, showing off her orange sari, the food she ate, and the young children she spent time with. She claimed, via her caption, that the “silent retreat” included no phone use, no mirrors, and no eye contact.
“Even in the darkest and craziest depths of existence and life and trauma, and I feel like, right now, with the state of the country and everyone being in such peril and despair, it’s more important now than ever to be able to go within yourself and find that solitude,” SZA added. “And spread that peace that you have from within yourself out into the world […] So that’s my goal, hopefully to garner more peace within myself so that I can share it and spread it out around me as much as I can.”
The peace was needed, especially given the “fallout” with her former manager, Top Dawg Entertainment’s president Terrence “Punch” Henderson. The duo had gone at it a bit over the last few years as the SOS artist wanted to release music but Punch attempted to get her to stick to his plan. Their tensions reached a boiling point in December 2024, shortly after she released SOS Deluxe: LANA.
Despite the negativity, 2025 could be another huge year for the five-time Grammy winner. She will join Kendrick Lamar at his Super Bowl LIX halftime show performance in New Orleans this upcoming weekend before they hit the road in April for the Grand National tour. Their two-month road trip will include stops at stadiums in Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia, Seattle, Toronto, and, of course, Inglewood, Calif. Watch the Super Bowl LIX trailer below.
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