SZA is R&B’s queen of messy feelings, and today she’s back with a new single about wanting to blast off from your sad little planet and seek happiness elsewhere. It’s called “Saturn,” and SZA first previewed the track earlier this month via a commercial aired during the Grammys. Now fans have the whole thing, as well as live, sped-up, a cappella, and instrumental versions, all of which are also available on the major streamers. Obviously, “Saturn” debuted atop the Genius Top Songs chart.
Written and produced by SZA with help from Carter Lang, Rob Bisel, Monsune (Scott Zhang), and Solomonophonic (Jared Solomon), “Saturn” is a celestial slow jam that finds our heroine searching for the meaning of life. Here she is in the first verse becoming fed up with love as generally experienced here on Planet Earth.
If there’s a point to losing love
Repeating pain (Why?)
It’s all the same (Same)
I hate this place
In the pre-chorus, she acknowledges that her own mental state isn’t helping the situation.
Sick of this head of mine
Intrusive thoughts, they paralyze
Nirvana’s not as advertised
There’s got to be more, been here before
By the chorus, SZA has found her answer. She’s going to relocate to the planet whose “return” is often associated with major life changes.
Ooh (Ooh, ooh)
Life’s better on Saturn
Got to break this pattern
Of floating away
In the second verse, SZA ponders the concept of karma, which has never done much for her.
If there’s a point to being good
Then where’s my reward?
The good die young and poor
I gave it all I could
On the final post-chorus, she takes an existential view of the universe and resolves herself to fantasizing about other planets.
I’ll be better on Saturn
None of this matters
Dreaming of Saturn, oh
“Saturn” is likely to appear on Lana, a new album (or perhaps deluxe version of 2022’s SOS—it’s a little unclear) that’s expected to land later this year.
You can read all the lyrics to “Saturn” on Genius now.
