What Is SZA’s Religion and Ethnicity? All About the R&B Star’s Faith and Culture

4 min read

“I’m so honoured to be a part of it, and I’m so honoured to even know him,” SZA expressed her excitement about her performance with Kendrick Lamar. The Super Bowl LIX halftime show at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans is going to happen on 9th Feb 2025, and fans are going gaga over Kendrick Lamar and SZA collaboration. With questions like ‘where is she from’ and ‘what connects her to the music’ popping up. Let us know the story of this Diva.

The duo is known for their appearance on tracks like All the Stars and Doves in the Wind. SZA also featured in Lamar’s latest album GNX with standout tracks like Gloria and Luther. SZA is an influential contemporary R&B musician, but beyond her soulful voice and lyrics, her fans are keeping high hopes for her performance at the NFL Super bowl.

SZA’s connection to faith and culture

The Grammy winner, Solána Imani Rowe A.K.A. SZA  is now all over the Super Bowl season, the conversations about her music are on hype, and people are excited to know about her background. Going back to one of her interviews, SZA stated, “My parents are really conservative. My dad is Muslim, and my mom is the most conservative woman you’ve ever met. They’re very aristocratic in the most quaint suburban way.” 

SZA has always been open about her faith and upbringing. She keeps her connection to Islam as a part of her identity, adoring the roots of Islam, Pan-Africanism, and spirituality. In a past interview, she revealed that she was raised in an orthodox Muslim household and used to wear a hijab as a child. She even went to a Muslim prep school alongside her regular schooling. She remembers being bullied for her religion after the tragic events of 9/11, which forced her to remove her hijab to fit into white society.

What is SZA’s Religion?

We can say, she has mixed religious influences, but SZA owns her Muslim identity, we can see the Islamic presence in her interviews and social media posts. To talk about her parents, her father was a devout Muslim and an executive producer at CNN, he was actively involved in media and advocacy. Her mother is a Christian from Africa and worked as an executive at AT&T, and she was once a dancer with Katherine Dunham.

 

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While she doesn’t always publicly discuss her religious practices, her deep connection to her Islamic faith remains evident in how she speaks about self-growth and spiritual beliefs.

Is SZA a Christian?

Well, SZA primarily identifies with Islam. She appreciates different religious experiences and perspectives. Many artists in the industry incorporate elements of faith into their work, and SZA is no exception. Her lyrics often explore themes of self-reflection, spirituality, and purpose.

While she doesn’t fit neatly into any one religious box, her worldview is rooted in the teachings of Islam, while also being open to broader spiritual influences.

Where is SZA From?

SZA was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and then raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, where she was brought up around the white community, it gave her to deal with its own set of challenges, she was called one of the few Black Muslim students in her school. Growing up, she felt like an outsider, which deeply influenced her music and art. SZA stated, “There’s something different about growing up black and Muslim, especially in New Jersey. It’s like when I left the mosque and I left my dad, I felt unprotected, but I also felt a weird sense of pride, like I was involved in this other way of living that was cool to me.”

SZA embraces her Pan-African identity received from her parents, “My parents reminded me every day that I was Black and special and needed to be heard,”. SZA’s faith and background built her sense of self with confidence and grace. Her music, activism, and personal journey represent her spiritual beliefs and cultural heritage, making her an inspiring figure worldwide.

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