Exciting news recently broke about TDE singer SZA‘s long-anticipated new album CTRL. Following a performance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a Billboard interview, it was announced that her album would be out today, February 3, after a tumultuous 2016 during which she nearly quit music altogether.
But it turns out the album won’t be out today. There’s been little album-based promo in the last few days, and no links are available on any streaming services, iTunes or elsewhere.
DJBooth reportedly contacted TDE to find out what’s going on, and TDE sent them back a statement: “We never said that [it would be out on February 3]… If it doesn’t come directly from TDE then isn’t official. [It’s] coming soon, very soon.”
The thing is, they kinda did say it would be out February 3. Or at least, Billboard did. DJBooth note that while the Billboard interview now says “out in February,” it did initially say February 3:
Currently, the opening line of her Billboard interview feature reads:
“With her debut album, CTRL, out in February, the 26-year-old R&B singer breaks down the experiences that shaped her music.”
Thanks to the internet, though—the internet is forever undefeated—I was able to track down the original opening line, which reads:
“With her debut album, CTRL, out Feb. 3, the 26-year-old R&B singer breaks down the experiences that shaped her music.”
It’s pretty unusual to make an under-the-radar change and subsequent denial like this without expecting people to notice, especially because there’s no note about the edit on the original Billboard article. Surely it would be better to either just admit that there’s been a delay, or for Billboard to note that they erroneously reported the wrong release date?
Hopefully we’ll be hearing CTRL before the month is out. I have no doubt it’ll be worth the wait.
For now, watch her performing new single Drew Barrymore live:
Image: Thankgod4cody