In early 2021, SZA confirmed via Instagram Live and Twitter that her next album (then untitled but later revealed as SOS ) was “done” or “90% done” multiple times. Fans expected a summer or fall 2021 release. Punch, president of Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), famously tweeted “SZA album this year” in February 2021.

While there isn't an official release titled "sosrar 2021," 's sophomore album, , was released in December 2022 and featured several major collaborations.

In 2021, the world was waiting for . Though she hadn't released a full album since her 2017 debut Ctrl , her presence was undeniable. The year began with the slow-burn success of "Good Days," which had dropped on Christmas Day 2020 but truly took flight in early 2021, becoming her first solo top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

: Originally released on SoundCloud in August 2021, the song went viral on TikTok and was officially released as a single on December 3, 2021 . It later became track 21 on the "Kiss Me More" (2021)