SZA will have you in your feelings before you even realize what’s happening. One track in and suddenly you’re thinking about that one text you never sent or that time you swore you didn’t care but did. The St. Louis native doesn’t sugarcoat anything; she leans all the way into the mess. Insecurity, jealousy, wanting to be chosen, knowing you deserve better but still staying? She’s not afraid to admit it, and that’s why her deep cuts hit different.

The songs that didn’t get radio push are arguably the ones that really spill the truth. Some of these sound like pages from her diary while others feel like they were meant only for herself and one other person but we all got to listen in. That’s her gift; she says the things people are scared to say out loud.

SZA isn’t chasing perfection in these records. She’s honest, even when it means contradicting herself. Her deep cuts hold weight because they’re not polished for approval. If you’re listening close enough, you’ll hear a version of yourself in every line. Here are 11 of SZA’s best deep cuts — the ones that stay with you.

1. Pretty Little Birds featuring Isaiah Rashad

"Pretty Little Birds" feels like a conversation between two people who’ve been broken differently but still believe in each other’s ability to heal. SZA paints herself as someone who's been bruised by life but still has wings, still wants to fly, even if she doesn’t always feel worthy of being held. Her vocals drift between fear and freedom, capturing the beauty in being both delicate and daring. Luckily, Isaiah Rashad’s verse doesn’t interrupt her softness. He compliments it, like he understands the weight she carries without needing her to explain it.

2. Sweet November

SZA uses religion as a metaphor for release in “Sweet November,” exploring the ways we try to cleanse ourselves of guilt, love and everything in between. The Marvin Gaye sample used here might give the song a sense of warmth, but her voice reveals a soul that’s still unsettled. Beyond reflecting on her unsteadiness, the “Snooze” hitmaker takes it a step further, questioning whether peace is something she has to earn or something she’ll never be good enough to deserve. This 2014 track is a spiritual tug-of-war dressed up like a love song.

3. Babylon featuring Kendrick Lamar

Arguably one of the Ctrl creator’s most emotionally transparent songs, "Babylon" sees her wrestling with shame, self-sabotage and the urge to be forgiven for things she’s still doing. SZA's delivery is intentionally slow, like she’s trying to drag the truth out of herself in pieces. Plus, there’s something sacred about the way she pleads to be washed clean, but she never pretends to be pure. Kendrick Lamar’s verse mirrors her spiral, adding another layer to a track already soaked in contradiction.

4. Normal Girl

Her craving for being “normal” isn’t about being basic but being loved without condition or edits. Though the singer-songwriter dreams about being easy and being accepted as she is, the lyrics of “Normal Girl” show that she’s fully aware of the ways she doesn’t fit the mold. There’s heartbreak in every line because she’s not asking to be someone else; she’s asking why who she is has never been enough. It’s the quiet ache of wanting softness when all you've known is survival.

5. Julia

Beneath its synths and bright tempo, “Julia” is really a song about rejection and emotional whiplash. SZA masks heartbreak with rhythm, but her lyrics reveal the constant second-guessing and longing for something she thought she had. She’s chasing closure but also chasing the version of herself she lost while loving someone who wasn’t all in. There’s a loneliness in this cut that lingers long after the beat fades.

6. Percolator

Pure chaos in motion, “Percolator” is a sonic spiral of recklessness, unspoken feelings and emotional numbness. SZA sounds like she’s trying to outrun something inside of her, leaning into lust and distractions that only leave her more confused. There’s a sense of disconnection between her body and her heart, too, like she’s pretending to have it all under control while quietly falling apart. The record is seductive and scattered, offering a peek into what avoidance becoming a lifestyle looks like.

7. Childs Play featuring Chance the Rapper

“Childs Play” captures the bittersweet nostalgia of young love — the kind that felt real in the moment but left you with more questions than answers. The award-winning artist sings about innocence and intimacy with a side of disappointment, using childhood references to highlight how emotionally immature the relationship really was. Her tone is dreamy, but her words cut deeper, suggesting that playfulness often came at the cost of emotional safety. While Chance the Rapper adds to SZA’s memory with charm, the weight still belongs to her.

8. Garden (Say It Like Dat)

There’s a quiet desperation in “Garden (Say It Like Dat)” that makes it one of her most vulnerable confessions. She’s asking to be accepted in full — flaws, fears and all. The track’s lyrics sound like they’re coming from someone who’s been picked apart in the past and is now cautiously asking for assurance that she’s worthy of softness. It’s intimate in a way that feels almost sacred, like she’s whispering a truth she doesn’t want to admit out loud.

9. Sobriety

"Sobriety” is one of those songs that feels like reading someone’s journal after a breakdown. It’s deeply personal and messy, but hauntingly beautiful. SZA confronts emotional addiction, identity, and the way she’s tried to find herself in other people only to get more lost. Her voice carries the weight of someone exhausted of trying to be okay — someone who wants clarity but can’t let go of the chaos that comforts her. It’s poetic without being performative and just pure, complicated truth.

10. Warm Winds featuring Isaiah Rashad

Another collaboration with Rashad, “Warm Winds” is like a dream SZA doesn’t want to wake up from. There’s a spiritual softness in her delivery as she contemplates surrender — not just to love, but to life itself. The lyrics feel like affirmations layered with uncertainty: hopeful, but not fully convinced. The Tennessee rapper slips in like a breeze, matching her energy instead of grounding it, which helps keep the song in that in-between space of “maybe” and “almost.”

11. Tread Carefully

In “Tread Carefully,” the R&B vocalist is walking the line between fear and desire, trying to protect her heart without pushing love away. Though her voice is calm, her lyrics carry the panic of someone who’s been burned before and is now second-guessing every step. There’s a deep emotional intelligence in this track. She’s aware of what she wants, but she’s not sure she can handle the risk it brings. It’s quiet but tense, like love wrapped in caution tape.