SZA celebrates the 5th anniversary of her debut album, Ctrl, with a surprise release of a deluxe edition.
Ctrl (Deluxe) features seven unreleased tracks, including an alternate version of her 5x multi-platinum single “Love Galore” and the focus track “Tread Carefully.” The added tracks were recorded when she worked on the album.
She tweeted, “This is JUST a gift for camp ctrl . Nothing more nothing less . if u family you get it . 5 yrs is a long time . Thank you for changing my life I love you . Happy anniversary 🤍 #HAPPYCTRLANNIVERSARY.”
This is JUST a gift for camp ctrl . Nothing more nothing less . if u family you get it . 5 yrs is a long time . Thank you for changing my life I love you . Happy anniversary 🤍 #HAPPYCTRLANNIVERSARY
— SZA (@sza) June 9, 2022
Produced by ThankGod4Cody, “Tread Carefully” hears SZA trying to work on self-improvement but finds herself giving in to temptation with a mysterious person.
“You wonderin’ why I (Why I) / Don’t come around like I used to / Play around like I used to / It’s not you, it’s me, I got a / A different set of urgencies now / Scared of watchin’ my life go down the drain / Can’t let it be you in my way, so I,” she sings in the first verse.
Released on June 9, 2017, Ctrl reached No. 1 on Billboard’s R&B Albums chart and No. 3 on the Billboard 200 chart.
It was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) four months after its release, selling more than 500,000 equivalent units. In July 2020, the Grammy-nominated album was certified 2x multi-platinum, with more than two million copies sold.
In an interview on Everyday Struggle, SZA explained the meaning behind the album’s title. “It’s about analog and being at a time where we were brought information more slowly,” SZA said. “Control is a concept. You think about getting away from analog, control is an illusion, you try and force it.”
SZA, who won her first Grammy at the 64th ceremony, confirmed that her sophomore album is on the way. “[It’s coming] very much soon,” SZA teased on Grammy night. “I just actually finished it up recently in Hawaii.” She added, “It’s probably my most unisex project yet — if that makes sense. It’s definitely for everybody in a different way.”
Ctrl (Deluxe) Tracklist
1. Supermodel
2. Love Galore ft. Travis Scott
3. Doves In The Wind ft. Kendrick Lamar
4. Drew Barrymore
5. Prom
6. The Weekend
7. Go Gina
8. Garden (Say It Like Dat)
9. Broken Clocks
10. Anything
11. Wavy (Interlude) ft. James Fauntleroy
12. Normal Girl
13. Pretty Little Birds ft. Isaiah Rashad
14. 20 Something
15. Love Galore (Alt Version)
16. 2AM
17. Miles
18. Percolator
19. Tread Carefully
20. Awkward
21. Jodie
Stream SZA’s Ctrl (Deluxe) below.