It has been announced that the Ctrl creator SZA will be the second black woman of all time to receive an award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame. The singer will be the recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award.
The last vocalist to have such an honour bestowed upon them was Alicia Keys in 2005. Therefore, SZA is now the first black female to receive the award in over 15 years. According to a press release by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Hal David Starlight Award is given to “gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs.”
The Songwriters Hall of Fame chairman, the iconic Chic frontman Nile Rodgers, has put out a statement praising SZA and highlighting what a groundbreaking moment this is for music.
The passionate statement reads, “This is such an exciting time for songwriters and music. Phenomenal artists like Beyoncé and Taylor Swift are pushing the envelope of what success looks like, but who could argue that the last two years belong to SZA.”
It continues, “[SZA produces] incredible songwriting, incredible performances, incredible artistry. She so deserves to be the 2024 recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award!”
The ‘Broken Clocks’ singer reacted to the news online. Taking to Instagram, the New Jersey native wrote, “This is THE most meaningful thing to me. You have NO idea. THANK YOU beyond words for seeing me at all.”
The gala will take place in New York City on June 13th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel. This year’s inductees include the likes of rock bands R.E.M., Steely Dan, the hip-hop producer Timbaland, and others.
Last year’s ceremony saw the likes of Jade, Snoop Dogg, and Electric Light Orchestra’s Jeff Lynne enter the Songwriters Hall Of Fame inductees alongside Gloria Estefan, Teddy Riley, Glen Ballard and Liz Rose.