SZA teased at May’s Met Gala that her sophomore album was “ready to go” and advised her fans to prepare for “a SZA summer,” inducing a painful wait that lasted through the summer and fall. Finally, we’re in for a SZA winter. The multiplatinum singer-songwriter thrived as the musical guest on last night’s (December 3) Saturday Night Live, where she performed “Shirt,” debuted “Blind,” and confirmed the release date for S.O.S., the aforementioned sophomore album, is this Friday, December 9.
SZA was announced as SNL‘s December 3 musical guest in mid-November, and fans began cautiously believing that the long-awaited followup to 2017’s Ctrl would arrive in December. She told Billboard that December was the target for S.O.S., but fans still mostly adopted a believe-it-when-we-see it attitude.
It wasn’t until SZA shared the presumed cover art last week and “S.O.S. 12/9″ appeared behind her on stage at the end of her “Shirt” performance on SNL that full-fledged excitement was unlocked.
“We survived the SZA album drought,” one Twitter user wrote alongside a video of a woman tearfully turning her graduation tassel. Another tweeted a video of Miley Cyrus in an emotional Hannah Montana scene with the joke, “SZA leaving Nicki and Rihanna in the ‘lying about the album’ room.”
See more funny fan reactions to S.O.S.‘s confirmed arrival below.
sza leaving nicki and rihanna in the “lying about the album” room
pic.twitter.com/9EkE5EIS8S— 𝗿ø𝗻 (@ronreup) November 30, 2022
we survived the SZA album drought pic.twitter.com/fD4gZnGMJZ
—
(@zoros_bf) November 30, 2022
I apologize for the person I’m going to become when this SZA album drops
— Alex Gonzalez (@alexgwriter) November 30, 2022
new sza album in five days pic.twitter.com/5PZnXGhYDE
— 𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐚 (@bylarisha) December 4, 2022
KeKe Palmer announcing her pregnancy.
SZA announcing her album drops next week.
Best SNL episode of the year, I don’t care. Go, Black women!— AGD. (@TheLexGabrielle) December 4, 2022
us kittens will be supporting sza in her album S.O.S pic.twitter.com/YqSZEMIogg
— Doja Records
(@DojaRecords) December 4, 2022
one thing about sza, she’s going to make an ALBUM pic.twitter.com/ADwHzjLVm0
— SETHY (@sethspov) November 30, 2022
SZA stans leaving Arianators in the album waiting room pic.twitter.com/l60IONluUB
— jxsue / I luv ari / i always follow back
(@moonlightvalen) December 2, 2022
Nicki Minaj and Ariana Grande are rumored to be apart of SZA’s upcoming ‘S.O.S’ album!
pic.twitter.com/vBNwBaShVD
— Stats of Minaj (@statsofminaj) December 1, 2022
just woke up and remembered we getting a new sza album friday god is good pic.twitter.com/s7AXuLXPaQ
— HEEDlE (@heyheedie) December 4, 2022
when SZA drops her new album, don’t come looking for me i will be gone.
— 𝐯𝐞 ❧
12/9 (@szalishhh) December 3, 2022
me about to make this new sza album my entire personality until i’m physically decaying: pic.twitter.com/h4yxYPXdH2
— nyhh . (@nyhhdupree) December 4, 2022
SZA SAID THE ALBUM COMING DEC 9. SAD BITCHES WAKE UP pic.twitter.com/CbUMuRzORO
— check my pinned • JD they/them (@jd_occasionally) December 4, 2022
SZA ALBUM DROPPING NEXT FRIDAY ON THE 9TH IM UP!! #SNL pic.twitter.com/3KTfmla43F
— iliana
sza really dropping a new album and it doesn’t even feel like real life… LIKE I PRAYED FOR TIMES LIKE THESE
— ceo of kory (@korysverse) December 4, 2022
new sza album in less than a week!!! pic.twitter.com/1nSxWVPPUV
— mr lindsay lohan daddy (@bIackcindy) December 4, 2022
after 5 years of waiting, it’s finally happening
a new Sza album in 5 days i can’t believe it pic.twitter.com/dTYbxIUdmR
— h.
(@hobyance) December 4, 2022
never thought i’d say i’m about to press play on a new sza album next week but here we are pic.twitter.com/146ifx7H2x
— ali ☆ (@cognacmani) December 4, 2022
Me watching camp sza leave the album waiting room pic.twitter.com/bBkMhBjPyK
— Brandöˣ
(@HAZYBANKZ) December 4, 2022
we’re really ending the year with a new sza album pic.twitter.com/E3nsDVOTHo
— 𝒞.
(@iamcedrica) December 4, 2022
New SZA album FINALLY dropping in 5 days. It’s been so long that it doesn’t even feel real
— Hermès Astronaut (@TheButcher127) December 4, 2022
new sza album next week oh wow pic.twitter.com/bZ6sXRAaQw
— jacob (@jacobgws) December 4, 2022
Why I checked my schedule and I’m working early Friday morning so I can’t stay up late to listen to new Sza album 5 times back to back. Wow.
pic.twitter.com/LQiVikaxdE
— •|𝐂𝐡𝐥𝐨𝐞|•
(@ayochlo11) December 4, 2022
S.O.S. is out 12/9 via Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA.