SZA honoured with Hal David Starlight Award at Songwriters Hall of Fame gala
SZA at Songwriters Hall of Fame gala
SZA has added another golden feather to her already decorated hat. The 34-year-old artist received the prestigious Hal David Starlight Award at the Songwriters Hall of Fame 2024 Induction and Awards Gala on Thursday, June 13, for her lasting impact on the music industry through her original songwriting.
"I'm just beyond all of my wildest dreams," SZA expressed in her heartfelt acceptance speech. She said that the honour "basically validates" every aspect of her career, particularly her songwriting. "I'm just so grateful," she continued. "Thank you for seeing me."
SZA has joined the ranks of previous Hal David Starlight Award honourees, including Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and Lil Nas X.
The 34-year-old also touched upon the challenges she has faced. "I swear, I'll be like, 'Oh I wrote this and I wrote that,'" she said. "And [people would] be like, 'OK,' especially if you're a woman, especially if you're a Black woman. So to win this... It just means the world."
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After her moving speech, SZA delighted the audience with an acoustic performance of her hit song "Snooze." The award was presented to her by the legendary songwriter Nile Rodgers.
Following the release of her globally successful album SOS, SZA received three Grammys, four iHeartRadio Music Awards, four Billboard Music Awards, and a Brit Award, among numerous other nominations.
The gala, held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City, also celebrated the induction of several notable artists into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Among them were Steely Dan’s Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, producer and rapper Timbaland, and R.E.M.’s Mike Mills and Michael Stipe.
Fresh off her successful SOS Tour, which grossed $95.5 million and sold 674,000 tickets in 2023, SZA is set to perform at Milwaukee’s Summerfest before taking the stage at the British Summer Time Hyde Park concert series in London.