F2F (song) explained

F2F
Type:song
Artist:SZA
Album:SOS
Genre:
Length:3:06
Label:
Producer:
  • Bisel
  • Lang

"F2F" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022). "F2F" is a rock song that draws influence from genres such as country, pop rock, and grunge. SZA wrote the song with Lizzo, who provides background vocals, and producers Rob Bisel and Carter Lang. The song was one of around five rock-inspired songs SZA created for SOS, out of a desire to experiment with various genres outside of her usual R&B music. The song begins with acoustic guitar strums before transitioning into a chorus backed by drums and power chords from electric guitars. The lyrics talk about having sex with someone to cope with breaking up with a former partner.

SZA's experimentation with rock on the song was positively received. "F2F" was one of 20 tracks from SOS that debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100. Consequently, it became SZA's first song to debut atop Billboard Alternative Streaming Songs chart.

Background

In 2017, SZA released her critically and commercially successful debut studio album, Ctrl.[1] [2] Throughout the years, critics have credited it as being innovative within the R&B genre, and for establishing her as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music. In Ctrl, SZA spoke variously about romance, desire, and self-esteem, often in a vulnerable tone, as well as the many ways in which emotions like jealousy and intense desire can destroy them.[3] [4]

As SZA gained more recognition, she was consistently being labeled in several publications as an R&B musician. She took notice and was frustrated. In interviews, she often linked the specific categorization to stereotypes about Black women in music, saying that the label implied she was not allowed to make other forms of music.[5] [6] With her next studio album, SOS (2022), she wanted to incorporate an eclectic mix of distinct genres expand her pre-existing sound.[7] Apart from the usual R&B, SZA experimented with rock and punk music; in a Consequence cover story, she remarked: "I love making Black music, period. Something that is just full of energy. Black music doesn't have to just be R&B. We started rock 'n' roll."[8]

Music and lyrics

Commenting on the creative process behind the album, SZA said it would be as candid and personal as Ctrl: "This next album is even more of me being less afraid of who am I when I have no choice? When I'm not out trying to curate myself and contain."[9] When SZA collaborated with Cosmopolitan for their February 2021 issue, she spoke about her creative process behind the album's conception: "this album is going to be the shit that made me feel something in my...here and in here", pointing to her heart and gut.[10]

Originally titled "Charlatan",[11] "F2F" was one of around five rock songs that SZA created for SOS. She explained to Rolling Stone that these songs contained heavily confessional lyrics that demonstrated several versions of herself: "They were all terrible in terms of, like, saying bad things about what I've done to people, but it sounded cool, and I think that's what all those songs are really about. Just being super honest and letting that out."[12] [13] Rob Bisel and Carter Lang, producers of "F2F", revealed that American singer and rapper Lizzo was coincidentally in the same studio as SZA when she recorded the song. They added that it was one out of several songs on which the two collaborated during recording sessions; a few days prior, it was announced that Lizzo would feature on a song from the deluxe edition of SOS titled "Boy from South Detroit".[14]

According to music journalists, "F2F" can be classified as stadium rock,[15] pop rock,[16] [17] pop punk, grunge,[18] and country.[19] The first verse demonstrates its country influences—in it, SZA sings over acoustic guitar strums—after which drums and power chords from electric guitars appear for the chorus to indicate its punk and rock elements.[20] [21] Critics found the song reminiscent of rock music from the late 1990s to the early 2000s,[22] [23] drawing comparisons to artists like Avril Lavigne,[24] [25] Fefe Dobson,[26] [27] Paramore,[28] [29] and Liz Phair.[30]

To create "F2F", SZA freestyled or improvised lyrics over an initial version of the beat with Lizzo, who helped write the song's bridge and provided pitched-up background vocals. She originally had a verse in the song, but it was removed for unspecified reasons.[31] The lyrics discuss having sex with people to cope with a rebound, or a period of time after the end of a romantic relationship.[32]

Release

On December 3, 2022, SZA appeared on Saturday Night Live and announced SOS would be released on December 9. Two days later, she posted the track list on Twitter. Out of 23 songs, "F2F" appears as the album's 13th track.[33] [34]

SZA included "F2F" regularly during her international SOS Tour from 2023 to 2024; while performing, she would headbang onstage with her guitarist.[35] [36] She also had the song on her headlining set for Glastonbury 2024.[37]

Reception

After the release of SOS, 20 tracks from the album debuted on the Billboard Hot 100. Among of them was "F2F", which was the 16th highest charting track; it debuted at number 55 and helped increase SZA's total amount of chart entries to 37.[38] It was bolstered by around 13.7 million streams in its first opening week; with these streaming numbers, the song debuted atop Billboard Alternative Streaming Songs chart, her first number 1 there.[39] Alternative Songs is a component chart of Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, on which "F2F" peaked at number 3.

Many critics considered SZA's genre experimentation with "F2F" a success.[40] Isabella Sarmiento, writing for NPR, picked "F2F" as one of the best songs of 2022.[41]

Credits

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of SOS.[42]

Recor.ding and management

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[43] 87

Year-end charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[44] 31

Notes and References

  1. News: Smith . Danyel . Danyel Smith . February 8, 2023 . SZA's Ruination Brought Her Everything . limited . live . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20230208104254/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/magazine/sza.html . February 8, 2023 . November 16, 2024 . . en-US.
  2. Web site: Escalante . Ana . June 9, 2022 . Revisiting SZA's Ctrl, 5 Years Later . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240927162751/https://www.glamour.com/story/sza-ctrl-5-year-anniversary . September 27, 2024 . November 16, 2024 . . en-US.
  3. Web site: Savage . Mark . December 22, 2017 . The Top 10 Albums of 2017 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230429073259/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-42427212 . April 29, 2023 . August 1, 2024 . .
  4. News: Kennedy . Gerrick D. . June 14, 2017 . What to Listen to Now: SZA, Bleachers, Secret Sisters and More . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230604085609/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-what-to-listen-to-20170613-story.html . June 4, 2023 . August 1, 2024 . Los Angeles Times.
  5. News: Harris . Hunter . October 30, 2023 . SZA's Anxious Rise to Pop Superstardom . subscription . live . https://archive.today/20231030131502/https://www.wsj.com/style/sza-sos-tour-ctrl-snooze-2acbff16 . October 30, 2023 . November 20, 2024 . The Wall Street Journal.
  6. Gore . Sydney . February 27, 2023 . SZA Has Always Been Alternative—You Just Weren't Listening . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20231217103159/https://www.altpress.com/sza-sos-interview . December 17, 2023 . November 20, 2024 . . en-US.
  7. Web site: Phan . Karena . December 9, 2022 . Review: SZA's Perfection Takes Time in Second Album SOS . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228133656/https://apnews.com/article/travis-scott-entertainment-reviews-hip-hop-and-rap-623ad8d680b71cc142b06c9b00fd8bf1 . December 28, 2022 . November 20, 2024 . . en.
  8. Web site: Paige . Deasia . December 13, 2022 . On SOS, SZA Proves She's One of This Generation's Best Songwriters . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214092303/https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a42219501/sza-sos-album-review/ . December 14, 2022 . December 24, 2022 . . en-us.
  9. Web site: Schatz . Lake . August 20, 2022 . SZA Says New Album Coming 'Soon as F*ck' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228130346/https://consequence.net/2019/08/sza-new-album-update-justin-timberlake/ . December 28, 2022 . December 28, 2022 . . en-US.
  10. Web site: Kenneally . Cerys . January 5, 2021 . SZA Says New Album Will Feature Material That Made Her Feel Something in Her Heart and Gut . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228102934/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/sza-says-new-lp-will-feature-material-made-her-feel-something-in-heart-gut . December 28, 2022 . December 28, 2022 . . en-US.
  11. Conteh . Mankaprr . Hiatt . Brian . December 19, 2022 . SOS Secrets: SZA Reveals Unheard Lizzo Collaborations, Plus More Rock Songs . limited . December 21, 2022 . . en-US . December 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221221025657/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/sza-sos-deluxe-secrets-rock-songs-unheard-lizzo-1234649069/ . live .
  12. Web site: Abraham . Mya . December 19, 2022 . SZA Teases Additional Lizzo Collabs and More Rock for SOS Deluxe . December 21, 2022 . . en-US . December 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221221030654/https://www.vibe.com/music/music-news/sza-lizzo-collab-sos-deluxe-1234720467/ . live .
  13. Web site: Richards . Will . December 22, 2022 . There's a Hidden Lizzo Feature on SZA's SOS – And They've Recorded More Songs Together . December 24, 2022 . . en-GB . December 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224115320/https://www.nme.com/news/music/theres-a-hidden-lizzo-feature-on-szas-sos-and-theyve-recorded-more-songs-together-3370710 . live .
  14. Web site: SZA and Lizzo have recorded multiple tracks together . December 21, 2022 . . en-US . December 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221221030702/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/sza-and-lizzo-have-recorded-multiple-tracks-together . live .
  15. UK . Rolling Stone . Reilly . Nick . December 9, 2022 . 3 albums you need to hear this week . December 15, 2022 . Rolling Stone UK . en-GB . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215133645/https://www.rollingstone.co.uk/music/3-albums-you-need-to-hear-this-week-sam-ryder-sam-fender-sza-25260/ . live .
  16. News: Hunter-Tilney . Ludovic . December 9, 2022 . SZA: SOS Review — Long-Awaited Second Album from R&B Perfectionist . . limited . December 24, 2022 . February 8, 2023 . https://archive.today/20230208103706/https://www.ft.com/content/cfa868bd-2150-4323-bc41-84e6b885849f . live .
  17. Web site: Robinson . Otis . December 9, 2022 . SZA – SOS . December 24, 2022 . . en . March 21, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230321174741/https://diymag.com/review/album/sza-sos-album-review . live .
  18. Web site: Ragusa . Paolo . December 9, 2022 . Song of the Week: SZA Goes Grunge on "F2F" . December 15, 2022 . Consequence . en-US . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215131715/https://consequence.net/2022/12/sza-f2f-song-of-the-week/ . live .
  19. Web site: Shepherd . Julianne Escobedo . December 9, 2022 . SOS: SZA . December 24, 2022 . . en-US . December 29, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229074553/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/sza-sos/ . live .
  20. Web site: Curto . Justin . December 9, 2022 . SZA Finally Unleashed Her Inner Rock Star . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221221234455/https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/sza-f2f-song-review-sos-rock.html . December 21, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . . en-us.
  21. Web site: Petridis . Alexis . Alexis Petridis . December 9, 2022 . SZA: SOS review – R&B innovator's long-awaited return is an eclectic sprawl . December 15, 2022 . . en . December 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209004750/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/dec/08/sza-sos-review-top-dawg-entertainment-rca . live .
  22. Web site: Fondren . Precious . December 16, 2022 . SZA SOS Reveals Everything We've Wanted to Know for 5 Years . December 24, 2022 . . en . January 24, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230124020521/https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/sza-sos-album-review . live .
  23. Web site: Hakimian . Rob . McMullen . Chase . Sentz . Tim . Pickard . Joshua . Wohlmacher . John . Finlayson . Ray . Amen . John . Kohner . Kyle . Early . J. T. . December 15, 2022 . BPM Top 50 Albums of 2022 . December 24, 2022 . . en-US . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215210936/https://beatsperminute.com/bpms-top-50-albums-of-2022/ . live .
  24. Web site: Assaly . Richie . Grant . Demar . Ejiofor . Annette . Smirlies . Justin . Vega . Manuela . Wong . Madison . Murphy . Aisling . Passafiume . Alessia . December 17, 2022 . Star Tracks: Our 24 Favourite Albums of 2022 . December 24, 2022 . . en . January 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230129202843/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2022/12/17/star-tracks-our-21-favourite-albums-of-2022.html . live .
  25. Web site: Frank . Jason P. . December 9, 2022 . SZA Lights Up and Spits Fire in 'Smoking on My Ex Pack' . December 24, 2022 . . en-us . December 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224131112/https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/smokin-on-my-ex-pack-has-sza-showing-off-her-rap-skills.html . live .
  26. News: Madden . Sidney . December 14, 2022 . SZA, 'F2F' . en . . December 15, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215023540/https://www.npr.org/sections/now-playing/2022/12/14/1142285350/sza-f2f . live .
  27. Web site: Kaplan . Ilana . DeCaro . Alessandro . Bell . Sadie . Hardman . Neville . December 9, 2022 . Paramore, SZA and Mod Sun Are Our Tracks of the Week . December 24, 2022 . . en . December 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224023025/https://www.altpress.com/best-new-songs-paramore-sza-mod-sun/ . live .
  28. Sanchez . Chelsey . December 19, 2022 . Why Can't We Let SZA Be Sad? . December 24, 2022 . . en-us . December 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224131112/https://www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/art-books-music/a42233431/sza-sos-album-review-reactions/ . live .
  29. Web site: Thompson . Stephen . Stephen Thompson (journalist) . Harris . Aisha . Aisha Harris . Madden . Sidney . Katzif . Mike . Wood . Rommel . Reedy . Jessica . December 15, 2022 . On SOS, SZA Both Surprises and Delivers Exactly What We've Been Waiting For . December 24, 2022 . . en . Audio upload and transcript . December 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224032135/https://www.npr.org/2022/12/12/1142231566/on-sos-sza-both-surprises-and-delivers-exactly-what-weve-been-waiting-for . live .
  30. Web site: Wood . Mikael . December 9, 2022 . On the Dazzling SOS, SZA Spares No One, Least of All Herself . December 24, 2022 . . en-US . December 29, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229123345/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-12-08/sza-sos-new-album . live .
  31. Myers . Owen . December 20, 2022 . SZA on SOS, the Story Behind Her SNL Bop 'Big Boys,' and Her Favorite Kill Bill Character . December 24, 2022 . . en . December 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228161704/https://ew.com/music/sza-interview-sos-big-boys-snl-song-kill-bill/ . live .
  32. Web site: Wicker . Jewel . December 12, 2022 . SZA Is Trying to Save Herself . December 24, 2022 . . en-US . January 1, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230101033237/https://consequence.net/cover/sza-cover-story-sos/ . live .
  33. Web site: Curto . Justin . December 5, 2022 . SZA Puts Fans on Alert, Announces New Album S.O.S . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221219211034/https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/sza-album-sos-release-date-details.html . December 19, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . . en-us.
  34. Paul . Larisha . December 5, 2022 . SZA Taps Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott for S.O.S Album . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215144257/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sza-phoebe-bridgers-travis-scott-sos-tracklist-1234641720/ . December 15, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . . en-US.
  35. Turner-Williams . Jaelani . February 22, 2023 . SZA Lives Up to All the Anticipation as She Launches Her SOS Tour . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230223065154/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-live-reviews/sza-sos-tour-launch-1234684064/ . February 23, 2023 . July 5, 2024 . . en-US.
  36. Web site: Amorosi . A. D. . Aswad . Jem . March 5, 2023 . SZA Brings Out Cardi B and Phoebe Bridgers at Dazzling, Hit-Filled Madison Square Garden Show . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230307151742/https://variety.com/2023/music/concert-reviews/sza-cardi-b-phoebe-bridgers-madison-square-garden-concert-review-1235543402/ . March 7, 2023 . July 5, 2024 . . en-US.
  37. Web site: Savage . Mark . July 1, 2024 . SZA's Striking Set Failed to Set Glastonbury Alight . July 5, 2024 . . en-GB.
  38. Zellner . Xander . December 20, 2022 . SZA Debuts 20 Songs from SOS on Hot 100, Rules Artist 100 for First Time . December 24, 2022 . . en-US . December 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221221081326/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/sza-debuts-20-songs-from-sos-hot-100-rules-artist-100-1235189798/ . live .
  39. Rutherford . Kevin . December 22, 2022 . SZA Scores Her First Streaming Songs No. 1 with 'Kill Bill' . subscription . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221223110713/https://www.billboard.com/pro/sza-kill-bill-becomes-her-first-streaming-songs-no-1/ . December 23, 2022 . December 24, 2022 . . en-US.
  40. Web site: December 13, 2022 . Fousheé Channeled New Jersey Into The Punk Aggression Of 'softCORE' . December 15, 2022 . Uproxx . en-US . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215073516/https://uproxx.com/music/foushee-interview-softcore-new-jersey/ . live .
  41. News: December 24, 2022 . The Best Music of 2022: NPR Staff Picks . en . . December 24, 2022 . December 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221224120704/https://www.npr.org/series/1135809660/the-best-music-of-2022-npr-staff-picks . live .
  42. SOS. Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. 2023. vinyl liner notes. SZA. 19658-77921-1.
  43. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 December 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1711. 4. December 19, 2022.
  44. Hot Rock & Alternative Songs – Year-End 2023. Billboard. December 4, 2023. November 22, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20231122193855/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/hot-rock-songs/. live.

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