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 and release

SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl, in 2017. Primarily an R&B album that deals with themes like heartbreak, it received widespread acclaim for SZA's vocals and the eclectic musical style, as well as the emotional impact and confessional nature of its songwriting. The album brought SZA to mainstream fame, and critics credit it with establishing her status as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music and pushing the boundaries of the R&B genre.

SZA alluded to potentially releasing her second album as early as August 2019,[1] [2] during an interview with DJ Kerwin Frost.[3] Commenting on the creative process behind the album, she stated 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."[4] 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.[5]

During interviews in 2020 and 2022, SZA said the album's composition was eclectic; while some tracks were balladic or soft, certain parts of the album had an "aggressive" sound. She stated: "I have no idea what it sounds like to anybody else. I really don't know. It's so bizarre. It's weird that I can't put my finger on it. It's a little bit of everything." The album, apart from exploring "traditional" R&B that had been a staple of SZA's past works, also drew from genres such as alternative rock and country. Punch, CEO of SZA's record label Top Dawg Entertainment, commented on the new musical direction by saying "it's a new chapter. She's not scared to try certain things now."[6] [7]

From April to May 2022, SZA told media outlets that she had recently finished the album in Hawaii, saying it was her most relatable or "unisex" body of work she had made to date.[8] In a Consequence cover story, she further commented on her plans to experiment with various genres. She asserted it was "lazy" to reduce her to an R&B artist: "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. Why can't we just be expansive and not reductive?"[9] In October, she said that she had written around 100 songs for the album and added that the album could be released "any day now".[10] During a Billboard cover story published in November, SZA revealed that the title of her second album was SOS, and it was scheduled for release sometime the following month.[11] [12] On December 3, 2022, she appeared on Saturday Night Live and announced it 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.[13] [14]

SZA included "F2F" regularly during her international SOS Tour from 2023 to 2024; while performing, she would headbang onstage with her guitarist.[15] [16] She also had the song on her headlining set for Glastonbury 2024.[17]

Recording and composition

Originally titled "Charlatan",[18] "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."[19] [20] 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".[21]

According to music journalists, "F2F" can be classified as stadium rock,[22] pop rock,[23] [24] pop punk, grunge,[25] and country.[26] 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.[27] Critics found the song reminiscent of rock music from the late 1990s to the early 2000s,[28] [29] drawing comparisons to artists like Avril Lavigne,[30] [31] Fefe Dobson,[32] [33] Paramore,[34] [35] and Liz Phair.[36]

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.[37] The lyrics discuss having sex with people to cope with a rebound, or a period of time after the end of a romantic relationship.[38]

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.[39] 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.[40] Alternative Songs is a component chart of Hot Rock & Alternative Songs, on which "F2F" peaked at number 3.

The song received a positive response from fans and critics for its rock-infused production, a departure from the R&B sound of SZA's earlier works.[41] Isabella Sarmiento, writing for NPR, picked "F2F" as one of the best songs of 2022.[42]

Credits

Credits are adapted from the liner notes of SOS.[43]

Recording and management

Personnel

Note

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[44] 87

Year-end charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot Rock & Alternative Songs (Billboard)[45] 31

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robinson . Ellie . June 7, 2021 . SZA Reveals She 'Burst Into Tears' During a Rehearsal of '20 Something' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228181636/https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/sza-reveals-she-burst-into-tears-during-a-rehearsal-of-20-something-2962520 . December 28, 2022 . December 28, 2022 . . en.
  2. Web site: Alston . Trey . January 3, 2020 . SZA Is Dropping a New Album This Year but When Is Beyond Her Ctrl . dead . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221230070311/https://www.mtv.com/news/czsw6b/sza-releasing-new-album-in-2020 . December 30, 2022 . December 30, 2022 . . en.
  3. Web site: Reese . Alexis . August 20, 2019 . SZA Reveals Sophomore Album Is On the Way . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220520143032/https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/sza-sophomore-album-on-the-way-661298/ . May 20, 2022 . April 2, 2023 . . en-US.
  4. Web site: Schatz . Lake . August 20, 2022 . SZA Says New Album Coming 'Soon as F*ck' . December 28, 2022 . . en-US . December 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221228130346/https://consequence.net/2019/08/sza-new-album-update-justin-timberlake/ . live .
  5. Web site: Kenneally . Cerys . January 5, 2021 . SZA Says New Album Will Feature Material That Made Her Feel Something in Her Heart and Gut . December 28, 2022 . . en-US . December 28, 2022 . 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 . live .
  6. Carmichael . Emma . February 26, 2020 . The Rebirth of SZA . live . . https://web.archive.org/web/20200226184311/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/sza-interview-new-music-950364/ . February 26, 2020 . February 26, 2020.
  7. Web site: Blake . Cole . October 16, 2022 . SZA Confirms 'Shirt' Music Video Is on the Way: 'It's Turned In' . December 15, 2022 . . en-US . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215144259/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/441251-sza-confirms-shirt-music-video-is-on-the-way-its-turned-in . live .
  8. Web site: SZA says new album is "finished" and describes it as her "most unisex" project yet. Kenneally. Cerys. The Line of Best Fit. April 4, 2022. November 17, 2022. December 9, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221209000759/https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/sza-says-new-album-is-finished-describes-it-as-her-most-unisex-project-yet. live.
  9. Web site: Paige . Deasia . December 13, 2022 . On SOS, SZA Proves She's One of This Generation's Best Songwriters . December 24, 2022 . . en-us . December 14, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214092303/https://www.elle.com/culture/music/a42219501/sza-sos-album-review/ . live .
  10. Web site: SZA has written 100 songs for her new album, which could arrive "any day" now. Richard. Will. NME. October 19, 2022. November 17, 2022. November 17, 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20221117130420/https://www.nme.com/news/music/sza-has-written-100-songs-for-her-new-album-which-could-arrive-any-day-now-3331686. live.
  11. Web site: SZA Is 'Currently Stressed' About Releasing New Album S.O.S. . December 15, 2022 . . en . December 29, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229005159/https://www.mtv.com/news/8znfna/sza-sos-album-announcement . dead .
  12. Web site: Panaligan . E. J. . December 5, 2022 . SZA Reveals SOS Track List, with Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott, Don Toliver and Ol' Dirty Bastard Features . December 24, 2022 . . en-US . December 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209060134/https://variety.com/2022/music/news/sza-sos-tracklist-phoebe-bridgers-travis-scott-ol-dirty-bastard-1235450605/ . live .
  13. Web site: Curto . Justin . December 5, 2022 . SZA Puts Fans on Alert, Announces New Album S.O.S . December 15, 2022 . . en-us . December 19, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221219211034/https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/sza-album-sos-release-date-details.html . live .
  14. Paul . Larisha . December 5, 2022 . SZA Taps Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott for S.O.S Album . December 15, 2022 . . en-US . December 15, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215144257/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sza-phoebe-bridgers-travis-scott-sos-tracklist-1234641720/ . live .
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. Web site: Savage . Mark . July 1, 2024 . SZA's Striking Set Failed to Set Glastonbury Alight . 2024-07-05 . . en-GB.
  18. 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 .
  19. 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 .
  20. 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 .
  21. 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 .
  22. 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 .
  23. 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 .
  24. 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 .
  25. 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 .
  26. 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 .
  27. 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 .
  28. 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 .
  29. 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 .
  30. 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 .
  31. 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 .
  32. 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 .
  33. 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 .
  34. 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 .
  35. 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 .
  36. 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 .
  37. 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 .
  38. 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 .
  39. 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 .
  40. 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.
  41. 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 .
  42. 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 .
  43. SOS. Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. 2023. vinyl liner notes. SZA. 19658-77921-1.
  44. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 December 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1711. 4. December 19, 2022.
  45. 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.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "F2F (song)".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.