Open Arms (SZA song) explained

Open Arms
Type:song
Artist:SZA featuring Travis Scott
Album:SOS
Written:2021–2022
Recorded:2021–2022
Length:
  • 3:59
Label:
Producer:
  • Michael Uzowuru
  • Teo Halm
  • Rob Bisel

"Open Arms" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022), featuring American rapper Travis Scott. It is a ballad backed by an acoustic guitar, conceived as part of an effort to explore soundscapes outside of SZA's usual R&B-leaning music. The lyrics are addressed to a former lover, whom the narrator leaves for the sake of her self-esteem despite her persistent feelings of attachment to him. A tribute to SZA's deceased grandmother, Norma Rowe, begins the song, done in the form of a skit; Rowe's vocals featured prominently on SZA's debut album, Ctrl (2017)

Upon release, "Open Arms" charted in the United States, Canada, and Australia, with a number 67 peak on the Billboard Global 200. Critics focused on Scott's appearance on the song—some considered him a fitting addition, welcoming his uncharacteristically gentle tone on the third verse. "Open Arms" marks his fourth collaboration with SZA; a solo version appears on the website-exclusive digital edition of SOS, released in January 2023. The following month, SZA began the SOS Tour, and she regularly included "Open Arms" on the concerts' set lists.

Background

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 the 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. Her next studio album was therefore highly anticipated,[1] [2] and she alluded to its completion as early as August 2019[3] [4] during an interview with DJ Kerwin Frost.[5]

From April to May 2022, SZA told media outlets that she had recently finished the album in Hawaii and said that it was coming soon.[6] For the album, named SOS (2022), she sought to prove her musical versatility and combine her "traditional" R&B sound that had been a staple of her past works[7] [8] with "a little bit of everything", exploring a diverse set of other genres and soundscapes such as stripped-back, acoustic music[9] that makes use of guitars.

During the build-up to the album's release, SZA compiled a list of possible collaborators and reached out to them through private messages. The roster ranged from Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, and Olivia Rodrigo; to Doja Cat, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar.[10] Of the several artists she contacted for the album, only three people sent their verses: Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers, and Travis Scott.[11] Toliver and Bridgers appear in the tracks "Used" and "Ghost in the Machine" respectively, while Scott appears in "Low" as a background vocalist and "Open Arms" as a featured artist.[12]

SZA and Scott had collaborated three times beforehand. The two worked on Scott's song "Ok Alright" from Rodeo (2015),[13] SZA's single "Love Galore" from Ctrl (2017), and the song "Power Is Power" from the Game of Thrones soundtrack (2019).[14] Of the two Scott collaborations, "Open Arms" was written first; "Low" was the last song on the album to be written.[15]

Music and production

The media had the tendency to categorize SZA as an R&B artist. She refused to be restricted to such a label, and she felt the narrative had developed because she was a Black woman. Countering what she believed was racial bias, she said: "I love making Black music, period. Something that is just full of energy. Black music doesn't have to just be R&B[...] Why can't we just be expansive and not reductive?"[16] The album's acoustic, stripped-back sound manifests in tracks such as "Open Arms".

"Open Arms" is among the album's songs that have an acoustic sound, backed by a finger-picked guitar[17] that puts emphasis on SZA's soft vocal performance.[18] In a departure from his usual sharp, energetic trap sound, Scott performs with a gentle rap cadence; he uses his lower register,[19] with his vocals digitally manipulated using Auto-Tune.[20] Also appearing on the song is SZA's grandmother, Norma Rowe, in the form of a voice recording.[21] Rowe was SZA's grandmother who died from Alzheimer's disease during recording sessions for SOS,[22] [23] which caused her to go through frequent depressive episodes, and like Scott, Rowe's vocals prominently featured in Ctrl. Nylon wrote that she helped provide "Open Arms" a heartwarming tone to contrast much of the album's other tracks which are "roiling at the brim with anger, sadness, insecurity, and loneliness".

Producer Carter Lang cited time pressure as the driving force behind the creation of many songs on SOS. Work on the album began in 2019, but much of "Open Arms" was written and recorded around the tailend of 2021, with 2022 the year they started being at their most productive. The choice to have Scott depart from the more uptempo, trap sound of "Love Galore" was an idea from fellow SOS producer Rob Bisel, who wanted him to do something unexpected for the album: "it just seems like there's no need to repeat the same play from that playbook, like what's something you wouldn't expect from Travis?" Upon hearing the suggestion, SZA sent Scott the beat and received his verse one or two weeks later, during the final stages of the album recording process.

Apart from Halm and Bisel, who is also the song's mixer and engineer, the list of producers includes Michael Uzowuru. The three, SZA, and Scott are credited as songwriters alongside one Douglas Ford. Engineering took place at Ponzu Studios and Westlake Studio A in Los Angeles, and the mixing and mastering were done a day before the album was turned in. Bisel and Scott's mixer, Derek "206derek" Anderson, mixed "Open Arms" at Ponzu, and Dale Becker mastered it at his studio in Pasadena, California.

Lyrics

Many SOS tracks explore the conflict between SZA's desire for a new life on her own and a longing for a fulfilling romantic connection, to the detriment of her self-image. "Open Arms" is one song that features such a conflict, depicting the narrator's continued attachment to a relationship even though it has become unhealthy for her. In the lyrics, she admits she is willing to still be with her ex-boyfriend no matter how much they are actually incompatible and no matter how much it takes a toll on her mental health, to the point where she sings in one line, "Who needs self-esteem, anyway?"[24] [25] She hopes that staying with her ex-boyfriend will sate her desire of finally being appreciated by someone, admitting: "I hate myself to make you stay / Push me away, I'll be right here." According to music journalist Danyel Smith, the line mirrors SZA's personal life in that it recalls her history with rejection from people with whom she wanted to form close friendships.[26]

Scott appears in the third verse[27] as her romantic foil.[28] He calls her his "ride-or-die" and his "favourite color", reassuring her that he will treat her as best as he can "no matter what comes between" them.[29] A solo version of "Open Arms" replaces Scott with SZA's take on the third verse. In it, her character sings about a time she cried for one whole night, forlorn about her past relationships. Instead of feeling alone, she says, she would rather have sex with her ex-boyfriend again, because she believes he still loves her for who she is.[30] Throughout the original version, the two try to welcome each other back into their life, reluctant to leave the relationship. By the end, however, SZA's character realizes that she must, in the words of XXL, "accept isolation with open arms" so that no person will break her heart again.

Release and reception

During a Billboard cover story published in November 2022, SZA revealed the album title, as well as the release date which was scheduled sometime next month.[31] She posted the album's track list on Twitter on December 5, and SOS was released four days later. Out of 23 songs, "Open Arms" appears as the 20th track.[32] [33] Upon its release, the song charted in Canada, the United States, and Australia, with peaks at numbers 51, 54, and 81, respectively. It peaked at number 24 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and number 67 on the Billboard Global 200, and it is certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling over 1,000,000 units.[34] "Open Arms" had its live performance debut during the SOS Tour, a North American and European tour in support of the album.[35] [36]

By the tracking week ending January 6, 2023, SOS had spent three weeks atop the Billboard 200 albums chart. There was a possibility that Taylor Swift's Midnights (2022) might overtake the album and gain the number one spot for the next chart issue.[37] On January 5, when tracking was about to end, SZA and Swift released digital versions of their albums that contained bonus material to boost them on the chart.[38] In SZA's case, she released a website-exclusive digital edition of SOS available on Top Dawg Entertainment's website. It consisted of all 23 songs from the standard edition alongside 2 previously unreleased songs—the solo version of "Open Arms" was one of them.[39]

Much of critical commentary around "Open Arms" focused on Scott's guest feature. Some critics considered him a fitting addition on the song, welcoming his uncharacteristically gentle tone on the third verse and praising him and SZA for expanding into a more gentle, acoustic sound. As Kitty Empire wrote for The Observer, "Versatility largely wins out [on ''SOS'']. Only SZA could find room for Travis Scott on a slow jam ballad". Variety A. D. Amorosi and the Los Angeles Times Mikael Wood found the composition of "grand and gorgeous" quality; Amorosi in particular deemed Scott the song's centerpiece. Other praise was directed towards his chemistry with SZA in comparison to "Love Galore" and Rowe's voice as (in tandem with Scott's feature) a "nice nod" to Ctrl. Meanwhile, writing for Time, Andrew Chow and Moises Mendez II thought Scott's contributions were tolerable at best, and Mendez was more impressed with his background vocals for "Low".

Credits

Adapted from the liner notes of SOS[40]

Recording and management

Personnel

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2022–2024)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[41] 81
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[42] 24
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[43] 29

Year-end charts

Chart (2023)! scope="col"
Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[44] 59

Notes and References

  1. Lee . Cydney . Lipshutz . Jason . Mamo . Heran . Robinson . Kristin . Unterberger . Andrew . January 4, 2023 . Five Burning Questions: SZA Holds at No. 1 for Third Week with SOS Album . live . . en-US . https://web.archive.org/web/20230105121108/https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/sza-sos-five-burning-questions-1235194018/ . January 5, 2023 . January 5, 2023.
  2. Web site: Kornhaber . Spencer . December 14, 2022 . What Gives SZA Her Edge . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221226021827/https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/archive/2022/12/sza-sos-2022-album-review/672462/ . December 26, 2022 . December 30, 2022 . . en.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. Web site: Kenneally . Cerys . April 4, 2022 . SZA Says New Album Is 'Finished' and Describes It as Her 'Most Unisex' Project Yet . live . 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 . December 9, 2022 . November 17, 2022 . The Line of Best Fit.
  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 . February 5, 2023 . . en.
  8. Web site: McNeal . Bria . December 9, 2022 . SZA's SOS Is Unpolished—and Completely Thrilling . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221211131456/https://www.esquire.com/entertainment/music/a42201068/sza-sos-album-review-details/ . December 11, 2022 . February 10, 2023 . . en-us.
  9. Web site: Wang . Steffanee . December 10, 2022 . SZA's SOS in 5 Essential Songs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221215093619/https://www.nylon.com/entertainment/best-songs-sza-sos-album-phoebe-bridgers . December 15, 2022 . February 6, 2023 . . en.
  10. Web site: Shutler . Ali . December 17, 2022 . SZA's SOS Could Have Featured Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and More . February 6, 2023 . . en . February 6, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230206041426/https://www.nme.com/en_asia/news/music/szas-sos-could-have-featured-harry-styles-billie-eilish-and-more-3368442 . live .
  11. Paul . Larisha . December 7, 2022 . SZA Says New Album S.O.S. Almost Featured More Artist Collaborations — But They Ghosted Her . limited . live . February 8, 2023 . . en-US . February 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230208144738/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sza-sos-collaborators-phoebe-bridgers-travis-scott-1234643104/ .
  12. Web site: Guy . Zoe . December 9, 2022 . SZA Blesses Us with SOS This Holiday Season . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230108091659/https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/sza-new-album-sos.html . January 8, 2023 . February 6, 2023 . . en-us.
  13. Web site: Hopper . Alex . January 24, 2023 . Top 10 SZA Songs . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230201191852/https://americansongwriter.com/top-10-sza-songs/ . February 1, 2023 . February 6, 2023 . . en-US.
  14. Web site: Pearce . Sheldon . April 18, 2019 . 'Power Is Power': SZA / The Weeknd / Travis Scott . February 10, 2023 . . en-US . April 19, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190419144546/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/sza-the-weeknd-travis-scott-power-is-power/ . live .
  15. Hiatt . Brian . January 29, 2023 . The Making of SZA's SOS . limited . January 30, 2023 . . en-US . January 29, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230129211852/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/sza-making-of-sos-podcast-1234670550/ . live . 28:27.
  16. Web site: Blake . Cole . December 12, 2022 . SZA Says She's Tired of Being Labeled an R&B Artist . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230326050912/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/609914-sza-says-shes-tired-of-being-labeled-an-rb-artist . March 26, 2023 . March 26, 2023 . . en-US.
  17. Web site: Fitzgerald . Trent . December 9, 2022 . SZA, Travis Scott 'Open Arms' Lyrics – Listen to New Song . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230206041425/https://www.xxlmag.com/sza-travis-scott-open-arms-lyrics/ . February 6, 2023 . February 6, 2023 . . en.
  18. Web site: Amorosi . A. D. . December 9, 2022 . SZA Sends Out an SOS That Will Be an Emergency Addition to Everyone's 10-Best Lists: Album Review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217103409/https://variety.com/2022/music/album-reviews/sza-sos-album-review-1235455868/ . December 17, 2022 . December 29, 2022 . Variety.
  19. Web site: Amorosi . A. D. . December 9, 2022 . SZA Sends Out an SOS That Will Be an Emergency Addition to Everyone's 10-Best Lists: Album Review . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221217103409/https://variety.com/2022/music/album-reviews/sza-sos-album-review-1235455868/ . December 17, 2022 . December 29, 2022 . Variety.
  20. Web site: Moran . Robert . Shand . John . Nguyen . Giselle Au-Nhien . November 29, 2022 . SZA's Addictive Album Is the Summer Soundtrack You've Been Waiting For . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229163554/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/a-searing-sign-off-from-one-of-the-best-bands-of-all-20221125-p5c1d2.html . December 29, 2022 . December 29, 2022 . . en.
  21. Web site: O'Brien . Millie . December 12, 2022 . Album Review: SZA – SOS . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221212185112/https://gigwise.com/reviews/3428175/album-review-sza-sos . December 12, 2022 . February 6, 2023 . Gigwise.
  22. Web site: Disalvo . Tom . November 17, 2022 . SZA Details Forthcoming Sophomore Album S.O.S. . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221209035805/https://www.nme.com/news/music/sza-details-forthcoming-sophomore-album-s-o-s-3350621 . December 9, 2022 . February 16, 2023 . . en-GB.
  23. Web site: Turner-Williams . Jaelani . November 16, 2022 . SZA's New Album S.O.S. Is Arriving in December . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230216160506/https://www.okayplayer.com/music/szas-new-album-s-o-s-is-arriving-in-december.html . February 16, 2023 . February 16, 2023 . . en-US.
  24. Web site: Pareles . Jon . Jon Pareles . December 13, 2022 . SZA Revels in Mixed Emotions on SOS . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221222042443/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/arts/music/sza-sos-review.html . December 22, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . The New York Times.
  25. Web site: Wood . Mikael . December 9, 2022 . On the Dazzling SOS, SZA Spares No One, Least of All Herself . limited . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229123345/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-12-08/sza-sos-new-album . December 29, 2022 . December 24, 2022 . . en-US.
  26. News: Smith . Danyel . Danyel Smith . February 8, 2023 . SZA's Ruination Brought Her Everything . en-US . . live . limited . February 8, 2023 . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20230208104254/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/08/magazine/sza.html . February 8, 2023.
  27. Web site: Fitzgerald . Trent . December 9, 2022 . SZA, Travis Scott 'Open Arms' Lyrics – Listen to New Song . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230206041425/https://www.xxlmag.com/sza-travis-scott-open-arms-lyrics/ . February 6, 2023 . February 6, 2023 . . en.
  28. Chow . Andrew R. . Mendez . Moises, II . December 9, 2022 . Was SZA's SOS Worth the Wait? Breaking Down Its Best Songs and Big Themes . live . . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20221225142306/https://time.com/6239912/sza-sos/ . December 25, 2022 . January 8, 2023.
  29. Web site: Weiner . Josh . January 4, 2023 . Our Take: SZA Shines on Outstanding Sophomore Album SOS . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230206153853/https://atwoodmagazine.com/szso-sza-sos-album-review/ . February 6, 2023 . February 8, 2023 . Atwood Magazine . en-US . Scott proves that the chemistry he and SZA first exhibited five years ago on 'Love Galore' still has plenty of mileage left. 'No matter what comes between us, I decided I'm forever ridin', we forever guided,' the widely celebrated MC rhymes on 'Open Arms'....
  30. Web site: Gonzalez . Alex . January 6, 2023 . SZA Just Dropped a Pair of SOS Outtakes, Including the Much Anticipated 'PSA' . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230106223048/https://uproxx.com/music/sza-sos-outtakes-psa-open-arms/ . January 6, 2023 . January 8, 2023 . . en-US.
  31. Web site: Serrano . Athena . November 16, 2022 . SZA Is 'Currently Stressed' About Releasing New Album S.O.S. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20221229005159/https://www.mtv.com/news/8znfna/sza-sos-album-announcement . December 29, 2022 . December 15, 2022 . . en.
  32. Web site: Curto . Justin . December 5, 2022 . SZA Puts Fans on Alert, Announces New Album S.O.S . limited . 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.
  33. Paul . Larisha . December 5, 2022 . SZA Taps Phoebe Bridgers, Travis Scott for S.O.S Album . live . . en-US . 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 . limited.
  34. Web site: Singh . Karan . February 20, 2024 . SZA Nabs 7 More Gold & Platinum Plaques for SOS Songs . live . https://archive.today/20240221093559/https://hiphopdx.com/news/sza-7-gold-platinum-plaques-sos-riaa . February 21, 2024 . February 21, 2024 . . en.
  35. Graff . Gary . February 25, 2023 . SZA Takes Fans Through Emotional Seaside Journey During SOS Tour Stop in Detroit . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230226065038/https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/sza-sos-tour-detroit-concert-review-1235260884/ . February 26, 2023 . March 2, 2023 . . en-US.
  36. Web site: Kress . Bryan . February 22, 2023 . SZA Smoothly Sails Through 'SOS Tour' Opener in Columbus, Ohio: Setlist + Video . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230223075327/https://consequence.net/2023/02/sza-sos-tour-setlist-video-watch/ . February 23, 2023 . March 2, 2022 . . en-US.
  37. Web site: Wilkes . Emma . January 7, 2023 . SZA Denies Rumours of Taylor Swift Feud: 'I Don't Have Beef [with] Anyone.' ]. live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230107221517/https://www.nme.com/news/music/sza-denies-rumours-of-taylor-swift-feud-i-dont-have-beef-with-anyone-3376338 . January 7, 2023 . January 8, 2023 . . en-GB.
  38. Mier . Tomás . January 6, 2023 . No, SZA Doesn't 'Have Beef' with Taylor Swift . live . . en-US . https://web.archive.org/web/20230106222729/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/sza-doesnt-have-beef-taylor-swift-1234657122/ . January 6, 2023 . January 8, 2023 . limited.
  39. Web site: Cowen . Trace William . January 6, 2023 . SZA Shuts Down Talk of Beef with Taylor Swift, Says She 'Genuinely Loved' Singer's Midnights Album . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230106173324/https://www.complex.com/music/sza-shuts-down-talk-of-beef-taylor-swift . January 6, 2023 . January 8, 2023 . . en.
  40. SOS. Top Dawg Entertainment and RCA Records. 2023. vinyl liner notes. SZA. 19658-77921-1.
  41. The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 December 2022. The ARIA Report. Australian Recording Industry Association. 1711. 4. December 19, 2022.
  42. Web site: ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart. Australian Recording Industry Association. May 6, 2024. May 3, 2024.
  43. Web site: NZ Top 40 Singles Chart. Recorded Music NZ. April 22, 2024. April 19, 2024.
  44. Year-End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 2023. Billboard. November 22, 2023. November 22, 2023. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20231122081906/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/hot-r-and-and-b-hip-hop-songs/.

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