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SZA took the stage at YouTube Theater on Wednesday (March 1), the place she was being honored because the Girl of the Yr on the 2023 Billboard Ladies in Music Awards.
After an in-person introduction from Coi Leray and {a partially} sung message from Lizzo through video, the SOS auteur – who has topped the Billboard 200 for 10 weeks and counting – took the stage.
Right here’s her full speech.
“I’m taped in here for high hell, y’all,” she stated of her outfit. “I simply need to thank God and my dad and mom are right here, my mother and my dad and proper right here, and my entire workforce [at TDE], Punch [Terrence Henderson] and MeLisa [Heath] and Prime [Anthony Tiffith] and Amber, who’s my finest pal, we had been roommates in faculty, and now she simply makes certain I don’t disintegrate each single day. To RCA, simply everyone.
“I don’t know. A pair days in the past MeLisa was like – I used to be about to go on stage, I’m on tour proper now, as we speak is my time without work – she was like, ‘You should take time to write your speech.’ After which it’s like, ’10 seconds to stage’ and it’s like, ‘OK.’
“I didn’t write something however that’s additionally who I’m. I’m a really off the dome individual. What I wished to say is that there’s so many ladies on this room proper now that I respect so deeply. This might have been any of us on this room.
“Whether or not it’s Lana Del Rey or Olivia Rodrigo or Chloe or Doechii who’s a f–king star or Latto, and even Coi, my very personal Jersey child. I feel typically there’s a false impression the place everyone at all times appears like that lady, like, oh, I do know I’m that b—-h and I’ve a variety of confidence. It’s OK to not be that individual on a regular basis. I used to really feel like I didn’t belong as a result of I don’t at all times really feel like that. However I noticed that the secret is to remain open and out there for regardless of the universe or God needs to do along with your life. Even whenever you don’t know who you might be or you might not see, I don’t know why telling these on Billboard, I’m grateful — I really like you too [aside to an audience member].
“But I really just want my life to be more than music, to be more than just an artist. I want to serve others, I want to serve people I want to be open and available to whatever God wants from me and saying yes to everything that’s scary to everything that feels like it’s not for you or where you don’t belong. It’s really the only way we walk through those doors. I encourage everybody to continue to be inspired and just stay available. You don’t have to be confident or even know that you are the one, or anything like that, you just have to say yes to the possibility. I’m grateful and thank you all for saying yes to me and I hope everybody has a blessed night. Thank you very much.”
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