Columbia High School alumna and CHS Hall of Famer Solana Imani Rowe — aka SZA — became the second Black woman to receive the Hal David Starlight Award at the 2024 Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards gala on June 13.
The event was held at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. Other inductees included R.E.M., Steely Dan and Timbaland.
SZA is only the second Black woman to receive the Hal David Starlight Award, which is presented to “gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs.” Alicia Keys received the award in 2005, which was created in 2004.
In her acceptance speech, SZA said the award “means the most to her” because “writing was where I felt like a person, and I had value in that…I could show that I was smart and it was beyond ‘Am I pretty? Am I liked?'”
She said receiving the award “validates my entire career.”
See the full speech here:
I feel like this means the most to me because for the longest time as an artist I’ve been a lot of different people. I’ve been 200 pounds, I’ve been 130 pounds. I’ve been somebody who doesn’t dance at all on stage, someone that can only close their eyes and look down. Someone that is like dancing and flailing and trying their best. I’ve just been these things and I feel like oh, man, I struggle with the artist thing. But..writing was where I felt like a person and that I had value and that I could show that I was smart and it was beyond like ‘Am I pretty, am I liked, and that basically meant everything to me. It made me feel like a person and that I was doing something worth something. So basically receiving this award…validates my entire career. And I’m so grateful.
Watch SZA’s acceptance speech here:
