SZA Defends Love of Creed to Interviewer – ‘He’s So F–king Dead Ass’

SZA may thrive in the pop world, but the singer has not been shy to shout out her rock influences. In fact, in a recent Variety article in which she was dubbed "Hitmaker of the Year," the vocalist stepped up to defend her love of Nickelback and Creed when the interviewer facepalmed and laughed off her interest in the bands.

Within the chat, the discussion turned to her wide-ranging musical influences, with SZA called up a nine-hour long playlist she calls "Study Boys" that features "all the things I love." As the singer and the interviewer started to scroll through what was on the list, she quickly added that she recently pulled up a playlist featuring "Creed, Nickelback, Train 'Drops of Jupiter.'" It was at that point that SZA's revelation received the physical response from the interviewer.

After telling the interviewer, "I know! I know!," she then asked, "Wait, you know what’s crazy? Do white people hate Creed and Nickelback? Why? Black people love them! They rock! That shit is bomb! Why do you all hate it so much? That voice…"

When the interviewer noted that they were "kind of cliche," SZA responded, "I like Creed so much — 'Higher'? Why are you hating on it? Have you ever felt more inspired and uplifted in your life? I’m in the car and I’m blasting 'Higher,' I feel like it’s a gospel song, the vocals are going crazy and it’s also somehow slightly romantic, it just feels so fun. Because even if it’s cliche, he’s so fucking dead ass! I will be a Creed fan forever. Like, it started just on a whim in the shower, 'Oh, let’s play this,' and then it became a week of Creed and Nickelback. (laughter)."

READ MORE: Creed's Scott Stapp Names the Artist He Considers His 'Rock God'

Elsewhere in the interview, SZA reveals she grew up on a lot of the early 2000s popular rock bands, noting, "I am a child of a Good Charlotte and Fall Out Boy and Blink-182 and Limp Bizkit, that’s all my era of childhood. I did grow up in the burbs [Maplewood, N.J.], going to bar mitzvahs and bat mitzvahs, getting a mix CD or two and being one of the, you know, select Black kids at my school and on my block."

She later added, "When I was making my album [SOS] I studied all my favorite songs from my youth, all the things I love… [scrolling]… original Bjork, Animal Collective … the Cars’ “Drive”… a lot of Stevie Wonder, Brandy, Fever Ray, Beach Boys, Joni Mitchell… lots of Joni Mitchell… Erykah Badu, Marvin Gaye, Blink-182, Wheatus, India Arie… there’s a lot of Hiatus Kaiyote … Coldplay, more Bjork, the Beatles, Crosby Stills and Nash, Good Charlotte, Lit, David Bowie, so many…"

Other shout-outs included,"King Krule is on here… There’s some [Kid] Cudi, Jamiroquai, All American Rejects, John Mayer, LFO (laughter)… Spice Girls, Cake … oh my god, not Mickey Avalon, child… Sun Ra, Arthur Russell, Jay-Z — lots of Jay-Z, that is my true father! (laughter) … Diplomats, of course… OutKast, Imogen Heap…," with SZA concluding, "And that is me, in a small way."