SZA Reveals How She Lost Her Strip Club Job Before Fame
Before becoming one of the biggest names in R&B, SZA worked a variety of jobs just to make ends meet. The Grammy-winning singer has shared that she spent time waitressing, selling cosmetics at Sephora, and even working at a strip club before her music career took off.
According to SZA, one life-changing decision cost her that job—but ultimately changed her future forever. She revealed that she was fired after choosing to leave work to open for rapper Trinidad James shortly after his breakout hit, “All Gold Everything,” began making waves.
Although losing her job could have been a setback, it turned into the opportunity she needed. Soon afterward, SZA signed with Top Dawg Entertainment and released her debut EP, Z, in 2014, marking the beginning of her rise in the music industry.
She later reflected on that chapter of her life in her critically acclaimed debut album, Ctrl. On the song “Broken Clocks,” SZA references returning to the strip club for one last paycheck before deciding to leave that life behind for good.
Looking back, SZA has described hearing “All Gold Everything” as a moment of liberation that inspired her to take a chance on herself. That gamble ultimately paid off, leading to chart-topping albums, sold-out tours, and a Grammy Award win in 2022.
SZA’s journey is a reminder that sometimes the biggest opportunities come from taking a leap of faith—even when it means walking away from the security of a paycheck.
