Supermodel by SZA Lyrics Meaning – Peeling Back the Layers of Vulnerability and Empowerment

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for SZA's Supermodel at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

That is my greatest fear
That if, if I lost control
Or did not have control
Things would just, you know
I would be fatal

I’m writing this letter to let you know
I’m really leaving
And, no, I’m not keeping your shit
Heard you got some new homies
Got some new hobbies
Even a new hoe, too
Maybe she can come help you
Maybe she can come lick you
After we’re done
What’s done is done
I don’t want nothing else to do with it

Let me tell you a secret
I been secretly banging your homeboy
Why you in Vegas
All up on Valentine’s Day?

Why am I so easy to forget like that?
It can’t be that easy for you to get like that

Oh, no, she didn’t
Ooh, yes, I did
Oh, no, she didn’t
I’ll do it again

Leave me lonely for prettier women
You know I need too much attention
For shit like that
You know you wrong
For shit like that

I could be your supermodel
If you believe
If you see it in me
See it in me
See it in me

I don’t see myself
Why I can’t stay alone just by myself?
Wish I was comfortable just with myself
But I need you
But I need you
But I need you

Ooh, just get a load of them
They got chemistry
All they could say
We like brother and sister
Look so good together
Bet they fuckin’ for real

And they was right
That’s why I stayed with ya
The, the dick was too good
It made me feel good
For temporary love
You was a temporary lover

Leave me lonely for prettier women
You know I need too much attention
For shit like that
You know you wrong
For shit like that

I could be your supermodel
If you believe
If you see it in me
See it in me
See it in me

I don’t see myself
Why I can’t stay alone just by myself?
Wish I was comfortable just with myself
But I need you
But I need you
But I need you

SZA’s track ‘Supermodel’, from her critically acclaimed album ‘Ctrl’, seduces the listener with its raw emotion and gossamer production. Underneath the alluring melody lies a labyrinth of self-doubt, revenge, and the quest for empowerment—a tantalizing concoction SZA serves with both vulnerability and a razor-sharp edge.

The song unfolds like a confessional diary entry, one where SZA confronts not just an unfaithful partner but her own insecurities. It’s a jagged journey of self-discovery, draped in the silky fibers of R&B, with hues of indie-rock sensibilities that SZA is known to seamlessly blend.

The Power Struggle in Confession: SZA’s Act of Reclamation

While the song masquerades as a tale of romantic betrayal, its core is an act of reclamation. SZA addresses her unfaithful lover with both an ache and an edge. The opening lines set up the stage—a revelation that she’s leaving, coupled with a defiant refusal to hold onto the past. It’s an empowered exit strategy masked as an ordinary breakup.

This narrative of empowerment is catalyzed by her admission of infidelity. SZA flips the script on her partner—her actions reveal a desperate grab at control in an unbalanced relationship. In admitting to ‘banging your homeboy,’ she exposes her vulnerability but also reclaims her autonomy in the narrative of her own heartbreak.

A Tale of Two Desires: SZA’s Longing for Attention and Autonomy

A repeating sentiment, ‘You know I need too much attention,’ exposes SZA’s internal conflict—her desire for acknowledgment and the pain of being overlooked for ‘prettier women.’ Here, she candidly addresses a fundamental human need for recognition and intimacy.

Simultaneously, SZA struggles with the notion of dependency. In the chorus, ‘I could be your supermodel if you see it in me,’ she yearns to be seen for who she is and not just a placeholder. The plea is both a want for her lover’s validation and a sober indictment of her own reliance on external affirmation.

Breaking the Beauty Myth: Supermodel as a Symbol of Self-Perception

The invocation of the term ‘supermodel’ goes beyond the glamor associated with fashion icons. It is a metaphor for the constructed ideals of beauty and worth that SZA wields and simultaneously finds herself entrapped by.

This battle with body image and self-worth is palpable. In the echoes of the line ‘I don’t see myself,’ SZA grapples with self-identity outside the gaze and validation of her partner—questioning why her own company isn’t enough for contentment.

The Memorable Line that Echoes a Collective Sentiment

‘Why I can’t stay alone just by myself?’ This line transcends personal heartache and taps into a universal struggle. It holds up a mirror to society’s fear of solitude and the journey to finding comfort in one’s own skin.

SZA’s transparent inquiry into her loneliness reverberates through many who listen. It challenges the listener to internalize their own insecurities and the heavy reliance on others for a sense of self and fulfillment.

Unraveling the Hidden Meaning: Self-Love in the Shadow of Heartbreak

‘Supermodel’ may navigate the storm of an ended relationship, but at its invisible core, it tells a tale of self-love waiting on the other side of heartbreak. Each declaration of needing her partner is flanked by subtext—a subterranean push towards self-recovery and independence.

Though the song is shrouded in the darkness of emotional turmoil, it offers a silver lining. With the repeated need for someone by her side, SZA lays groundwork for autonomy; the acknowledgment of her emotional dependency is the first step toward overcoming it. It is in the admission of her fears and flaws that SZA sets the stage for her own evolution as a human and as an artist.