SZA has been hinting at the release of LANA (SOS Deluxe) since 2023. She confirmed that fans will get an extended version of her popular second album, but details on the songs have been sparse. However, she has assured fans it will arrive before 2025. On Monday, SZA revealed the album's release date in an unusual way. Rather than sharing a typical album trailer, she enlisted actor and director Ben Stiller for the announcement. In the trailer, Stiller drives and sings to an unreleased SZA song, which is likely to be included in the album. He adds a comedic touch with a heartfelt rendition of the track, titled "Drive." SZA shared the trailer on her social media, along with the release date of December 20. This is the second trailer she has released in a week. Just before Stiller took the wheel, SZA shared a teaser where she wandered through the woods and took a bathroom break before leaving the scene.
While Ben Stiller may seem like an odd choice for a collaboration, he and SZA have interacted on Twitter. SZA previously expressed her eagerness for a new season of Stiller's show "Severance." In May, she tweeted, "Was trying to be polite. But I really need a new season of Severance right the f*ck now." Stiller replied, “got it,” which prompted SZA to apologize for her outburst, saying, “Whenever you’re ready is fine. Just dying of thirst it’s the best show ever! THANK U mr stiller king sir!” Stiller took it in stride and even joked about it on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, stating, “whatever SZA wants, SZA gets.” The mutual admiration is clear. Given the high quality of the album trailer, it’s likely Stiller will also appear in the official video for "Drive." Fans are hoping for more collaborations between SZA and Stiller.
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