C+RL Enthusiast: SZA Said It First

I’ll be honest: when SZA dropped Ctrl, I thought she was talking to everyone but me. Because I’ve got it together. Color-coded planners, matching fonts, “just right” angles on my selfies… control is my comfort food.

But the more I listened, the more I realized SZA wasn’t singing about chaos… she was singing about me. About us. About the way “perfectionist” is just a prettier word for “control freak.”

“Supermodel” — She admits she’s petty, insecure, jealous. Meanwhile, I’m over here trying to edit out any trace of mess so nobody sees the cracks. SZA says it out loud. I delete the evidence. Who’s really winning?

“Drew Barrymore” — She’s asking, “Am I warm enough?” while I’m silently asking, “Am I perfect enough?” Same question, different mask.

“20 Something” — She’s lost, fumbling, admitting she doesn’t know. Me? I’d rather chew glass than admit I don’t have a five-year plan.

Here’s the kicker: SZA made imperfection sound beautiful. Raw. Human. Meanwhile, my control-obsessed self is still trying to curate my life into a Pinterest board. One of us went platinum.

So maybe the real ctrl enthusiast move is admitting we don’t actually have control. That perfectionism is just self-sabotage in a cute outfit. That being messy, vulnerable, and unedited might just connect us more than being flawless ever could.

Because if SZA can let the whole world hear her insecurities and still be iconic, maybe I can leave my to-do list unchecked for a day. ..maybe