Sza will receive the Hal David Starlight Award
The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced that Sza will be the 2024 recipient of the eminent Hal David Starlight Award at the 53rd Annual Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Dinner slated for Thursday, June 13th at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City.
The Hal David Starlight Award, created in 2004, was named in honor of SHOF Chairman Emeritus Hal David, for his longtime support of young songwriters. Award recipients are gifted young songwriters who are making a significant impact in the music industry with their original songs. Sza joins the distinguished company of Post Malone, Lil Nas X, Halsey, Sara Bareilles, Ed Sheeran, Nick Jonas, Nate Ruess, Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds, Taylor Swift, John Legend, Alicia Keys, Ne-Yo, Drake, Benny Blanco, Jason Mraz, John Mayer, Rob Thomas, and John Rzeznik.
“This is such an exciting time for songwriters and music,” SHOF Chairman Nile Rodgers shares. “Phenomenal artists like Beyonce and Taylor Swift are pushing the envelope of what success looks like but who could argue that the last two years belong to Sza. Incredible songwriting, incredible performances, incredible artistry. She so deserves to be the 2024 recipient of the Hal David Starlight Award!”
Born in St. Louis and raised in Maplewood, New Jersey, genre-defying, and four-time Grammy Award-winning recording artist Sza released her long-awaited sophomore album SOS via Top Dawg Entertainment/RCA Records on December 9, 2022, which earned RIAA gold certification upon release. Instantly and universally met with acclaim, SOS debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and remained in the top spot for ten non-consecutive weeks. Amassing over 400 million streams in the US during release week, SOS became Sza’s first No. 1 on the Billboard 200 (the second largest streaming week for a female artist and third largest of 2022 among all albums at the time), and dominated worldwide charts with No. 1 debuts in Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, and more. While SOS also debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top R&B Albums and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, several tracks dominated song charts and playlists across digital service providers, with standout track “Kill Bill” earning Sza her first No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and Global 200 charts.
Currently RIAA-certified three-time platinum, SOS includes features by Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Phoebe Bridgers and Ol’ Dirty Bastard; with production by Ctrl hitmaking collaborators ThankGod4Cody and Carter Lang, alongside Jeff Bhasker, Rob Bisel, Benny Blanco, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds, Emile Haynie, Rodney “Darkchild” Jerkins, Jay Versace, and more.
The launch of SOS fostered a series of new achievements for the dynamic global icon. Sza peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Artist 100 chart as the most popular artist across all musical genres and No. 1 on the Hot 100 Songwriters chart. SOS broke the record for the most weeks at No. 1 by a woman on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums chart, and the first R&B album to spend ten non-consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 this century. SOS yielded four No. 1 hits at both Rhythm and Urban Mainstream radio – “Snooze,” “Kill Bill,” “Shirt,” and “I Hate U.” Sza closed out 2023 as the most Grammy-nominated artist of the year and edged out the competition by winning Best Progressive R&B Album, Best Pop Duo/Group Performance – “Ghost in the Machine,” and Best R&B Song – “Snooze.”
Inductees at this year’s event include Hillary Lindsey, Timothy Mosley p/k/a Timbaland, Dean Pitchford, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe professionally known as R.E.M., & Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, professionally known as Steely Dan. Master songwriter Diane Warren will be receiving the prestigious Johnny Mercer Award.
