The featured song “Kill Bill” on SZA’s Grammy-winning 2022 album SOS captivates its audience with its haunting melody, raw emotion, and lyrical complexity. Written and produced by SZA, Carter Lang, and Rob Bisel, the song details a fictional- yet relatable- metamorphic journey of a scorned woman betrayed by the sight of her ex-boyfriend out with a new woman. As the song progresses, a hidden layer of vulnerability and emotional dependency are captured as the heartbroken speaker details her murderous fantasy and eventual killer act. Directly referencing Quentin Tarantino’s 2003 film Kill Bill, the singer-songwriter SZA’s melodious narrative song “Kill Bill” uses cinematic imagery and ironic juxtaposition to encapsulate the various stages of heartbreak …show more content…
Upon getting the sense that there is no future to this lost relationship, and by this man being out of her reach, the speaker begins her murderous endeavors: “You was at the farmer’s market with your perfect peach / Now I’m in the basement plannin’ home invasion / Now you layin’ face down, got me singin’ over a beat.” Additionally, the phrase “His new girlfriend’s next” creates a sense of impending action and doom, evoking the same tension and determination seen in Uma Thurman’s path to a vengeance. Besides imagery, SZA skillfully uses repetition to mark the escalating intensity of the speaker’s emotional state, as each “I might kill my ex” builds until it turns into the dramatic declaration of “I just killed my ex.” Furthermore, the bridge has repetition of the statement “I did it,” with the defense that the act was “all for love” and “all for us.” By also asserting that the act was committed sober reinforces the calculated, premeditated nature of her actions, allowing her to take control of the situation. Lastly, SZA’s speaker dramatizes the situation, as she not only would “Rather be in jail than alone”, but also, she’d “Rather be in hell than alone.” Overall, these devices portray the emotional unraveling of the speaker as she shifts from mere jealousy to a purposefully rageful state, …show more content…
Societal expectations of women, especially during times of stress and heartbreak, follow the belief that women should always remain composed and suppress any outward expressions of anger or vulnerability, a notion reflected in SZA’s soft, gentle tone. The speaker’s rage only dramatically escalates in action when she realizes that adhering to these social norms—rationalizing, keeping her emotions in check—fails to resolve her pain and get her boyfriend back, as she says, “I tried to ration with you, no murders or crime of passion, but damn.” In addition to mirroring traditional gender attributes, the contrast of serene melody with the murderous plot serves to mirror the headspace of the speaker. By employing this subdued voice, SZA conveys a sense of intention and acceptance, with the speaker fully aware of the consequences of her course of action. When the speaker declares, “If I can’t have you, no one will,” it becomes clear that, in her mind, killing her ex’s new relationship (and their lives) is the only path to closure and transfer control of the situation. Overall, this juxtaposition of sound with meaning allows insight into the conscience of the speaker, a composed, yet