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Gloria (Kendrick Lamar and SZA song)

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"Gloria"
Song by Kendrick Lamar and SZA
from the album GNX
ReleasedNovember 22, 2024
Genre
Length4:47
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)

"Gloria" is a song by rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer-songwriter SZA. It is the closing track of Lamar's sixth studio album, GNX (2024). It was produced by Sounwave, Jack Antonoff and Dominik "Deats" Patrzek.

Background and release

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Rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer-songwriter SZA are known for their longstanding work relationship.[1][2][3] Their series of collaborations began in 2014 with SZA's "Babylon", a track from her third extended play Z.[4] The duo released four more songs together during the succeeding nine years.[a]

In October 2024, SZA posted on social media to suggest that a new studio album by Lamar was coming soon. It would be his sixth, following 2022's Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers.[6] The upcoming album was surprise-released next month on November 22. Titled GNX, it contains several collaborations with other musicians, including two songs with SZA.[7]

Composition

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Critics have noted the song bears similarities to "I Used to Love H.E.R." by Common[8][9][10] and "I Gave You Power" by Nas.[10][11] The song contains a sample of "Amarga Tristeza", written by Jorge Castañeda and performed by Combo Impacto,[12] while Mexican singer Deyra Barrera performs an interlude, bringing mariachi sounds to the track.[11][13] Over an instrumental composed of violin and strings,[14] Kendrick Lamar reflects on the complications of a relationship, claiming to have commitment issues[8] and been with his partner since adolescence.[15] SZA plays the role of the woman he loves.[14] Lamar gives the impression that he is referring to his wife Whitney Alford, but reveals in the end that he is discussing his relationship with his pen—which he has personified as a woman named Gloria—as an extended, detailed metaphor in an ode to writing music.[8][9][10][13][15][16][17]

Critical reception

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Michael Saponara of Billboard placed "Gloria" at number 8 in his ranking of the songs from GNX.[8] In a review of the album, Peter A. Berry of Variety regarded Kendrick Lamar as a "bit less successful" on the song, commenting that "announcing a song's central metaphor on the literal track in 2024 is a little less forgivable than when Nas did it in 1996. And yet, the chorus and Kendrick's conviction mostly sell it anyway, even if the LP could have closed on a more climactic crescendo."[11] Drew Gillis of The A.V. Club described the production as "absolutely gorgeous, one of a handful of tracks that nod to 1970s-style slow jams to great effect."[15]

Live performances

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Lamar and SZA debuted "Gloria" during the Minneapolis stop of their Grand National Tour, held in April 2025.[18] The duo performed it as the concert's final song. After they concluded the set, SZA and Lamar entered a GNX car parked atop the stage, descending beneath it while the lights dimmed.[19]

Charts

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Chart performance for "Gloria"
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[20] 51
Australia Hip Hop/R&B (ARIA)[21] 12
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[22] 40
Global 200 (Billboard)[23] 32
Lithuania (AGATA)[24] 45
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[25] 23
South Africa (Billboard)[26] 19
Sweden Heatseeker (Sverigetopplistan)[27] 5
US Billboard Hot 100[28] 27
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[29] 13

Notes

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  1. ^ "Easy Bake" (with Jay Rock), "Untitled 04 | 08.14.2014", "Doves in the Wind", and "All the Stars". This list does not include songs by Lamar that have hidden vocals from SZA.[5]

References

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  1. ^ Saponara, Michael (January 8, 2025). "Will SZA Ever Make a Joint Album With Kendrick Lamar? Here's What She Has to Say". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  2. ^ Jackson, Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez and Cheryl V. "Who is Kendrick Lamar? 5 things to know about the star of the Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  3. ^ "7 Collaborations Where Kendrick Lamar and SZA Make the Perfect Duo". BET. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  4. ^ Gawley, Paige (February 9, 2025). "Kendrick Lamar and SZA's 4 Best Collaborations". American Songwriter. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  5. ^ Trapp, Malcolm (February 9, 2025). "Every Kendrick Lamar and SZA Collaboration, Ranked from Worst to Best". Rap-Up. Archived from the original on March 30, 2025. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  6. ^ Singh, Surej (October 14, 2024). "SZA is teasing that a new Kendrick Lamar album is coming soon". NME. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  7. ^ Monroe, Jazz (November 22, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Releases New Album GNX: Listen and Read the Full Credits". Pitchfork. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
  8. ^ a b c d Saponara, Michael (November 22, 2024). "All 12 Songs From Kendrick Lamar's 'GNX' Album Ranked". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  9. ^ a b A., Aron (December 2, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar "GNX" Review". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Schonfeld, Zach (November 23, 2024). "The Mysterious Mariachi Star of Kendrick Lamar's GNX". Vulture. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  11. ^ a b c Berry, Peter (November 24, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar's GNX Is a Meticulous, Versatile, Hard-Hitting Masterpiece: Album Review". Variety. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  12. ^ Kendrick Lamar - GNX - Vinyl (Blue, LP, Album), 2025 [r33075429], February 7, 2025, retrieved April 25, 2025
  13. ^ a b McLean, Wesley (November 25, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar Is in Rarefied Air on the Triumphant GNX". Exclaim!. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  14. ^ a b Williams, Kyann-Sian (November 25, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar – GNX Review: Turning Hatred Into a Teachable Moment". NME. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  15. ^ a b c Gillis, Drew (November 27, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar throws a party, responsibly, on GNX". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  16. ^ Wood, Mikael (November 24, 2024). "For Kendrick Lamar, spite is an engine on the exhilarating 'GNX'". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  17. ^ Petridis, Alexis (November 25, 2024). "Kendrick Lamar: GNX Review – Stunning Surprise From a Rapper Determined to Be the Greatest". The Guardian. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  18. ^ Singh, Surej (April 21, 2025). "Here's Everything Kendrick Lamar and SZA Played to Kick Off Their North American 'Grand National' Tour". NME. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  19. ^ Lynch, Joe (April 20, 2025). "13 Best Moments from Kendrick Lamar & SZA's Grand National Tour Kickoff in Minneapolis". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2025.
  20. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 2 December 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1813. Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2024. p. 4.
  21. ^ "ARIA Top 40 Hip Hop/R&B Singles Chart". Australian Recording Industry Association. December 2, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  22. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  23. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  24. ^ "2024 48-os savaitės klausomiausi (Top 100)" (in Lithuanian). AGATA. December 7, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  25. ^ "Official Top 40 Singles". Recorded Music NZ. November 29, 2024. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  26. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (South Africa Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  27. ^ "Veckolista Heatseeker, vecka 48". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  28. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
  29. ^ "Kendrick Lamar Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved April 17, 2025.
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