'It's outright stealing': Internet outraged as SZA threatens legal action against music leak

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Grammy-winning R&B songstress SZA sent shockwaves through music circles lately with explosive, all-caps threats of legal action over leaked unfinished songs.

Still riding high off her record-smashing comeback album 'SOS', the singer vowed to use 'maximum energy' holding all thieves of her unreleased music 'accountable to the full extent of the law', as reported by Daily Mail.

SZA threatens legal action after unfinished songs leak online

Emerging R&B sensation SZA made headlines this weekend after threatening legal action against those leaking her unfinished music online without permission. In an angry social media rant, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter said she was 'tired' of thieves stealing her unreleased songs, calling it 'my job' and 'my intellectual property'.

“Leaking my music is stealing. This is my job. This is my life and my intellectual property,” SZA wrote in all-caps on X ( formerly Twitter) on Saturday, January 6. “You are a f***ing thief and I promise to put maximum energy into holding everyone accountable to the full extent of the law.”

The strongly-worded statement comes as the 33-year-old continues to deal with leaks of her highly-anticipated new music. “When people leak my songs, they ruin them. Then it's not mine anymore; it's actually yours,” the Missouri-born musician told Variety in November of 2023.

According to SZA, having unfinished demos leaked prematurely leaves her 'embarrassed' and sends her into a “weird space creatively.” The leaks, which are often intended to pressure artists into officially releasing new music, sometimes have the opposite effect on SZA.

“F*** you. Now I'm not releasing it,” she said in the recent Variety interview. “Play your leak, but you're not gonna bully me into dropping music."

Success of SZA's 'SOS' album lands her in prime position for Grammy Awards

The fiery statement from SZA follows the recent massive success of her comeback album, 'SOS,' which was released in December of 2022 and marked her first full-length project in over five years.

'SOS' debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart and has so far spent a remarkable 10 non-consecutive weeks atop the tally. It’s already the longest-running #1 album by a female artist in a decade and has propelled her smash hit 'Kill Bill' into the top 10 on the Hot 100.

The runaway success lands SZA in prime position coming into next month’s Grammy Awards. She’s up for a leading nine nominations, including the top prizes: Album of the Year and Record of the Year.

Internet reacts to SZA's firm stance against leaks of unfinished music online

As news of SZA's firm stance against music leaks circulated, the online community erupted with a chorus of reactions. One X commenter lamented, "Yeah, we're never getting Lana." Another user's fiery demand echoed, "Whoever is responsible for this, I need you to meet me outside RIGHT NOW."

In a call for action, a user expressed readiness to take legal steps, asserting, "I'm legal team ready, let's sue all those music leakers! No more delays, please!" Meanwhile, someone empathetically acknowledged the broader impact, noting, "Leaks can disrupt the entire creative process. Hoping for a smoother journey ahead."

Amidst the outcry, a commenter bluntly pointed out, "Yea, not so cool. It's outright stealing." Lastly, a user delved deeper into the emotional toll on SZA, emphasizing, "This is so unfair. She really wanted to release LANA to give to her fans. This is going to spiritually and emotionally affect her."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.