“Taking this as a hint for the new album”- Fan speculations run a muck following SZA’s appearance in a bug prosthetics on ‘Hot Ones’ episode

SZA teases new music with a whimsical twist in her "Hot Ones" appearance. (Image via X/@sza)
SZA teases new music with a whimsical twist in her "Hot Ones" appearance. (Image via X/@sza)

First We Feast took to YouTube to share a teaser of the upcoming episode of Hot Ones with SZA. In the episode, slated to come out on Thursday, September 26, SZA can be seen clad in some huge bug eyes and antennas, looking alien-like with the prosthetics. The look appears to reference her highly anticipated album, Lana.

In the video, the host, Sean, can be heard asking SZA if they "should even acknowledge the prosthetics,” to which she said,

“Yeah, for no other reason than I’m just tired of being… not a bug.”

The internet was amused. Many took to X to point out the prosthetics, speculating that the upcoming album is perhaps imminent. "I’m taking this as a hint for the new album," one user said.

Several others had a lot to say, as many were teeming with excitement and confusion alike at her appearance.

"stop bug shaming," one user joked.
"Lmaoo, feel the same on a Thursday night and whip out my prosthetics," another user noted.
"doing every side quest possible to not get in that damn studio," another user claimed.

However, several others speculated that she might have gone under the knife instead, and this was all a ruse to cover it up.

"Way to hide the surgery scars until they heal," one user noted.
"trying to hide her surgeries," another user speculated.
"I love how everyone takes the "crazy artist" route when they don't wanna put extra work on their career," someone dished out.

SZA teases her upcoming album with similar prosthetics

For the rest of the clip, the two touched on her music, her history as a competitive gymnast, and her way of unwinding at a trampoline park. Sean also probed about her methods of creating an album. He asked,

"I know that you use freestyling as an entry point to crafting lyrics, like if you’re going into a song without a concept in mind, how do you create the cohesion of an album?”

Sza replied, saying,

“I’ll ask my engineer, I’ll be like, ‘Well that was crazy?’, and he’ll be like, ‘Kill your ex. Let it happen.’”

According to Vulture, SZA's new album, Lana, follows her album SOS, which was critically acclaimed. She dropped her hot single in February, Saturn. In the past, the singer has teased fans with similar bug-alien-looking appearances on Instagram, with one being a teaser clip for her new song, Storytime. The caption reads:

“I know you told stories about me[,] most of them awful[, a]ll of them true. Here’s some for [yo]u.”

In March 2024, SZA's upcoming album, Lana, became the target of a leak. She took to X to reveal that three songs had been dropped prematurely and expressed her frustrations. She also revealed that she would be scrapping the album and starting it "from scratch."

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Edited by Priscillah Mueni