SZA may not have come away with Grammys at Sunday’s showcase, but she’s a champion in her own right, just by virtue of being self-confident as a Black woman. SZA recently did a Mastercard-sponsored documentary entitled Can’t Judge A Book about her journey to this point not just as a singer-songwriter, but as a person who is comfortable in their own skin. “Self-acceptance usually comes when you’re fed up with trying to be somebody else,” SZA says after recalling the childhood torment she got for her features – the same features that made her a stunning cover girl for Rihanna’s cosmetics line.
The documentary shows her in a space with six other artists who’ve had to overcome visual stigmas and preconceived notions. From garage band Radkey, who have to deal with people thinking they’re a rap act, to rapper of Asian descent Ruby Ibarra and gifted guitarist Noe Socha, who happens to be blind, each artist had a remarkable story. The artists collaborated together in New York, and we see what happens when SZA unexpectedly pops in on them while they’re recording.
Not only did Mastercard capture the recording process, they crafted a full music video for the “Can’t Judge A Book” single.
