SZA on How Yoga and Meditative Experiences in India Have Influenced Her Creative Process
In a recent interview with i-D, SZA dissected her journey toward spirituality and mindfulness in India.
SZA onstage during the 66th GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 4, 2024 in Los Angeles, CA. JOHN SHEARER/GETTY IMAGES FOR THE RECORDING ACADEMY
Recently, SOS hitmaker SZA was plastered across Indian media after her viral “Can I get a Shiva Shambu?” holler made waves at the Isha Yoga Center’s Mahashivratri celebrations in February. The singer-songwriter and rapper was spotted performing alongside her mother in a yellow saree during the annual event hosted by Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru at the Isha Foundation, a spirituality and holistic wellness centre based in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.
Over the years, the “All the Stars” singer has been documenting how yoga became a spiritual anchor for all her creative endeavours.
In a recent interview with i-D magazine, the multi-hyphenate traced her yogic beginnings back to a vacation in Bali in 2025, where she was first introduced to meditation as a lifelong discipline. Here, she met a lady who told her that “If you don’t learn to control your emotions, you’re gonna go to jail and you’re gonna lose everything,” according to i-D.
Since then, the artist has been experimenting with various techniques and practices to truly understand control, release, and freedom. This was also when she came across the ashrams of India, and headed to a silent retreat at Isha Foundation right before her 2025 Super Bowl performance. “It made me realise I’ve really got to get in control of myself, and be the fully-realised version of myself. I can’t hide forever off stupid insecurities,” she added.
Working her way through past ruminations, injuries, and milestones, the Grammy-winning musician emphasized how techniques like breathwork allowed her to clear emotional blockages, which in turn helped her embrace the art of letting go. “I used to really make fun of girls that were into the woo-woo and the crystals—and here I am,” she mentioned. Even when a severe case of herniated C5 and C6 spinal segments rendered her helplessly bedridden, she arrived at the ashram once again for a 30-day yoga treatment.
The singer has also encouraged her family to embrace these practices. In January 2025, she shared snippets from her trip to the Isha Yoga Center with her mother, where they attended the Samyama retreat, an eight-day intensive residential program where participants are prohibited from using any devices and observe vows of silence, as well as take part in prolonged meditation sessions.
