Behind the Fan: @szaforyou 👼

Written by: Lucy Widmann

This week on Behind the Fan, we had the pleasure of talking with 17-year-old Joseph from Portugal, who runs a fan account for SZA fans! The account, @szaforyou, has created a space for fans all over the world to share their love for her and her music! The R&B singer SZA has transformed the way R&B music is made, with 9 Grammy nominations under her belt and hit singles such as “All The Stars,” “Love Galore,” and “Good Days.” Let’s get into the behind the scenes of Joseph’s account @szaforyou! ❤️‍🔥

It was 2017 when Joseph first heard of SZA from her song “Love Galore,” but he became a fan in 2018 when he heard the song “Normal Girl” for the first time. Because of Joseph’s sister putting her music on YouTube to listen to, it was then when he really started to fall in love with her and her songs. “The way she sings, the voice, the lyrics, everything makes her very special. I can feel the lyrics of the songs, the stories behind each track. I love her.” We 100% agree! The way SZA carries emotion in all her songs is incredible! 🤗

With “Normal Girl” still being one of Joseph’s favorite songs of SZA’s, he also said “Good Days” would be high on the list as well! Joseph explains that those two songs mean the most to him and that as a LGBTQ+ person, he feels connected to the lyrics. “I still believe in good days!” We admire this positive spirit of Joseph’s and feel the same! Staying positive and seeing the good in each day is better time spent than seeing all the negative. 🥺

As for a favorite video, Joseph said it would DEFINITELY be “Hit Different x Good Days (Acoustic Version).” From her vocals, to the entire vibe of the video, we love this mashup of SZA’s too! 💫

Though Joseph hasn’t met or seen SZA in concert, he does have some super cool stories to share about some encounters online! One in particular that he shared was when SZA liked and reposted one of his first posts! Joseph describes how he was in his room and went to grab his phone when the notification popped up! Just like Joseph, it would have been an out of body experience if that happened to us! 🤩

In asking about some highlights of running a fan account, Joseph described how all the love from everyone is his favorite part. “Seeing people say they love my content, my account, and all the friends I'm making, it makes me happy. I am very grateful.” This is so true! Making friends within fandom communities is like an automatic family. The people you come across have the same interests as you do, which makes it so easy to connect and feel known. 🥰

This leads perfectly into what Joseph describes as another favorite part about running his account: the connection he has with his followers! People from all over the world, young and old, from different cultures, backgrounds, and identities are commenting, liking, and interacting with the stories Joseph posts! How crazy is that?! The energy that comes from it is intoxicating, which drives Joseph to continue to make his account as amazing as it can be! 🌟

In wrapping up our time together, we asked Joseph if he could send a message to SZA, what would it be? This is what he had to say: “Thank you for showing your art to the world and being an inspiration to so many people. I wouldn't be the same person if you weren't here. Come to Portugal, so we can meet one day. Love you queen!” 💖

Thank you so much @szaforyou, a.k.a Joseph, for giving us the inside scoop about running a fan account. It is so cool to see how fans all across the globe are coming together to show their love for SZA! Make sure you follow @szaforyou, and let us know your favorite SZA song! 🖤

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