They Just Killed Their Ex: SZA and Doja Cat Collab for a New Version of “Kill Bill”

By Zoe Elerby

Record-breaking artist SZA has just released a new version of her chart-topping “Kill Bill,” adding another version of the track to the ever-growing roster. Just a few months ago, the artist released three different versions of the song, one with instrumentals only, a sped-up version, and a haunting acoustic version. The track has peaked at #1 on the Billboard Global 200 chart and accompanied by the cinematic music video directed by the famous Christian Breslauer, has 55 million views.

It currently sits at the #4 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. Remaining one of the most notorious Black female artists, SZA has released a new version of “Kill Bill” in collaboration with another one of Hip Hop’s female powerhouses, Doja Cat.

This isn’t the first time these two powerhouses have collaborated. Their Grammy-winning duet “Kiss Me More” is still heard on the radio and viral TikTok videos. Doja Cat has been known for her catchy rhythms and clever lyrics, making her clips of her music popular sounds on TikTok. From “Say So” to the first SZA collaboration “Kiss Me More,” Doja Cat has been found everywhere in the past several years. SZA has also had her fair share of popularity on TikTok, especially since releasing her sophomore album SOS in December.

The collaborative version of “Kill Bill” keeps the track as episodic as the original. Greeted by the notorious, haunting sound that begins the song, we are quickly introduced to Doja Cat’s verses.

“Yeah, I love you / I’m in a funk so I bought a bouquet of roses and cut ‘em up at your doorstep / Your new neighborhood is gorgeous / I paid a lotta money for the fragrances you wore when we were dating and I sold some lemonade just to afford them.”

Doja Cat’s lyrics feel more like an epilogue to the rest of the song. In the original version, we know that the main vocalist was wronged by her ex but it doesn’t go into much detail unless you watch the music video. With Doja’s verses, we get more of a sense of how the relationship was and what she did for him. The way Doja Cat raps during her verse while the evocative music plays behind her, it gives a very clear image of what our main “character” is going through during the duration of the song. Watching the music video gives even more insight on how the story unfolds.

“I know it’s not a really good occasion to be bargin’ in / I couldn’t help but watch you kiss her by the kitchen sink / I swung the door open, tippy-toed farther in. I wasn’t cryin’, I was starin’ and forgot to blink.”

The vocalist feels a lot of pain after how the relationship ended – to the point where she can’t even cry anymore. There is a quiet rage in Doja Cat’s lyrics which is a wonderful build-up to an already tense song.

“It all happened in a flash when she charged at me / Y’all crisscrossed, saw her fall to the floor then you paused there in horror, that shot wasn’t for her / I might (was it?).”

The song then transitions into the chorus and the last half of the song. SZA and Doja Cat both sing in a melodic collaboration, the artist’s beautiful voices with the haunting lyrics create a unique experience with the famous track. With Doja Cat’s accompanying lyrics, the story of “Kill Bill” is even clearer than before. This version of the track will definitely keep “Kill Bill” on the Billboard charts.

You can listen to “Kill Bill” ft. Doja Cat on all digital streaming platforms and below.

Links:

SZA:

Official: https://www.szasos.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sza
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sza
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sza/

They Just Killed Their Ex: SZA and Doja Cat Collab for a New Version of “Kill Bill”