Doechii Says SZA’s ‘Ctrl’ Gave Her the Strength to Leave Her Ex

Sometimes, the right album hits at the right time—and for Doechii, that album was SZA’s Ctrl.

In a Cosmopolitan cover story published Monday (April 21), the rapper opened up about how listening to the project at age 18 gave her the strength to walk away from a relationship that was stifling her creativity. “I was dating a guy who just wasn’t very supportive of my music, and it really stifled me,” she told the publication. “I stopped writing because he was just like, ‘That’s not cool.’ I took his opinion way too seriously when really he just didn’t get it.”

Hearing Ctrl helped her realize she didn’t need to stay. “I remember listening to SZA’s Ctrl for the first time, and it literally gave me the courage to break up with him,” Doechii continued. “I only bring that up because she inspired me to be vulnerable through my music in a way that I didn’t think I could be.”

That turning point clearly paid off. Now, eight years later, Doechii has made history. She became just the third woman to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys, taking home the award in February for her breakout mixtape Alligator Bites Never Heal. Then in March, Billboard named her its 2025 Woman of the Year.

She’s also in a new relationship—this time, one that reflects who she is today. “My literal existence as a queer Black woman is a major contribution to the hip-hop genre,” she told Cosmo.

“I’m speaking truthfully from a queer Black woman’s perspective, and being honest about my life through my lens is amazing,” the Florida native added. “That perspective is being highlighted, and we need queer perspectives.”

In the same interview, the “Denial Is a River” artist also shared her admiration for another powerhouse in music: Beyoncé. “I relate to her efforts as a businesswoman and her leadership,” Doechii said. “She is the embodiment of an eloquent leader. I look up to the way that she handles her job, her fame, and her fans. She is the ultimate showgirl and professional artist.”