Jean Dawson appears in our Fall 2023 Issue with cover stars Scowl, Yves Tumor, Poppy, and Good Charlotte. Head to the AP Shop to grab a copy.
After teasing the track, Jean Dawson has unveiled his anticipated collaboration with SZA, “NO SZNS.” It starts off with an emotive sung portion, building to the rousing chorus and SZA’s feature.
Dawson co-produced the track with Austin Corona, Elliott Kozel, Jesse Schuster, Wyatt Bernar, and Zach Bernard, and it features trumpet from CJ Camerieri of yMusic. Speaking to Rolling Stone, he said, “I made this song like I’ve made the rest of my songs: The song poses a question, then answers that question upon completion. This song allowed me to ask myself what I’m afraid of in my own physical voice and what it is I have to say to anyone that deems my music worth listening to. I then answered that question with the nature of my desire to hide from myself to speak in riddles so my perspectives aren’t challenged. They are incomplete or incoherent expressions to allow me to be uncomfortably straightforward while subverting its own or my own implied profundity. The song itself is simple in my mind.”
Read more: SZA has always been alternative—you just weren’t listening
Dawson will support Lil Yachty on his Field Trip tour in Europe, and he also opens for Interpol in California in October. SZA recently appeared on songs with Drake and Justin Bieber, and she’s in the midst of a new round of SOS North American tour dates now.
See the video for “NO SZNS” below.