Ghost in the Machine (song)

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This article is about the SZA song. For other songs of the same name, see Ghost in the Machine (disambiguation) § Songs.

"Ghost in the Machine"
Song by SZA featuring Phoebe Bridgers
from the album SOS
Written2022
ReleasedDecember 9, 2022 (2022-12-09)
Recorded2022
Genre
Length3:38
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Rob Bisel
  • Carter Lang
Lyric video
"Ghost in the Machine" on YouTube

"Ghost in the Machine" is a song by American singer-songwriter SZA from her second studio album, SOS (2022), featuring guest vocals by singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. It won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 66th ceremony.

Background[edit]

SZA released her debut studio album, Ctrl, in 2017. Primarily an R&B album that deals with themes like heartbreak, it received widespread acclaim for SZA's vocal performance, the musical style, as well as the songwriting. The album brought SZA to mainstream fame, and critics credit it with establishing her status as a major figure in contemporary pop and R&B music and pushing the boundaries of the R&B genre.[note 1]

From April to May 2022, SZA told media outlets that she had recently finished the album in Hawaii and said that it was coming soon.[7] Wanting to experiment with genres she had not yet incorporated in her discography, she envisioned it to be an amalgamation of various disparate musical styles: "a little bit of everything". While some tracks had an "aggressive" sound, certain others were balladic, soft, or heartfelt.[8] Apart from the "traditional" R&B that had been a staple of SZA's past works, the album also contained elements of "acoustic singer-songwriter" music.[1][9]

During the build-up to the album's release, SZA created a list of possible collaborators for the album. The roster included artists like Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Olivia Rodrigo, Doja Cat, Drake, and Kendrick Lamar.[10] Of the several more artists she contacted, only three people sent their verses: Don Toliver, Travis Scott, and Phoebe Bridgers.[11] Toliver and Scott appear in the tracks "Used" and "Open Arms",[note 2] respectively, while Bridgers contributed vocals for "Ghost in the Machine".[12][13] When interviewed for Rolling Stone in November 2022, Bridgers spoke highly of SZA; she recalled that the two musicians bonded over topics such as "astrology and anger and healthy boundaries", and praised her for her authenticity and songwriting capabilities.[14]

Music and production[edit]

Phoebe Bridgers performing in Minneapolis (2021)
SZA performing in Ctrl the Tour (2017–2018)
Phoebe Bridgers (left) collaborated with SZA for "Ghost in the Machine".

Having been categorized as an R&B artist throughout her career, which she believed was because she was a Black woman,[15] SZA sought to prove her musical versatility and combine the R&B sound that had been a staple of her past works[16][17] with a diverse set of other genres and soundscapes.[18] "Super alternative and strange" was how she described "Ghost in the Machine",[19] and she told Hot 97's Nessa that it was not "going to sound like how people think it's gonna sound".[20]

"Ghost in the Machine" is a midtempo ballad,[21] featuring a stringed and simple[22] electronic production.[23] SZA's voice, as described by Ken Tucker for NPR Music, "snake[s] in and around the melody" and "bends and breaks with hopelessness".[24] She harmonizes her vocals with Bridgers' to match each other's vocal timbres,[22][25] and they deliver their verses breathily.[26][27] Critics described the song as an intersection between SZA's R&B style and Bridgers' alternative, indie pop style;[28][29] NPR Music directly called the song indie pop.[30] Shaad D'Souza of The Saturday Paper described the song as "quietly haunting", "wide-eyed", and "ultraliteral".[31]

The making of "Ghost in the Machine" began in 2022 with a drum loop by Matt Cohn, credited as an additional producer in the liner notes, followed by piano and keyboard notes from Rob Bisel. Joined by Carter Lang, Bisel worked on improving and overhauling the tracks before showing the demo for SZA, a few days after recording another SOS track, "Blind". At the middle of the demo was an open instrumental section, where Bisel thought singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers would fit, so he suggested a feature from her to SZA, to which SZA agreed.[32]

While Bisel was trying to make the feature happen through his publisher,[32] SZA personally contacted Bridgers through online messages in their first interaction together.[33] The turnaround time for completing "Ghost in the Machine" was fast.[34] Bridgers came to the studio for sessions a week or two after being asked to feature,[32] recording her vocals a week before the album's scheduled release.[35] She at first wanted to provide background harmonies only, but she received encouragement from Bisel and the others to record a full verse. They liked her first take and kept it for the final song, almost identical except for some cut-out parts.[32]

Lyrics[edit]

Similar to other SOS tracks like "Snooze" and "Kill Bill", writing "Ghost in the Machine" was a spontaneous feat; it took SZA 20 to 30 minutes to write her verses.[32] The lyrics are written in a conversational style[36] and primarily explores feelings of disillusionment, which come in part from experiencing excessive negativity on the Internet.[37] SZA told Alternative Press that she was motivated to write the song out of exhaustion around the constant fighting between people on Internet spaces such as Instagram over morality, which she believed was at the expense of meaningful connections: "I feel like there's so much debate about what's good, what's bad, what's this, what's that?"[36]

"Ghost in the Machine" explores SZA's contempt for the music industry "machine" she finds herself in.[38] She feels almost controlled and manipulated by external forces. She looks towards her partner to offer her an escape from her situation, even if it is just temporary. The song discusses the impact of technology and the superficiality of modern society. The lyrics revolve around the loss of authentic connections. Several lines speak on the disconnection of modern relationships calling out self-centeredness and lack of empathy. It also suggests her frustration with the pressure that is associated with fame. SZA illuminates love and compassion as the fundamentals of society in her song. "Ghost in the Machine" challenges listeners to embrace their humanity and find consolation in meaningful, authentic interactions.[39]

Bridgers's verse begins with the lyric, "You said all my friends are on my payroll/You're not wrong, you're an asshole", which Alexis Petridis of The Guardian wrote was evocative of "tension clearly compounded by fame and success".[40] Angie Martoccio of Rolling Stone connected the lyric to a statement from Bridgers about eliminating negativity in her circles by "hir[ing her] best friends" as part of her crew.[14] A few lines from Bridgers's verse allude to an argument; the line "On my own in an airport bar or hotel lobby" fueled rumors that she had broken up with her then-boyfriend, the Irish actor Paul Mescal.[41]

Release[edit]

During a Billboard cover story published in November 2022, SZA revealed the album title, as well as the release date which was scheduled sometime the following month.[42] She posted the album's track list on Twitter on December 5, 2022, and SOS was released four days later. Out of 23 songs, "Ghost in the Machine" appears as the 12th track.[43][44] It peaked at number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100,[45] becoming Bridgers' first top 40 song in the United States,[46] and appeared on the national charts in Canada, Australia, and Portugal.[note 3] On the Billboard Global 200, the song peaked at number 52.[47]

"Ghost in the Machine" had its live performance debut on March 4, 2023, at the Madison Square Garden in New York City as part of a North American tour in support of SOS. Bridgers appeared as the concert's surprise guest, who joined SZA in performing her verse.[48][49]

Critical reception[edit]

Critics primarily focused on whether SZA and Bridgers fitted together on the song, and many praised their efforts as successful despite their different musical styles.[50][51] Time's Andrew R. Chow wrote that "Ghost in the Machine" was the best collaboration on SOS, reasoning that the feature was bound to work because the two musicians' discographies overlap significantly in terms of subject matter, which prevented an "awkward" genre crossover for Bridgers: "it has often felt like the two of them are anxious, horny Spider-Men pointing at each other from across the genre-verse."[29] The Saturday Paper praised the collaboration as a "smart match".[31] Others commented that the sound, while unexpected in the context of the album, was nonetheless cohesive and polished.[52][53]

There were some critics less appreciative of the album's themes and guest feature. Rolling Stone's Will Dukes considered the exploration of artificial intelligence a contrived effort akin to a "Black Mirror trope about the AI Art Generator". CJ Thorpe-Tracey for The Quietus felt that Bridgers appeared only to give SZA a "magic indie countercultural 'good for business' aura", adding that his annoyance was compounded by how she had had too many guest appearances on others' albums within the same year.[54]

The most nominated artist at the 2024 Grammy Awards, SZA received nine nominations for her work on SOS and its tracks, including "Ghost in the Machine".[55] The song won the Best Pop Duo/Group Performance award, marking Bridgers' first Grammys win.[note 4][57]

Credits[edit]

Recording and management

Personnel

  • Solána Rowe (SZA) – songwriting
  • Rob Bisel – songwriting, production, keyboards, drums, piano, choir, engineering, mixing
  • Carter Lang – songwriting, production, keyboards, drums, piano, choir
  • Matt Cohn – songwriting, additional production, drums
  • Marshall Vore – songwriting
  • Phoebe Bridgers[a] – songwriting
  • Sadhguru – skit
  • Hayden Duncan – assistant engineering
  • Syd Tagle – assistant engineering
  • Robert N. Johnson – assistant engineering
  • Tony Berg – vocal production (for Bridgers)
  • Ethan Gruska – vocal production (for Bridgers)
  • Will Maclellan – vocal engineering (for Bridgers)
  • Dale Becker – mastering
  • Katie Harvey – assistant mastering
  • Noah McCorkle – assistant mastering

Note

  1. ^ Appears courtesy of Dead Oceans

Charts[edit]

Weekly charts[edit]

Weekly chart performance for "Ghost in the Machine"
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[58] 72
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[59] 51
Global 200 (Billboard)[47] 67
Portugal (AFP)[60] 121
UK Audio Streaming (OCC)[61] 96
US Billboard Hot 100[45] 40
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[62] 24

Year-end charts[edit]

Year-end chart performance for "Ghost in the Machine"
Chart (2023) Position
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[63] 65

Certifications[edit]

Certifications for "Ghost in the Machine"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[64] Gold 20,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[65] Platinum 80,000‡
United States (RIAA)[66] Platinum 1,000,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Cited to Vulture,[2] The Line of Best Fit,[3] NME,[4] The Daily Telegraph,[5] and Consequence.[6]
  2. ^ Also in "Low" as background vocals
  3. ^ See the charts section for the exact peaks.
  4. ^ As a member of Boygenius, Bridgers additionally won Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance for "Not Strong Enough" and Best Alternative Music Album for The Record.[56]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Phan, Karena (December 9, 2022). "Review: SZA's Perfection Takes Time in Second Album SOS". Associated Press. Archived from the original on December 28, 2022. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
  2. ^ Curto, Justin (December 9, 2022). "SZA Finally Unleashed Her Inner Rock Star". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  3. ^ Taylor, Ims (December 9, 2022). "SZA Hits the Heights on the Dense but Masterful SOS". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  4. ^ Daly, Rhian (December 9, 2022). "SZA – SOS Review: A Comeback Album Well Worth the Wait". NME. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2022.
  5. ^ McCormick, Neil; Haider, Arwa; Johnston, Kathleen (December 9, 2022). "Sam Ryder Is No One-Hit Wonder, SZA Channels Princess Diana – The Week's Best Albums". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on December 17, 2022. Retrieved December 29, 2022.
  6. ^ Siregar, Cady (December 9, 2022). "On SOS, SZA Once Again Blows Expectations Out of the Water". Consequence. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved January 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Kenneally, Cerys (April 4, 2022). "SZA Says New Album Is 'Finished' and Describes It as Her 'Most Unisex' Project Yet". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  8. ^ Blake, Cole (October 16, 2022). "SZA Confirms 'Shirt' Music Video Is on the Way: 'It's Turned In'". HotNewHipHop. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
  9. ^ Wang, Steffanee (December 10, 2022). "SZA's SOS in 5 Essential Songs". Nylon. Archived from the original on December 15, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  10. ^ Shutler, Ali (December 17, 2022). "SZA's SOS Could Have Featured Harry Styles, Billie Eilish and More". NME. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  11. ^ Paul, Larisha (December 7, 2022). "SZA Says New Album S.O.S. Almost Featured More Artist Collaborations — But They Ghosted Her". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on February 8, 2023. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
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  13. ^ Jenkins, Craig (December 12, 2022). "SZA Wants It All". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
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  17. ^ McNeal, Bria (December 9, 2022). "SZA's SOS Is Unpolished—and Completely Thrilling". Esquire. Archived from the original on December 11, 2022. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
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  20. ^ Rowe, Solána (December 7, 2022). "SZA on New Album SOS, Being Pissed & What Makes Her Not Want to Put Out Music Again". WQHT (Interview). Interviewed by Nessa. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
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  23. ^ Pareles, Jon; Zoladz, Lindsay (December 9, 2022). "SZA and Phoebe Bridgers's Team-Up, and 8 More New Songs". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
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  25. ^ Shepherd, Julianne Escobedo. "SZA: SOS". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  26. ^ Dazed (December 9, 2022). "4 albums to stream this week". Dazed. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  27. ^ Frank, Jason P. (December 9, 2022). "SZA Lights Up and Spits Fire in 'Smoking on My Ex Pack'". Vulture. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  28. ^ Hopper, Alex (December 17, 2022). "Phoebe Bridgers Says She Recorded Her SZA Feature a Week Before it Came Out—"That Record is Insane"". American Songwriter. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  29. ^ a b Chow, Andrew R.; Mendez II, Moises (December 9, 2022). "Was SZA's SOS Worth the Wait? Breaking Down Its Best Songs and Big Themes". Time. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  30. ^ Madden, Sidney (December 5, 2023). "The 50 Best Albums of 2023". NPR Music. Archived from the original on April 29, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  31. ^ a b D'Souza, Shaad (December 23, 2023). "Best music: sending an SOS to mainstream, big-budget pop". The Saturday Paper. Schwartz Publishing. Archived from the original on December 24, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  32. ^ a b c d e Hiatt, Brian (January 29, 2023). "The Making of SZA's SOS". Rolling Stone Music Now (Podcast). Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  33. ^ "SZA Says Phoebe Bridgers Collab Came After Connecting Over DMs: 'She Was Cool as F---'". Peoplemag. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  34. ^ Aniftos, Rania (December 16, 2022). "Phoebe Bridgers Reveals How SZA Collaboration Came About: 'It All Happened So Fast'". Billboard. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  35. ^ Wilkes, Emma (December 16, 2022). "Phoebe Bridgers on SZA collab: "That record is insane"". NME. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  36. ^ a b Gore, Sydney (February 27, 2023). "SZA Has Always Been Alternative—You Just Weren't Listening". Alternative Press. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
  37. ^ Jenkins, Craig (December 12, 2022). "SZA Wants It All". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 27, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  38. ^ Willets, Melissa (December 10, 2022). ""Ghost In The Machine" by SZA: The Meaning Behind the Song Broken Down". Distractify. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  39. ^ Galindo, Thomas (November 18, 2023). "The Meaning Behind SZA and Phoebe Bridgers' Grammy-Nominated "Ghost in the Machine"". American Songwriter. Retrieved May 2, 2024.
  40. ^ Petridis, Alexis (December 9, 2022). "SZA: SOS Review – R&B Innovator's Long-Awaited Return Is an Eclectic Sprawl". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 31, 2022.
  41. ^ DeSantis, Rachel (December 21, 2022). "Is Phoebe Bridgers' 'On My Own' Lyric in Her SZA Collab Hinting at Paul Mescal Breakup?". People. Dotdash Meredith. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  42. ^ Serrano, Athena (November 16, 2022). "SZA Is 'Currently Stressed' About Releasing New Album S.O.S.". MTV News. Archived from the original on December 29, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2022.
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  45. ^ a b "SZA Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  46. ^ Zellner, Xander (December 20, 2022). "SZA Debuts 20 Songs from SOS on Hot 100, Rules Artist 100 for First Time". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 21, 2022. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  47. ^ a b "SZA Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  48. ^ Legaspi, Althea (March 5, 2023). "Watch Phoebe Bridgers, Cardi B Join SZA for Madison Square Garden Performance". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on March 5, 2023. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
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  50. ^ Empire, Kitty (December 11, 2022). "SZA: SOS Review – a Surfeit of Ideas, Guests and Producers from a Master of Her Craft". The Observer. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  51. ^ Ontong, Joel (December 21, 2022). "SZA's SOS Is a Confident and Triumphant Return". News24. Archived from the original on April 23, 2024. Retrieved February 5, 2023.
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  53. ^ Raible, Allan (December 28, 2022). "Review: 50 best albums of 2022". Good Morning America. ABC News. Archived from the original on April 28, 2024. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  54. ^ Thorpe-Tracey, CJ (December 15, 2022). "SZA: SOS". The Quietus. Archived from the original on December 30, 2022. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  55. ^ Lindert, Hattie (February 4, 2024). "SZA and Phoebe Bridgers Win Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for "Ghost in the Machine" at 2024 Grammys". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  56. ^ Lindert, Hattie (February 4, 2024). "Boygenius Win Best Rock Song for "Not Strong Enough" at 2024 Grammys". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on February 22, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
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  58. ^ "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 19 December 2022". The ARIA Report. No. 1711. Australian Recording Industry Association. December 19, 2022. p. 4.
  59. ^ "SZA Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  60. ^ "SZA feat. Phoebe Bridgers – Ghost in the Machine". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
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  62. ^ "SZA Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  63. ^ "Year-End Charts – Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs 2023". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
  64. ^ "Brazilian single certifications – SZA – Ghost in the Machine feat. Phoebe Bridgers" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved April 26, 2024.
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  66. ^ "American single certifications – SZA – Ghost in the Machine feat. Phoebe Bridgers". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved February 20, 2024.
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