@sza/Instagram
When Kendrick Lamar announced he was going to have a surprise during his 2025 Super Bowl performance, very few people bet that the special guests would include Samuel L. Jackson (in a custom Bode ensemble based on drawings of Uncle Sam from the 19th century!!) and dancing Serena Williams (regardless of outfit—though she did look amazing per usual).
The chances of him bringing out SZA, though? Truth be told, the odds were high. Which didn’t mean they didn’t pay out ever so nicely.
During the February 9 game, the 35-year-old appeared onstage with the rapper to sing their songs “Luther” and “All the Stars.” Though her cameo would’ve been warmly welcomed no matter what, SZA decided to mix things up by adding major length to her famous curls—alongside a new, warm burgundy hair color.
SZA's Super Bowl Burgundy Hair Color
This is red, but make no mistake: it’s not Chiefs red.
“We wanted to stay true to her signature big hair look while elevating it with extra length and some color to spice things up,” hairstylist Devante Turnbull explained in a press release.
Naturally, the color was crafted by first bleaching and then toning SZA’s dark locks. Along the way, Turnbull used K18 products to prioritize hair health. To prepare for chemical processing, he sprayed her famous curls with K18 Professional Molecular Repair Mist, letting it sit for four minutes and not rinsing it out.
After leaving the Redken Flash Lift 8 Hair Lightener bleach to process for 30 minutes (the goal was a level 6 dark blonde base), he rinsed and washed the lightened locks with K18 Peptide Prep Detox Shampoo. Next up was the color—a 1:1 ratio of Redken Color Fusion 6RR and 20 Volume Pro-Oxide Developer—which was left to process for 35 minutes before it was rinsed, toned with Redken Shades EQ 05RV AKA “Sangria,” and treated with a four-minute K18 Molecular Repair Mask for hydration and strength.
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SZA's Extra-Long Curls
When it came to styling, Turnbull blow-dried the R&B star’s hair with the ghd Helios Hair Dryer and Professional Diffuser attachment. To craft that SZA-specific texture, he alternated between two curling irons (ghd’s Curve Creative Curl Wand and Thin Wand), curling the hair in different directions to add even more dimension.
Obviously, maximizing volume was key. To do this, he separated and blended the curls with his fingers and brushed through them with a ghd Paddle Brush. Finally, he added some K18 Molecular Repair Hair Oil for shine.
SZA's Super Bowl Makeup
Then there was the makeup. Deanna Paley used a lineup of Charlotte Tilbury products to get the look, which she wanted to feel “timeless yet powerful.”
"We kept her signature elements—like the sultry cat eye, flawless sculpted skin, and a soft babydoll blush—to maintain her essence while ensuring she looked radiant under the stadium lights," the makeup artist explained. "The energy of the performance was electric, and the makeup had to enhance that without overpowering it. It was all about balance—polished, luminous, and effortlessly SZA.”
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Among the products used, Airbrush Flawless Setting Spray pulled its pop star-proof weight by allowing her glam to hold up under those bright, bright lights. Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara was responsible for those lush lashes and the Matte Beauty Blush Wand in Pillow Talk Dream Pop brought the babydoll glow. The lip combo was Lip Cheat in Love Trap and Hot Lips Lipstick in Liv It Up.
Who won the Super Bowl? I don't care! Ask me who slayed it, and I'll have a better answer.
