Torch songs convey everything from the illicit joy shared during a one-night stand (Shirley Murdock’s “As We Lay”) to the deep-seated anguish of being a “not quite” jilted bride (Vesta Williams’ “Congratulations”). With the capacious “Hit Different,” SZA has finally made her bones, joining the venerable company of these and other Black women singers who’ve explored the many facets of a love gone wrong.

After recovering from vocal cord injuries and dealing with label delays, SZA returns to us, confident and empowered, armed with her signature flourishes of jazz cadence. Featuring a hook by Ty Dolla $ign with production from the Neptunes, “Hit Different” marks the platinum-selling artist’s first new single since her studio debut, 2017’s CTRL. To commemorate this, SZA sat in the director’s chair for the first time to create the accompanying music video. Her synchronized movements, alongside her equally suggestive backup dancers, call to mind “Rock the Boat,” the final music video Aaliyah filmed before her fatal plane crash.

Unlike Aaliyah’s ode to sexual assertiveness, SZA’s song slyly captures the varying stages of tainted love. Thoroughly mindful of the consequences, she justifies the tryst as a “necessity” in her life, indulging it with eyes wide open: “Man, I get more in love with you each argument/Somethin’ wrong with me, I like the way you screw your face up/Trigger me right when I need it.” Her artful video direction brings out the inherent duality of the message: At one turn, SZA comes across as emboldened by her sexuality, and juxtaposed shots of a barn and a junkyard suggest beauty, strength, and resilience. But soon, flashes of a blood-drenched SZA warn onlookers—and perhaps even herself—to proceed with caution in this bad romance.