SZA, the acclaimed 35-year-old singer and five-time Grammy winner, made a memorable appearance on the beloved children’s program Sesame Street on April 10, 2024. SZA, awarded for her chart-topping single “Scorsese Baby Daddy,” collaborated with iconic characters Elmo, Abby Cadabby, and Gabrielle. Together, they played a very moving tribute of thankfulness and remembrance with music and creativity.
During her segment, SZA shared a fun new mental health tool—her gratitude jar. To go along with this jar, encourage others to fill it with written words or drawings of the things that they’re thankful for. She emphasized its importance by stating, “A gratitude jar is a place where you can put words or pictures of things you’re grateful for.” Through this interactive experience we hoped to empower children to identify ways they could show appreciation and cultivate a sense of gratitude outside the event.
In a statement issued by Sesame Workshop, SZA shared her enthusiasm about this full circle moment of appearing on Sesame Street. Reflecting on her journey, she noted how far she has come since she first posted on social media in 2017 with a simple, yet contemplative, message: “😰🤔.” In a more recent post on X, she joyfully remarked, “Children’s songs make me so happy lol ❤️ SAVE THE KIDS!” Her enthusiasm for the program was infectious—a quality that translated terrifically with ardent fans and general viewers.
SZA’s incredibly moving segment highlighted themes of kindness and gratitude in song. One of the standout moments included her singing, “Kindness can change the way you feel/Gratitude’s the right attitude.” She encouraged listeners with uplifting lyrics like, “If you’re solving a puzzle/But it’s taking too long/To figure out/Where all the pieces belong/Be kind to yourself/Don’t stop having fun/Be proud of the job/That you’ve already done.”
This new partnership celebrates Sesame Street’s historic 55th season. It’s loaded up with amazing guest stars too, like Noah Kahan, Chris Stapleton, Reneé Rapp, Samara Joy, Michael B. Jordan, Billie Jean King, and Jonathan Van Ness.
You can watch SZA’s uplifting episode now on streaming platforms, including Hulu and Max. You can catch the whole season online too, through PBS Kids. The show’s dedication to imparting meaningful life lessons through entertaining stories has stood the test of time and still reaches audiences young and old everywhere.