Boy in Red
| "Boy in Red" | |
|---|---|
| Single by Isaiah Rashad and SZA | |
| from the album It's Been Awful | |
| Released | April 30, 2026 |
| Recorded | 2022–2026 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 3:09 |
| Label | |
| Songwriters |
|
| Producers |
|
| Isaiah Rashad singles chronology | |
| SZA singles chronology | |
"Boy in Red" is a song by American rapper Isaiah Rashad and American singer-songwriter SZA. It was released on April 30, 2026 as the second single from the former's third studio album It's Been Awful , which was released the next day.[1] The song was produced by KTC and Fantom Power.
Composition
[edit ]The song incorporates "TikTok-friendly" bedroom pop [2] and indie pop influences, as well as elements similar to SZA's album SOS .[3] Lyrically, Isaiah Rashad asks his love interest to spend time with him for the night, offering to be their boyfriend or "girlfriend" if that does not work. In her verse, SZA sings that she has been drinking and is annoyed that he is hanging out with his male friends instead of being with her and returning home in a sexually aroused state.[4]
Critical reception
[edit ]The song received generally positive reviews. Wesley McLean of Exclaim! considered SZA "always-welcome" as a collaborator;[5] likewise, Joshua Khan of Clash and Brady Brickner-Wood of Pitchfork both praised the chemistry between the two artists.[3] [6] Beats per Minute's Chase McMullen stated the song possesses one of Isaiah Rashad's "most immediately gripping and memorable hooks to date".[7]
Charts
[edit ]| Chart (2026) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 (Billboard )[8] | 3 |
References
[edit ]- ^ "BOY IN RED - Single". Apple Music . Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ^ Lyons-Burt, Charles (May 5, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad 'It's Been Awful' Review: Translating Troubles into Formless Malaise". Slant Magazine .
- ^ a b Khan, Joshua (May 1, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad – IT'S BEEN AWFUL". Clash . Retrieved May 15, 2026.
- ^ "Album Review: It's Been Awful by Isaiah Rashad". Shatter the Standards. May 1, 2026. Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ^ McLean, Wesley (April 30, 2026). "Isaiah Rashad's 'IT'S BEEN AWFUL' Tells It Like It Is". Exclaim! .
- ^ Brickner-Wood, Brady (2026年05月06日). "Isaiah Rashad: IT'S BEEN AWFUL". Pitchfork . Retrieved 2026年05月15日.
- ^ McMullen, Chase (May 14, 2026). "Album Review: Isaiah Rashad – It's Been Awful". Beats per Minute . Retrieved 15 May 2026.
- ^ "Isaiah Rashad Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard . Retrieved May 15, 2026.