In her second live performance following a surgery to save her voice, SZA had nothing but gratitude for the fans that came out to support her at the BET Experience concert in Los Angeles ahead of the 2018 BET Awards. Along with SZA, other artists included in the BET Experience line-up included Ty Dolla $ign, Chris Brown, Teyana Taylor, and Ella Mai. 

Variety’s report on SZA’s performance makes it clear that she was ready and able to show off her rehabilitated vocal skills. The performance included nearly every song from her debut album, Ctrl, and she filled her performance with vocal runs and riffs that confirmed she might have even expanded her vocal range. During her performance of “Love Galore”, she showed off a particularly impressive falsetto that seemed to push her voice to its limits. 

At one point, SZA addressed the LA crowd and remarked on how happy she was to be in her “second home”. “You guys know it’s like my first or second time back out with y’all, so I’m very happy to be in my second home with y’all,” she told the crowd. Before she performed “The Weekend” she once again addressed the crowd, thanking them for their support. 

“I guess I was nervous about this even though this is low key home just because energy is energy,” she stated. “But I still appreciate how much y’all have been riding with me super heavy and showed so much love. Thank you to every one of you for even having time.”

Her entire set was, judging from Variety’s account and the tweets posted by concertgoers, a triumphant return to performing live and a promise that her voice is no longer at risk. In a series of since-deleted tweets from late May, SZA hinted that her voice may have been permanently damaged. The tweets, which have been preserved by Vulture, began when she wrote, “My voice is permanently injured. Great !!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYYYYYUUYH!!!!!!!!” before going on to tweet, “Tonight was the test. That settles that,” and finally declaring, “I jus wanna be left alone my priorities are fucked up. They been fucked up. I need space goodbye.”

It appears that time, space, and rest from surgery have helped get SZA back into peak performing condition. That said, she will no doubt be taking it easy as it’s unclear at this time if she’ll resume her previous, rigorous live performance schedule.