Words by Rena Hoshino
Rina Sawayama truly had a meteoric rise to stardom, with more bangers and ear worms than we could ever count. Rena Hoshino tell us her favourite 10 tracks from the pop star.
Having moved to England at the age of 5 with only a minor grasp of the English language, music became a way for Rina Sawayama to connect with those around her. Now, with over 10 years of experience in writing, singing, and producing music, her talent only continues to grow with no signs of slowing down. It’s been a genuine pleasure to witness a queer British Japanese woman reach such heights, and of her extensive portfolio there are a few tracks that strike a chord with me more than others.
1. ‘XS’, from SAWAYAMA
‘XS’ was the first song I heard from Rina Sawayama. It was on a blend playlist I had with my friend who’d recommended her to me before. I was entranced by the heavy guitar riff in the intro, the preppy and upbeat rhythm of the song and the contrast these had to the irony of the lyrics. From the beginning of my journey with her, Rina asserted herself in my mind as a self-possessed singer, pointing out the dangerously addictive side of consumerist capitalism whilst somehow pulling off a cheerful telemarketer robot and an exploited sea creature in the music video.
2. ‘Frankenstein’, from Hold the Girl
Hold The Girl was a much-anticipated album; the release of lead single ‘This Hell’ set the tone with its explosive and confident music video. The album certainly did not disappoint, with every song on Hold The Girl packed with emotion, serving up a full course meal of mourning, anger, and healing. ‘Frankenstein’ is an angsty rock pop banger disclosing the struggle of how trauma can ingrain itself so deeply that it makes one feel inherently monstrous.
3. ‘Follow Me’ feat. Pabllo Vittar
Just like many of her collabs, ‘Follow Me’ is full of punch and funk. The electronic backing track amps up the tone of the song and perfectly sets up Pabllo Vittar and Rina’s powerful vocals. With an upbeat set of lyrics, it doesn’t struggle to fill the listener with confidence. A portion of the song is arguably spoken word, helping to elicit the feeling that the listener is being accompanied onto the dance floor of a club.
4. ‘Akasaka Sad’, from SAWAYAMA
SAWAYAMA is my favourite album from Rina, containing a raw pain that’s intensely relatable for children of immigrants still trying to figure out their own identity, and struggling even more so in the context of a new country. ‘Akasaka Sad’ captures the anxiety and loneliness of being separated from your parents– of loving them but having your heart set on a different landscape.
5. ‘Send My Love to John’, from Hold the Girl
An equally sad number (also heart-wrenching to hear live), this song connects the queer community with the POC community. The acoustic song contains only the soft hum of a guitar alongside Rina’s voice. From a parent’s point of view, the song describes a gay son’s rejection at the hands of a heteronormative society and their parents; the latter regrets pushing him away and mourns the bond they broke by their own hand.
6. ‘Where U Are’
For those who have listened to Donald Glover and Ni’jah’s discography, this track brings a remarkably familiar energy: a lingering instrumental with a swaying guitar and voice. The song’s focus follows an R&B inspiration; with its comparatively slower pace, this song evokes an image of long summer evenings walking home, the Sun refusing to set, and your thoughts full with the potential of the months ahead.
7. ‘STFU!’, from SAWAYAMA
East Asian angst is a genre of music that’s steadily growing, and this is an excellent addition. The music video portrays Rina going on a date with a man who attempts to educate her on her own culture, revealing his desire to shape her based on a fantasy of an Asian woman rather than her actual identity. Against this fetishisation, Rina screams bluntly, telling these fetishists to “STFU!”. An unnerving series of beats underlie the track and build the song up to a true, pure fury.
8. ‘Phantom’, from Hold the Girl
Evoking the sad nostalgia of childhood, ‘Phantom’ calls to ‘the self’ Rina left in her childhood. People-pleasing tendencies, desire to fit in, and trauma moulded her into a shell of herself and prevented her from truly connecting to the person she could’ve been all along. The lyrics are nostalgic and full of bittersweet love for the childhood self still inside her.
9. ‘Take Me as I Am’, from RINA
This song from Rina’s debut EP released to much critical acclaim. With a similar presentation to 2000s pop music, its experimentation with sounds from the hip-hop and electronic genres form its foundation. ‘Take Me as I Am’ is brash and bold, and the self-explanatory song title expresses both a desire to be heard and a hesitancy to divulge vulnerability.
10. ‘Bad Friend’, from SAWAYAMA
‘Bad Friend’ reminisces on a childhood friendship lost to the tides of time. Its synth-pop is combined with a ballad style that Rina removes from its traditionally romantic format to instead apply a platonic connection. It’s certainly true that we can forget the pain of losing friendships next to romantic heartbreak, and whilst losing people is an inevitable fact of life, realising one has some responsibility for it makes the distance sting all the more.
All in all, Rina is a powerful singer who deserves every bit of praise, nomination, and award she has received. The music videos she releases and concerts she performs are a feat in themselves as she continues to prove herself to be an artist that keeps on giving– as long as we, the listeners, don’t forget to give back.
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