Rina Sawayama Keeps Moving Forward
Over the last few years, Rina Sawayama has been the latest musician added to the unofficial-official “Pop Girl” list. The list that is kept alive and well by Twitter stans and Queers alike. She falls on this list along with alt-pop favorites like Charli XCX and FKA twigs. It is her unique ability to genre-morph, genre-fuse, and even genre-create that she shares with these artists that keeps her on every-pop fanatics’ radar. However, her popularity goes beyond just Twitter discourse. It is her strength in creating music that transcends musical references while still clearly intertwining them in her sound that makes her so special. In other words, Rina Sawayama makes music that is fresh. Even better, she does it with charm, grace, and kindness.
When it’s good, it’s timeless
The Japanese-English singer/songwriter struck gold in 2020 with her pandemic-introduced debut album, SAWAYAMA. With the horrors of the epidemic shrouding the anticipation for her debut project, it was devastating at first. However, the intimate moments of listening to this album all day and night during that time are what make it so sentimental for me and many others. First, the album is vast in its sound. Going from metal one moment to bubblegum pop the next; it is wildly entertaining. Together with producer Clarence Clarity, SAWAYAMA is an exhilarating rollercoaster ride through fairytale lands, buzzing Tokyo, and the blazing sun. Now, the moshpit album is past the pandemic and remains a staple of the current decade, and in Sawayama’s career.
“This Hell”
Nevertheless, Sawayama continues to expand. With her latest track, we see her dabble in another pot of pop perfection and take on Shania Twain country-pop. Here, the artist electrifies us with a satirical Queer anthem. Full of surging key changes and guitar shreds, Sawayama takes us to Hell with a glass of wine in hand. Moreover, it’s a great way to proudly say she is Queer. Further, the track is the first from her next album. Hold The Girl, her Sophomore album is out September 2nd via Dirty Hit.
