Rina Sawayama delivers her fourth and most vulnerable single to date, “Phantom,” which is all about reclaiming your inner child. The song is off Sawayama’s upcoming record Hold the Girl—out September 16 via Dirty Hit. The album’s sound is more country both aesthetically and conceptually despite her widespread commercial pop success, which includes Lady Gaga, Elton John, and Charli XCX collaborations. Other singles from this era include the Shania Twain-inspired “This Hell,” “Catch Me In The Air,” and “Hold The Girl.”
“Phantom” by Rina Sawayama
Sawayama’s debut album dealt with the surface level tensions within yourself, but “Phantom” finds the singer digging much deeper for healing. “SAWAYAMA,” the debut full of searching, details her fraught relationship with her family, including resentment and regret. And pop’s newest connoisseur finally feels ready to heal. Or rather regain the support system she left behind.
The new single is that typical slow-burner, the bluesy 2000s coming-of-age tune for the lost adult. And with electric guitars and show-stopping belts, Sawayama makes the journey less lonely. “If I could talk to you, I’d tell you not to rush; you’re good enough. You don’t have to lose what makes you you, still got some growing to do,” she sings passionately.
“I realized as an adult that I have spent my whole life pleasing other people and not realizing it— constantly pushing my boundaries and not realizing the difference between what I wanted to do and what other people wanted from me,” Sawayama said in a statement. “Through the lyrics in the verse I’m trying to tell this story and then in the choruses I’m mourning the loss of my real self.”
What do you think of Rina Sawayama’s new single “Phantom” off her upcoming record “Hold The Girl– out September 16? Let us know in the comments!
