Interview: Rina Sawayama on her journey to pop stardom
British-Japanese pop iconoclast Rina Sawayama shares her process of learning to reparent herself and her postmodern take on music.
You’ve been doing a lot of festivals and concerts—what’s it like to be back in front of crowds, in real life and online?
It’s been incredible! It’s my favourite thing to do. I just played a festival I went to as a music fan when I was 21, Summer Sonic in Japan, where my whole family came to see me. It was the first time I’d been back to Japan in three years so to be going back to perform in front of such an amazing crowd was surreal and magical.
I really admire that you are not afraid to speak out and take a stand with your music. Why is that important to you?
Thank you! Yeah it’s something that’s hugely important to me. I feel a duty to speak out on issues. Even though creating major change is so difficult, I feel like as an artist I should start conversations and really it’s about emphasising community when the world feels so disconnected, when people feel really alone. Even at my level, which I see as really “small”, if you’re someone talking about things that people are going through, you’re helping those people feel part of something bigger and they aren’t the only ones feeling that way. And people struggling with things can feel they are part of a community, which is the best way to enact meaningful change—by doing it together.
My favorite song from your last album is “Chosen Family”. I really found solace in it. To your LGBTQ+ fans out here, what message do you have for them?
That you are not alone! Chosen Family was about finding my community when I felt very isolated and I’ve had so many friends feel scared, shut out and like they had nowhere to turn because of a country’s law or religious beliefs. I want my fans to know that the community of the pixels is always a safe and accepting space. I will always stand up and be a voice for you.
In your previous album, your songs tackled issues like capitalism, racism and homophobia—with this new album, what stories are you trying to tell?
In Hold The Girl, it’s more of an inner focus I suppose. After some therapy, I started this journey of reparenting myself and honouring the inner child that went through some really difficult times growing up. There’re definitely political messages there, but kind of more told through personal stories rather than outward critiques.
Do you find that people misunderstand your work?
Potentially! That’s a difficult question actually and I don’t think misunderstanding is a bad thing really at all when it comes to songs. I’ve had some feedback on my songs where people tell me how they felt which wasn’t my intention, but if they’re deriving something personal then that’s a really good thing.
Your work is often intensely personal, I am wondering if inviting people into your world is always a good thing, or if it’s also overwhelming?
No, I think going back to the idea of community, letting people in is a good thing. If people relate to the stories you’re telling, that’s a really special thing.
Did you originally want to go into pop because of your personal interest in the genre, or did you have a more reforming agenda? Or did the two just go hand in hand?
I just love pop music, it’s always been my favourite thing to listen to growing up even when I was really young. So my reference points always come from the pop world. When doing music seriously as a career that was the only route I think I could take.
Your music videos are pretty major. What goes into envisioning and actually producing them? Any video that you’re particularly proud of?
I’ve been so lucky to find amazing collaborators in director Ali Kurr, and my creative director and best friend Chester Lockhart. They’ve been so amazing at helping me tell these stories. I’m most proud of Hold The Girl because it was a really long and pretty intense three day shoot with stunts, acting, choreo, so I’m really proud of the physical achievement. But I’m also really happy with how it came out conceptually. I was referencing really big shows and movies like Westworld, Interstellar, but telling quite a complex and emotional narrative. I can see those when I watch that music video. I feel we achieved something really big in scale that tells a very personal, emotive story.
As you enter this next chapter, what’s driving you? What do you want to be recognised for?
I think with Hold The Girl, what was driving me was just great storytelling in the songs and I’m really proud of that. When someone compliments my songwriting or recognises that it’s a skill I’m getting better and better at, I really love it. It means a lot especially with the difficult times and tough process I experienced while trying to write.
