RINA — Rina Sawayama

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RINA — Rina Sawayama

Rina Sawayama is, in her own words, “The girl you want to watch”. A ridiculously talented singer with a voice that reaches both ends of the musical scale flawlessly, songwriting genius, well-established model with a unique sense of style, and educated with a degree in politics from Cambridge, one might be so keen to ask, “What can’t she do?” After releasing a series of singles from 2013 to 2016, which all have been consistently solid tracks ranging from Solange-esque R&B to slow ethereal ballads, Sawayama finally released her debut EP titled, RINA. No frills. No fuss. Just RINA. Six raw and unfiltered pop songs reminiscent of the 90’s and early 2000’s diva generation yet with a glaze of modern electro pop.

Amidst all of her accomplishments, Sawayama is able to humanize herself in the opening track, Ordinary Superstar. Removing herself from the pedestal of fame, “I’m just an ordinary superstar / I’m just like you” is reminiscent of Britney Spears’ late 90’s single, Lucky. From the ringing school bell to the message of going against the status quo, the track succeeds with its trance-y hooks and clean electronic keyboard melodies. The thematic message of identity and self-empowerment continues in both Take Me As I Am, a metaphor for the internal war to live in a way she wants, and in 10–20–40, a whispery rock anthem wrought with electric guitar solos and thunderous drums, as she questions, “They don’t understand/ don’t know who I am/ but do I?”

The more downtempo tracks, Tunnel Vision and Through the Wire, tackle harder and darker subjects such as dealing with a tumultuous breakup and self-worth in the digital age. Shamir’s vocal capacity shines through in Tunnel Vision as they belt out affirmations of the over reliance of social media and the “tunnel vision” that displaces our generation. Contrasted with the majority of the EP, their vocal prowess takes the stage as the focal point while the mellow glitchy beat takes a backseat, a stylistic technique similarly found on Lorde’s first album, Pure Heroine, or most contemporary synth pop musicians.

Beginning with a disruptive sample of the internet connection static of the AOL days, Alterlife is personally my favorite track on the EP, due to the fact that it delves into the multiple personalities and facades that one can create with the power of the internet. There’s no repercussions for your actions, so “why are you so scared of falling?” She maintains that you can and have control of your “alterlives” and “the pain and pleasure is you” suggesting that her listeners take accountability as she does, “She was the girl that I used to be/ a girl with no responsibility.” Heavily inundated with glorious electric guitar riffs, it creates an invigorating feeling of being whisked away into a cyberspace discotheque.

The album culminates in the perfect internet aesthetic anthem Cyber Stockholm Syndrome. Ironically both upbeat yet lyrically depressing, this is Sawayama’s magnum opus, and is why many a critique have dotingly crowned her “the future of pop.” It’s a title that has been deservingly earned. What makes her such a poignant and relevant artist is that she addresses and discusses typical thematic pop subjects like hedonism, love, and heartbreak as it currently stands today, through technology. Mass media and the generations before us frequently nitpick and complain about how society was unprepared for the repercussions of the innovations of communicative mediums or the blurring line of social technologies in our day to day lives. Cyber Stockholm Syndrome is the generational reply that embraces this newfound technological integration into our lives. Our social dependency on technology that is constantly shunned is celebrated through lyrics like, “Came here on my own/party on my phone” and “Happiest whenever I’m with you online.” The track escalates into a space-like exhilarating blare interspersed with subliminal pop culture references to Candy Crush and Samsung Galaxies that brings about this beloved EP to magnificent finish.

In a video interview with VICE, she points out, “In music and modeling there has to be a person who has succeeded first for them to be like, “you’re the new…”, because at the end of the day it’s about whether its going to make money. They’ll say, “Oh X is the new Adele, this person is the new Janet Jackson, but when they see me, they’ll say you’re the next uhh..” Being an East Asian woman raised in one of the largest Western metropolitan cities, she’s able to marry these two polarized cultures without losing her individuality, which is difficult to do in the pop industry. Songs like Alterlife and Ordinary Superstar highlight her own struggle with societal and internalized racism, while practicing her own message of self-acceptance. Using her platform and attention as an artist and activist, she appeals to the post-Y2K millennials, especially those who also grew up in diverse communities listening to 2000’s radio pop. Time and time again, it’s been proven that representation is important, especially in youth culture. Because if we are able to see that someone that looks just like us is successful and living their dream, suddenly our own goals and dreams become more tangible and within reach. Being able to see new modern pop stars succeed, whether it be Rina Sawayama or not, crushes long-standing stereotypes of what women of color are supposed to be and embraces them as the individuals they are.

References/Links:

i-D meets rina sawayama
Through her alternative take on Japanese beauty standards and "glittery cute" R&B sound, Rina Sawayama is the rising…video.vice.comThe Subversive Pop Power of Rina Sawayama
In 1995, something strange began to happen in pop music. It was a shift so minor, so gradual that it probably didn't…noisey.vice.comIs Rina Sawayama the future of pop? - Interview Magazine
For Rina Sawayama, the future is now. With her orange hair and penchant for metallic coats, the Japanese-British…www.interviewmagazine.com