If you’re looking for the new sound of pop music, look no further than Rina Sawayama.
From her debut EP Rina to her full-length projects Sawayama and Hold The Girl, Sawayama has positioned herself as an artist redefining the genre — not just through experimental production, but through the identity and perspective that she brings to pop music.
Born in Japan and moving to central London at a young age, Sawayama used music to connect with the people around her. Growing up, she developed an appreciation for the pop icons who came before her, including Britney Spears and Whitney Houston. At the age of 16, she began posting music covers on Myspace, and later formed a hip-hop girl group called Lazy Lion.
While Sawayama has always loved music, she initially pursued a different academic path, having graduated from Cambridge with a degree in Political Science in 2012. After graduating, she worked various jobs while trying to turn her passion for music into a full-time career.
At the age of 27, Sawayama released her critically acclaimed EP Rina. Blending sounds from 1990s, 2000s and 2010s pop, the project introduced her as an artist who is not afraid to go against industry trends. Instead of following whatever sound was currently popular, she fused different eras of pop into something entirely her own while still embracing nostalgia.
Just as notable as the production was the messaging in her lyrics. Her academic background is evident throughout her discography. Sawayama frequently writes songs that critique social expectations, identity and her own upbringing, while remaining deeply relatable.
On the track “Alterlife,” for example, Sawayama blends nu-metal-inspired guitar riffs with heavy drum production and lyrics about taking risks and changing direction in life. The result is a song that is immediately striking on first listen but reveals deeper emotional intent behind her career as an artist the more closely you examine it. Other notable tracks on the project include “10-20-40” and “Cyber Stockholm Syndrome.”
In 2019, Sawayama released one of her most original singles to date, “Cherry.” The track explores her experience coming to terms with her pansexuality and publicly embracing that identity. The song marked an important moment in her career, both personally and artistically, and resonated with many listeners who saw their own experiences reflected in her music.
After releasing Rina, Sawayama quickly gained attention within the music industry. In 2020, she signed with the record label Dirty Hit and released her first full-length album, Sawayama, later that year.
Titling the album after her surname was a deliberate choice. The record is a personal expression of her experiences as a first-generation Japanese immigrant in Western society while also being a child of the early 2000s. The album mixes explosive decade-defining pop production with deeply personal stories about family, trauma, identity and the experience of growing up Japanese in a Western society.
The project is steeped in early 2000s nostalgia filled with stylistic callbacks to the artists and producers that defined that era, while weaving in pop culture references that feel both playful and intentional.
It is daring and experimental, yet entirely confident. Six years after its release, Sawayama still feels fresh and innovative. The albums fifth track, “Akasaka Sad,” exemplifies her unique ear for production. Blending elements of K-pop and J-pop with underground hyper pop production styles that lend to a transportive listening experience unlike anything you’ve heard before.
The album’s 2020 release meant that Sawayama had to postpone her debut world tour until the pandemic subsided. When touring finally began in 2022, she followed it with the release of her second full length album, Hold The Girl.
While Hold The Girl stays true to the ambitious pop production that made Sawayama so popular, the album takes a far more autobiographical term. It explores themes of personal healing, identity and the emotional experiences shared by many queer listeners.
In interviews, Sawayama described the album as inspired by her journey through inner child therapy. Much of the record reflects on confrontational past trauma and learning how to care for the younger version of herself.
While experimental, the album is far more approachable than her debut. Tracks like “Catch Me in the Air” and “Hurricanes” feel like deep cuts from your favourite early-2000s pop artist. Still, despite its accessibility, the album remains daring. Sawayama experiments with Western influences on songs like “This Hell” and continues blending underground music trends into tracks like “Imagining” and “Your Age,” each featuring powerhouse choruses.
The album’s autobiographical introspection can be felt throughout, as Sawayama frequently shifts from her high-pop, avant-garde sound to soothing ballads like “Phantom” and “Send My Love to John.”
After releasing her second album, Sawayama once again embarked on a world tour. Having seen her perform twice in Toronto, I can say that Sawayama knows exactly what kind of artist she is. Her music feels built for arenas and her commanding stage presence matches that scale. Her live vocals are remarkable, powerful, controlled and identical to what you hear in her projects.
Since concluding her Hold The Girl tour in 2023, Sawayama has largely stepped back from the Spotlight. With the exception of a cameo in John Wick 4 and occasional collaborations with other artists, including a 2024 single with Paris Hilton, she’s kept a relatively low profile.
While the promise of new music is on the horizon, her fans — known as Pixels — are eagerly waiting to see how Sawayama will interpret the current pop landscape and what conversations her music will spark next.