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Rina Sawayama

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This article is about the singer-songwriter. For the model and figure skater, see Rina Sawayama (model).
Rina Sawayama
Sawayama in 2018
Sawayama in 2018
Background information
Born (1990-08-16) 16 August 1990 (age 34)
Niigata, Japan
Genres
Years active2013–present

Rina Sawayama (born 16 August 1990) is a Japanese-British singer-songwriter and model. She was born in Japan, and is based in London. Her debut mini-album, Rina, was released in 2017.

Early life

Rina Sawayama was born 16 August 1990 in Niigata, Japan.[1][2] She lived there until the age of five when her family decided to move to London, England, where she was raised and currently lives.[3] While studying politics, psychology and sociology at the University of Cambridge, she decided to pursue music and modelling. During her time at university, she was in a hip hop group called Lazy Lion with Theo Ellis from the indie rock band Wolf Alice.[1] She graduated from the university with a degree in politics.

Career

Musical career

Sawayama began her solo career in 2013, with the single "Sleeping in Waking". In June 2015, she released a music video, directed by Arvida Byström, to her track "Tunnel Vision".[4]

In 2016, she released the single "Where U Are", with an accompanying music video co-directed by Alessandra Kurr.[5] The single explored human interaction with digital media, with Sawayama explaining: "Online you can present your best edited self [and] your overheating phone substitutes human warmth. Weirdest of all—you’re together, but also very alone".[6]

In March 2017, her single "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" premiered on The Fader.[7] Sawayama described the genesis of the themes of the track as: "the digital world can offer vital support networks, voices of solidarity, refuge, escape. That’s what ‘Cyber Stockholm Syndrome’ is about: pessimism, optimism, anxiety, and freedom".[7] In 2017, the singles ‘Alterlife’ and ‘Tunnel Vision’, a duet with Shamir were released, followed by her debut mini-album ‘RINA’.[8][9] Sawayama is an unsigned artist, and RINA was released independently.

In 2018, she release the new single ‘Valentine’ on Valentine’s Day.[10] The music video for album track ‘Ordinary Superstar’ was released in June 2018.[11] In August 2018, Sawayama released the track "Cherry", in which she explores her sexual identity.[12] Sawayama is set to embark on her ‘Ordinary Superstar’ tour across the UK and America in late 2018.[13]

Modelling career

Sawayama has been signed to Anti Agency and Elite Model Management.

As of 2018, she has starred in campaigns for Versus x Versace,[14] Jourdan Dunn's Missguided,[15] and wrote and performed an original track for Nicola Formichetti’s MAC x Nicopanda.[16]

Collaborations

In 2016, Sawayama collaborated with artist John Yuyi on a visual series critiquing Asian, and Japanese, beauty standards. Subsequently, she was profiled in Vogue Magazine. In the interview, Sawayama described the genesis of the idea and collaboration: "For a lot of women in Japan, these are the expectations people put on them, from anime culture, kawaii culture... that can really put women at a disadvantage, objectifying and infantilizing them."[3]

Sawayama has worked with Nicola Formichetti for MAC x Nicopanda. Formichetti also directed the music video for Sawayama’s track ‘Ordinary Superstar’. The genesis of the partnership was outlined in i-D.[17]

Many of Sawayama’s tracks are co-written and produced by Clarence Clarity.

Critical reception

Sawayama's output has been met with critical acclaim, and has been featured in The Fader's Gen F series,[18] and the i-D Meets series, as well in The Guardian, Paper Magazine, The New York Times[19] and on the cover of Clash Magazine.[20]

Sawayama's singles have been described as "nostalgic greatness... ultra-sweet and shimmering pop",[21] and "90s R&B pop perfection. Very lounge. A little Solange. A smidge of peak-era Mariah".[22]

The Guardian deemed her album "bracing and modern... Sawayama might be keen to pay tribute, but she's proven she can shepherd pop into the future, too."[23]

Sawayama has been featured in numerous best of lists, including The Guardian's 18 for '18,[24] the 2017 Dazed 100,[25] and Pitchfork's Best Pop and R&B Albums of 2017.[26]

Personal life

In August 2018, Sawayama came out during an interview with Broadly, declaring: “I’ve always written songs about girls. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned a guy in my songs, and that’s why I wanted to talk about it.” She identified as both bisexual and pansexual.[27]

Discography

Extended plays

Title Album details
RINA

Singles

Title Year Album
"Sleeping in Waking" 2013 Non-album singles
"Where U Are"[5] 2016
"This Time Last Year"[28]
"Cyber Stockholm Syndrome"[29] 2017 RINA
"Alterlife"[8]
"Tunnel Vision"[9]
(featuring Shamir)
"Valentine (What's It Gonna Be)"[10] 2018 TBA
"Cherry"

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Introducing: Rina Sawayama". Vibes of Silence. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  2. ^ "RINA on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b Kim, Monica (17 October 2016). "Meet the Tangerine-Haired Model and Singer Who's Taking On Asian Beauty Standards". Vogue. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  4. ^ Rina Sawayama (19 June 2015), Rina Sawayama - Tunnel Vision (Official Video), retrieved 13 July 2018
  5. ^ a b "Where U Are - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Rina Sawayama streams smooth new track "Where U Are" - C-Heads Magazine". C-Heads Magazine. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  7. ^ a b "Rina Sawayama's Glitchy R&B Captures The Realities Of Living & Loving Online". The FADER. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Afterlife - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b "Tunnel Vision (feat. Shamir) - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  10. ^ a b "Valentine (What's It Gonna Be) - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
  11. ^ i-D (5 June 2018), Rina Sawayama - Ordinary Superstar (Official Video), retrieved 13 July 2018
  12. ^ "Singer Rina Sawayama Is Ready to Rep Her Pansexuality". Broadly. 14 August 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Watch Rina Sawayama's new video for "Ordinary Superstar"". The FADER. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  14. ^ Dazed (1 September 2017). "Meet Versus Versace's new gang of multi-talented muses". Dazed. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  15. ^ Holt, Bethan (10 March 2017). "Jourdan Dunn on her empowering new collection - and what a supermodel really wears on the school run". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  16. ^ "nicola formichetti on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  17. ^ "read rina sawayama and nicola formichetti's texts to each other". I-d. 5 June 2018. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  18. ^ "The FADER - GEN F". The FADER. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  19. ^ "Rina Sawayama Is Not the Asian Britney Spears". Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  20. ^ "Pixelated People: Rina Sawayama Interviewed". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  21. ^ http://thefourohfive.com. "Rina Sawayama's 'Where U Are' is ultra-sweet". The 405. Retrieved 13 July 2018. {{cite news}}: External link in |last= (help)
  22. ^ "Fall for the Smooth Curves of Rina Sawayama's "Where U Are"". Noisey. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  23. ^ Aroesti, Rachel (21 December 2017). "Rina Sawayama: Rina review – R&B-fuelled peek into the pop future". the Guardian. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  24. ^ Williams, Holly; Brinkhurst-Cuff, Charlie; Fox, Killian; Snapes, Laura; Joshi, Tara; Cumming, Laura; Hans, Simran; Empire, Kitty; Devlin, Hannah (31 December 2017). "18 for '18: the talent and trends tipped for the top in 2018". the Guardian. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  25. ^ Dazed. "100 people shaping culture in 2017 | Dazed". Dazed. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  26. ^ "The 20 Best Pop and R&B Albums of 2017 | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. Retrieved 13 July 2018.
  27. ^ Tsjeng, Zing. "Singer Rina Sawayama Is Ready to Rep Her Pansexuality". Broadly. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  28. ^ "This Time Last Year - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  29. ^ "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". iTunes. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
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