Rina Sawayama breaks the mold as a British artist making country music
Rina Sawayama is taking the UK country scene by storm – not that there’s much competition as a Brit in the ‘big Wild West’. Here’s what the “This Hell” artist had to say about his exploration of, and interest in, country-pop music.
Rina Sawayama released her single “This Hell” in 2022
Sawayama is the artist behind “XS”, “Lucid”, “Tokyo Love Hotel” and “Comme des Garçons (Like the Boys)”. She appeared on the “Free Woman” remix, featured on Lady Gaga’s Dawn of Chromatica album, previously partnered with Elton John for a new version of “Chosen Family”.
The musician also won the 2022 NME Award for Best Live Act, an award recognizing her SAWAYAMA tour.
Recently, Sawayama released the single “This Hell,” featuring red and black images and an official music video. Since its debut, this song has gained over 3 million plays on Spotify, with the songwriter later explaining his stylistic choices for the single.
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Rina Sawayama explores country music
“This Hell” offers a new sound for this artist. Although she was interested in country music, it was one of the first times she explored the predominantly American musical genre.
“I’m so fascinated by the feeling of escapism that country music provides,” Sawayama said during an interview with Rolling Stone. “It’s very intimate, but for a Brit it feels like the great Wild West.”
Sawayama was born in Japan and raised in England. She then traveled to the United States to pursue her music career, releasing mostly pop/rock hits – until now.
“It’s pretty random for a Japanese-British artist to do country music, but I never really care about that stuff,” Sawayama added during the same interview. “I just want to have fun.”
This interest in country music is also reflected in the dance moves of this song. When this singer appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she showcased her rodeo moves, complete with a cowboy hat and boots. Her belt buckle appeared with a giant “RINA” printed on the front.
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Rina Sawayama has announced her upcoming release “Hold the Girl”
With SAWAYAMA debuting in 2020, this artist has announced that her next project will premiere in 2022. This is the full album, Hold the girl, slated for release September 2 on Spotify, Apple Music and other services.
Still, this artist gave fans a glimpse of the upcoming release with her SAWAYAMA round. She even highlighted a live version of “Catch Me In the Air” – a song about Sawayama’s relationship with her single mother.
The singer has also been busy collaborating with other musicians. Recently, Sawayama joined Charli XCX at Primavera Sound for “Beg For You.” hold the girl The premiere is scheduled to take place in September 2022. Until then, Sawayama’s music is available on most major streaming platforms.
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