In this micro-interview feature, we get to know the most radicalist up & coming stars on the planet. 

Rina Sawayama is a songwriter very much of our time.

Saturated with social angst, her recent singles ‘Tunnel Vision’ and ‘Where U Are’ explore the increasingly precarious relationship between technology and human connection in the 21^st century. It’s through these bittersweet musical vignettes that Sawayama unpacks the insidiously damaging effects of the Internet on our real-life human relations, and of course our sense of self – an issue undoubtedly close to the wayward hearts of countless souls in 2016.

Poignant as her observations are, it must be noted that there is a counteracting levity to Sawayama’s music, clothed in a dazzling veneer of early-00s inspired R&B that compels both a smile and a groove.

We caught up with the ascendant South London songstress, ahead of her forthcoming Alone Together EP, to learn a little more about her singular (tunnel) vision…

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TMR: So Rina, to start, what was the last song you listened to and why?

I listened to Jorja Smith’s new single ‘Blue Lights’ this morning and my mind was blown - there’s a saying “every song is a love song” but I appreciate songs that talk about more than that.

TMR: What was the most significant record to you when you were growing up?

Oooh there are so many! Definitely First Love by Utada Hikaru, that was the first album I ever listened to; I’m pretty sure that my impassioned living room rendition of ‘Automatic’ aged 8 was what convinced my parents to stay here and let me pursue music lol. I also remember being bowled over by Shoso Strip by Sheena Ringo, and also Justified by Justin Timberlake, which first introduced me to production.

TMR: You’ve mentioned that your latest single ‘Where U Are’ began life as a rework of Michael Jackson’s classic single ‘I Wanna Be Where You Are’. Presumably this isn’t a common occurrence so do you have a general writing process? If so, how does it unfold?

Every song starts differently. Like, I used to try and stick to one method but then I was listening to a Taylor Swift interview and she also has no set writing process so I let the idea go. The unpredictability of songwriting is what keeps me excited now, and I’ve learned to enjoy playing around with ideas rather than stressing about a finished song. Usually ideas come to me on the tube, on a walk, or in the shower. All very inconvenient places to be singing into your iPhone voice memos…

TMR: Of course the Internet (and the social angst developed in prolonged interaction with it) is a notable theme explored in your work. You also wear your early '00s R&B influences on your sleeve, but who or what else has been a significant inspiration on your music that we might not already know about?

Ummm, well I absolutely love John Mayer. He’s my guitar hero and his songwriting is out of this world. I also used to love Avril Lavigne (pre-Hello Kitty, ugh) and listen to soooo much Evanescence when I was a teen. I also had a mad indie phase when I was 15 where I’d bunk off school to stand front row for bands like The Bravery. All quite random lol.

TMR: You co-directed your latest video for ‘Where U Are’. How was that experience?

Eye-opening!! I super enjoyed the editing process even when the computer was being ridiculously crashy. Directing on the day with no producer was quite stressful ‘cos you have to do both jobs, dealing with no-shows and delays etc while you’re getting the idea together in your head. But overall I loved it and seeing the song come to life exactly how I wanted, it was amazing.



TMR: This co-direct coupled with your Instagram activity suggests a significant visual dimension to this project. Do you see your work as Rina Sawayama in ways other than purely musical?

Yes definitely. More than ever we live in a visual world and artists, especially female artists, have to do a lot more than just sing. There’s so much more responsibility now to take control of your career through social media, but also so many opportunities to express yourself in different ways. I’m so lucky to live in London where I’m surrounded by talented creatives, and collaborating with others and learning new skills is so fun. To be honest, I go back and forth between thinking “ugh I can’t be arsed to do allllll these things, I just wanna sing!” to “woo I’m so happy that I can direct my own video/ curate my own image/ have my own voice”. It’s a daily balancing act, and the theme of most of my songs at the moment.

TMR: You are an unsigned artist, though I am sure there have been offers. Why have you kept it this way?

Sooo many reasons. Since I released my first single back in 2013, I’ve never felt that the opportunities offered to me have clicked deep down with what I truly wanted to do. Back then, I went down that classic singer-songwriter route of doing loads of sessions with random producers suggested to me by labels, hoping that something would stick. But I hated it deep down; some producers were so sexist and made me feel really desperate and stupid. I also didn't feel like these sessions were helping me define my own sound ‘cos I wasn’t really encouraged to think on my own - it was all “let’s just sing loads of hooks over a beat for 15 minutes and see what sounds good and piece them together and make up some lyrics that would fit” - like, what?? I mean, that’s great if you want your songs to sound like every other pop song out there but it didn't feel authentic to me at all. I still don’t see the longevity in writing songs like that. I have producer friends who are equally sick of being in the studio with signed singers who have no idea what they want to write about (usually the fault of labels' bad A&R-ing to be honest), and because the industry is the way it is now (i.e. quantity over quality), it takes a lot of hard work to cut above the rest. It hasn't been easy, but I’m now at a place where I’m getting interest from people who I respect, and who respect what I do, and that’s awesome. If I sign, it’ll be to a label that is happy to do things a little differently.

TMR: In light of recent events, it seems now is as troubling a time as ever for women in the music industry. How do you navigate a world that regularly proves itself to be institutionally weighted against women?

Argh, its hard. I’ve had some pretty shitty experiences, mainly with some bad A&Rs who try to take advantage of young women who are new to the industry. When you’re young, saying no to people like that can seem like you’re shooting yourself in the foot, or at least they can make you think like that. I honestly think being a little older helps a lot in that scenario, and also having the right people around you. I have an awesome team who are insane at what they do and are also feminists with their heart in the right place (i.e. not in their pants).

TMR: We’re a blog dedicated to new music so we’re curious what are some of your favourite up-and-coming artists?

I’m really bad at new music! But I love the people who I work with, so I’ll shout them here - salute who is remixing ‘Where U Are’ is a ridiculously talented young producer and friend from Austria. Hoost, who I’ve worked with for years, is someone who I have immense love and respect for. I love Denim, who are the 2016 drag version of Spice Girls, and A Cinematic Masterpiece (ACM) whose live sets are quite literally out of this world.

TMR: Finally, what does 2016 hold for Rina Sawayama?

My first EP! Live show! And lots of Gin.

Rina Sawayama’s single ‘Where U Are’ is out now. Her Alone Together EP will be out in Spring 2016.

-Karl Jawara