On the heels of her daring new single “STFU!”, London-based pop futurist Rina Sawayama returns to announce her highly-anticipated debut album. SAWAYAMA, out April 17th via Dirty Hit, is an intimate look into the artist and proof of why she’s pop’s brightest star. The album encompasses her most personal music yet sharing, “Previously I’ve put this sort of societal angle on it, because that pleases me, trying to take my story and make it into a bigger thing,” Rina explains. “But I’ve been using music quite therapeutically recently, to understand things that are happening in my life.”
SAWAYAMA has been in the works since the release of her critically acclaimed mini-album RINA recording in London studios with her producer Clarence Clarity, and in LA with the likes of Bram Inscore (Troye Sivan), Nate Company (Carly Rae Jepsen) and Nicole Morier (Britney). “I wanted to make the songs better and push myself constantly,” Rina says of working with new collaborators, a list that also includes Danny L Harle, Lauren Aquilina and Johnny Latimer. Talking about SAWAYAMA Rina explains, “The album ultimately is about family and identity. It’s about understanding yourself in the context of two opposing cultures (for me British and Japanese), what “belonging” means when home is an evolving concept, figuring out where you sit comfortably within and awkwardly outside of stereotypes, and ultimately trying to be ok with just being you, warts and all.”
The latest song “Comme Des Garçons (Like The Boys)” – dropping today – is a brilliant, pulsating club track about trying to alchemize the confidence of the gay men that have always shown Rina love.
Additionally, Rina is announcing an upcoming tour across North America and the UK – ‘The Dynasty Tour‘.
14/5 – Glasgow, UK @ King Tuts
15/5 – Manchester, UK @ Gorilla
16/5 – Birmingham, UK @ O2 Institute3
20/5 – London, UK @ Electric Brixton
