Japanese-British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama has released two albums, an extended play, a live album, 30 singles and 22 music videos.
Sawayama's music career began in 2013, with the release of the single "Sleeping in Waking." In June 2015, she released a music video, directed by Arvida Byström, to her track "Tunnel Vision." In 2016, she released the single "Where U Are," with an accompanying music video co-directed by Alessandra Kurr. In March 2017, her single "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" premiered on The Fader.[1] In 2017, the singles "Alterlife" and "Tunnel Vision," a duet with Shamir, were released, followed by her debut mini-album Rina.[2][3] Sawayama was then an unsigned artist, and Rina was released independently; she confirmed on Twitter that she worked for two to three years in order to save money to release the EP.[4] The Guardian deemed the album "bracing and modern" and Sawayama as having proven she can shepherd pop into the future, too."[5] Pitchfork ranked the album in its list of best pop and R&B albums of the year.[6]
In August 2018, Sawayama released the track "Cherry", in which she explores her sexual identity.[7] Sawayama embarked on her Ordinary Superstar Tour across the UK and America in late 2018. In 2019, she was the support act for Charli XCX's tour across the UK.[8]
In 2020, after signing to Dirty Hit records, she released the singles "STFU!", a nu metal, heavy metal, pop and avant-pop song, and "Comme Des Garçons (Like The Boys)", an "homage to early 2000s dance tracks", both from her then-upcoming debut album.[9] A third single, the rock and 2000s R&B inspired "XS" was released on 2 March.[10] Her debut album Sawayama was released on 17 April to widespread critical acclaim.[11][12]
Albums
Live albums
2022 • Dirty Hit
Singles
Infinite Icon • 2024 • 11:11 Media
John Wick: Chapter 4 • 2023 • Lakeshore
As a lead artist
| ‡ | Indicates the song has a music video |
| Title | Release date | Label | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early career (2013–2015) | |||
| "Sleeping in Waking" ‡ | 27 February 2013 | Make Mine | Non-album single |
| 31 October 2013 | Self-released | ||
| 10 April 2015 | Non-album single | ||
| Rina era (2015–2018) | |||
| "Where U Are" ‡ | 28 January 2016 | Self-released | Non-album single |
| "This Time Last Year" | 8 December 2016 | ||
| "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" ‡ | 22 March 2017 | House Of Us | Rina |
| "Alterlife" ‡ | 21 September 2017 | Self-released | |
| "Tunnel Vision" | 24 October 2017 | ||
| "Valentine (What's It Gonna Be)" | 14 February 2018 |
|
Non-album single |
| "Cherry" ‡ | 14 August 2018 | Different Recordings | |
| "Flicker" | 28 November 2018 | ||
| Sawayama era (2019–2022) | |||
| "STFU!" ‡ | 22 November 2019 | Dirty Hit | Sawayama |
| "Comme des Garçons (Like the Boys)" ‡ | 17 January 2020 | Sawayama | |
| "XS" ‡ | 2 March 2020 | ||
| "Chosen Family" | 3 April 2020 | ||
| "Bad Friend" ‡ | 15 April 2020 | ||
| "Dance in the Dark" | 29 June 2020 | Sawayama Remixed | |
| "Lucid" ‡ | 25 November 2020 | Sawayama Deluxe | |
| "Chosen Family" (with Elton John) ‡ | 14 April 2021 | Sawayama Deluxe | |
| "Follow Me" (with Pabllo Vittar) ‡ | 1 April 2022 | N/A | |
| Hold the Girl era (2022–2024) | |||
| "This Hell" ‡ | 18 May 2022 | Dirty Hit | Hold the Girl |
| "Catch Me in the Air" | 27 June 2022 | ||
| "Hold the Girl" ‡ | 27 July 2022 | ||
| "Phantom" | 25 August 2022 | ||
| "Hurricanes" ‡ | 12 September 2022 | ||
| "Frankenstein" ‡ | 16 September 2022 | ||
| "Eye for an Eye" | 23 March 2023 | Lakeshore Records | John Wick: Chapter 4 |
As a featured artist
| Title | Release date | Label | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Beg for You" ‡ Charli XCX |
27 January 2022 | Asylum Records | Crash |
| "Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife" (Remix) Le Sserafim |
28 July 2023 | Source Music | Unforgiven |
| "Kiss Me" ‡ Empress Of |
25 September 2023 |
|
For Your Consideration |
| "Saving Flowers" ‡ salute |
25 April 2024 | Ninja Tune | True Magic |
| "I'm Free" ‡ Paris Hilton |
21 June 2024 | 11:11 Media | Infinite Icon |
Promotional singles
| Title | Release date | Label | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Enter Sandman" | 26 August 2021 | Blackened Recordings | The Metallica Blacklist |
Notes
References
- ↑ "Rina Sawayama’s Glitchy R&B Captures The Realities Of Living & Loving Online". The Fader.
- ↑ "Alterlife - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". Apple Music.
- ↑ "Tunnel Vision (feat. Shamir) - Single by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". Apple Music.
- ↑ RINA SAWAYAMA on Twitter: "worked 2-3 jobs at a time for years until I could save up for the RINA EP"
- ↑ "Rina Sawayama: Rina review – R&B-fuelled peek into the pop future". The Guardian.
- ↑ "The 20 Best Pop and R&B Albums of 2017". Pitchfork.
- ↑ "Singer Rina Sawayama Is Ready to Rep Her Pansexuality". Vice.
- ↑ "Charli XCX Teaming Up With Tove Lo, Rina Sawayama and More For Second Week of Livestreams". Billboard.
- ↑ "Rina Sawayama Announces Tour and Debut Album, Shares New Song: Listen". Pitchfork.
- ↑ "Rina Sawayama "mocks capitalism" on new track 'XS'". DIY.
- ↑ "Stream Fiona Apple's 'Fetch The Bolt Cutters' And More Of The Best New Albums : All Songs Considered". NPR.
- ↑ "Tramp Stamps, “Sapiens” & Tinned Mackerel: Inside The Mind Of Rina Sawayama". British Vogue.
| Unreleased | |
| Rina | "Ordinary Superstar" · "Take Me as I Am" · "10-20-40" · "Tunnel Vision" · "Time Out (Interlude)" · "Alterlife" · "Through the Wire (Interlude)" · "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" |
| Sawayama | "Dynasty" · "XS" · "STFU!" · "Comme des Garçons (Like the Boys)" · "Akasaka Sad" · "Paradisin'" · "Love Me 4 Me" · "Bad Friend" · "Fuck This World (Interlude)" · "Who's Gonna Save U Now?" · "Tokyo Love Hotel" · "Chosen Family" · "Snakeskin" · "Tokyo Takeover" · "Lucid" · "We Out Here" · "Bees & Honey" · "Love It If We Made It" |
| Other songs | "Sleeping In Waking" · "Where U Are" · "This Time Last Year" · "Valentine (What's It Gonna Be)" · "Cherry" · "Flicker" · "Dance In The Dark" |









