Raised by Japanese immigrant parents, Rina Sawayama knows pressure all too well, however, her pop star status poses a new and different type of struggle.
In an interview with Them, Sawayama explained how she was gaslit and received a "distorted view of reality" after "growing up without boundaries."
"The idea of, where do I start and where [other people] begin is something that I've only really truly learned recently," she told Them.
The 32-year-old singer elaborated that she has been spending her "whole life" making others happy that she "forgot" what she wanted to do.
"What makes you happy? What are your values? I think this record overall is about finding out what those boundaries are," Sawayama said, referring to her upcoming album "Hold the Girl."
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Pop With Purpose
Sawayama started her solo music career in 2013, releasing songs under the stage name "Riina," but later changed it to her real name Rina Sawayama.
Even before she came into the mainstream music scene, her musical inspiration stems from her knowledge and education, as she studied political science and sociology at Cambridge.
In March of 2017, she released "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome." She described the song as "happy and sad, honest and autobiographical."
"Before, I saw the internet as a captor of our time and free will. But now, I see embracing a positive relationship with our online selves as an act of self-preservation and defiance," she explained.
Her more recent releases are no different. She continues to explore themes of capitalism, queer identity, familial lineage, as well as East Asian fetishism, Them reported.
Sawayama, however, acknowledges that the themes behind her music might be too heavy, "So much with ["Hold the Girl"], I'm like, 'Is anyone going to get what I'm talking about?'"
"But I've tried to do this thing where I try to make the hook as easy to understand as possible so that it's still a good pop song."
'Consistently Hot'
While the "This Hell" singer has managed to create a balance and blend between her inspirations and musical direction, she shared that she struggled with the pop star image.
"The pressure with the pop girls is that even if you're not having such a good day," she said. "Even if you're really jet-lagged or your IBS is going crazy or whatever, you have to look really hot. Consistently hot."
IBS stands for irritable bowel syndrome, which is reportedly commonly marked by bloating, abdominal pain, and more.
Aside from the physical aspect of it, she also noted how big of a role social media plays in being a pop star. However, the singer also remarked about "not pursuing fame."
"I don't want to do anything that is going to invite any unnecessary attention. I want to promote my music, do my interviews, see my fans, but I don't want to expose anything else if that makes sense," she said.
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