Mitski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mitski
Mitski performing in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Mitsuki Laycock
Born	(1990-09-27) September 27, 1990 (age 34) Mie Prefecture, Japan
Origin	New York City, U.S.
Genres	Indie rock • alternative pop art pop
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar bass piano
Years active	2012–present
Labels	Dead Oceans Don Giovanni Double Double Whammy

Mitski (born Mitsuki Laycock on September 27, 1990) is an American singer-songwriter. She is known for her unique indie rock and alternative pop music. Mitski first released her own music while studying at college. These early albums, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013), were part of her school projects.

Later, she signed with the record label Dead Oceans. She released popular albums like Puberty 2 (2016), Be the Cowboy (2018), and Laurel Hell (2022). Laurel Hell even reached the top ten in many countries. In 2022, a major newspaper called her the "best young songwriter" in the U.S. Mitski also helped write a song called "This Is a Life" for the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. This song earned her a nomination for an Academy Award! Her latest album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, came out in 2023. One of its songs, "My Love Mine All Mine", was her first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Early Life and Growing Up

Mitski Miyawaki was born Mitsuki Laycock on September 27, 1990, in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Her father is American and her mother is Japanese. Japanese was her first language.

Because her father worked for the U.S. government, Mitski moved around a lot as a child. She lived in many different countries, including Turkey, China, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eventually, her family settled in the United States. She sang in her high school choir. When she was 18, she wrote her very first song on the piano.

Mitski's Music Journey

Starting Out: College Albums and Early Success (2012–2017)

Mitski first went to Hunter College to study film. But she soon realized her passion was music. She then transferred to SUNY Purchase College to study studio composition. While at Purchase, she recorded her first two albums, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013). These albums were part of her school assignments. During this time, she met Patrick Hyland, who has produced many of her albums since Lush.

After college, Mitski released her third album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek, in 2014. This album had a different sound, using more raw guitar instead of the piano-based style of her earlier work. It received good reviews from music critics.

In 2015, Mitski signed with Dead Oceans, a new record label. She announced her fourth album, Puberty 2, in March 2016. She released two songs from it, "Your Best American Girl" and "Happy", before the album came out in June. This album was recorded in just two weeks and was highly praised by critics. Rolling Stone magazine even called "Your Best American Girl" one of the best songs of the 2010s. Her song "Francis Forever" was covered in an episode of the cartoon show Adventure Time.

In 2017, Mitski toured with famous bands like Pixies and opened for Lorde on her world tour. She also covered One Direction's song "Fireproof" for a special album. This album raised money for groups supporting causes affected by government policies.

Be the Cowboy and Laurel Hell (2018–2022)

In 2018, Mitski worked with the band Xiu Xiu on a song for a movie soundtrack. On May 14, 2018, she announced her fifth album, Be the Cowboy. She released songs like "Geyser" and "Nobody" before the album came out in August. Be the Cowboy was a big hit with critics. It was named Album of the Year by several major music websites.

During her 2018 tour, Mitski started using special dance moves in her shows. These moves were inspired by Butoh, a Japanese dance style. She wanted to give her audience something new and unique. She worked with a performance artist to create these "stylized, sometimes unsettling" movements. This dance style also appeared in her music video for "Working for the Knife".

Mitski performing in 2022, incorporating Butoh-inspired choreography

In September 2019, Mitski announced that her tour would be her last for a while. She even thought about quitting music completely. However, by early 2020, she decided to return. She realized that making music was a part of who she is, even if it was sometimes difficult.

In 2020, Mitski released a new song called "Cop Car" for a movie soundtrack. She also appeared on a song with another artist, Allie X. In October 2020, it was announced that Mitski would create the soundtrack for a graphic novel called This Is Where We Fall. She said it was exciting to make music for a comic book, like creating a movie score without the moving pictures.

On October 4, 2021, Mitski announced her new song, "Working for the Knife". This was the first song from her sixth album. Pitchfork named it one of the best songs of 2021. She then announced her 2022 tour. Her sixth studio album, Laurel Hell, was released on February 4, 2022, just before her tour began. One of its songs, "The Only Heartbreaker", reached number one on a Billboard chart. Mitski also performed at the Glastonbury Festival in June 2022.

In April 2022, Mitski's cover of "Glide" was released on streaming services. This song was also used in the 2022 film After Yang. Mitski also sang on the song "This Is a Life" for the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. This song earned her an Academy Award for Best Original Song nomination in 2023.

Latest Album and Future Plans (2023–Present)

Mitski performing at All Points East festival in 2024

On July 23, 2023, Mitski announced her seventh studio album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. The first song from the album, "Bug Like an Angel", was released a few days later. She shared this news in a voice message sent to her fans. The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. Two more songs, "Heaven" and "Star", came out in August.

To promote her new album, Mitski held special cinema events in August 2023. Fans could listen to the album before it was released and watch a movie chosen by Mitski herself. She also announced a few small concerts in Europe to preview the album. Later, she added more tour dates in the U.S. for 2024.

In November 2023, it was announced that Mitski would write songs for a Broadway musical based on the book The Queen's Gambit. In March 2024, Mitski participated in the Spotify Singles series. She performed two cover songs with acoustic guitar and double bass.

Musical Style

Mitski's songs often talk about her feelings and worries. Many people describe her music as "sad indie girl music." One writer said her music feels like "a private opera house of melodrama." Her lyrics are full of strong emotions like "fury, destructive impulses, humiliation, longing, heartache, and hunger."

Another singer, Lucy Dacus, described Mitski's music as "really visceral." She said Mitski connects to a part of herself that "wants to scream." Mitski herself has said her music is a place where people "can put all of their feelings, their ugliness, that doesn’t have a place in their own lives."

Personal Life

Mitski describes her background as "half Japanese, half American but not fully either." This feeling of not completely belonging is often explored in her music. She prefers to call herself "American" or "Asian American" rather than "Japanese American" or "Japanese."

Since 2020, Mitski has lived in Nashville, Tennessee. She enjoys vegan baking and likes horror films. She also has two pet cats.

Discography

• Lush (2012)
• Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013)
• Bury Me at Makeout Creek (2014)
• Puberty 2 (2016)
• Be the Cowboy (2018)
• Laurel Hell (2022)
• The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We (2023)

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

• 

  Mitski performing at a concert in Seattle in October 2018

See also

In Spanish: Mitski para niños