Mitski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mitski
Mitski performing in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Mitsuki Laycock
Also known as	Mitski Miyawaki
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
Signature

Mitsuki Laycock (born September 27, 1990), known professionally as Mitski, is an American singer-songwriter. She also uses the name Mitski Miyawaki. She first released her own music, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013). These albums were part of her studies at Purchase College's Conservatory of Music.

Mitski signed with Dead Oceans in 2015. She then released Puberty 2 (2016), Be the Cowboy (2018), and Laurel Hell (2022). Laurel Hell became a top ten album in many countries. In 2022, The Guardian newspaper called her the "best young songwriter" in the United States. That same year, she helped write "This Is a Life" for the movie Everything Everywhere All at Once. This song earned her an Academy Award nomination. Her seventh album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, came out in 2023. The song "My Love Mine All Mine" from this album was her first to appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Early Life and Travels

Mitsuki Laycock was born on September 27, 1990, in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Her father is American, and her mother is Japanese. She now uses her mother's last name, Miyawaki. Japanese was her first language.

Mitski moved around a lot when she was young. This was because of her father's job with the United States Department of State. She lived in places like Turkey, China, Malaysia, the Czech Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eventually, her family settled in the United States. When she was a teenager in Japan, she briefly worked with a manager. She wrote her first song on the piano at age 18 while living in Ankara, Turkey.

Music Career

Early Albums and First Success

Mitski first went to Hunter College to study film. But she soon decided she wanted to make music instead. She then moved to SUNY Purchase College to study how to create music. While there, she recorded her first two albums, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013). These were her student projects. At Purchase, she met Patrick Hyland, who has produced many of her albums.

After college, Mitski worked on her third album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek. It was released on November 11, 2014. This album had a different sound. It used more raw, energetic guitar sounds. This was a change from the piano-based music of her first two albums. The album was praised by many music critics.

On December 22, 2015, Mitski joined the record label Dead Oceans. She announced her fourth album, Puberty 2, on March 1, 2016. She released the first song from it, "Your Best American Girl". The album came out on June 17. It was recorded in just two weeks. Music critics really liked Puberty 2. Rolling Stone magazine called "Your Best American Girl" one of the best songs of the 2010s. Her song "Francis Forever" was even covered in an episode of the cartoon show Adventure Time in 2016.

In 2017, Mitski toured with the band Pixies. She also covered the One Direction song "Fireproof" for a special album. This album helped raise money for important causes. Later that year, she opened for the singer Lorde on her tour. A short film called Sitting, starring Mitski, was released on November 1.

Mitski performing at a concert in Seattle in October 2018

Be the Cowboy and Laurel Hell

In 2018, Mitski worked with the band Xiu Xiu on a song called "Between the Breaths". This song was for the movie How to Talk to Girls at Parties.

On May 14, 2018, Mitski announced her fifth album, Be the Cowboy. She released the first song, "Geyser", with a music video. The second song, "Nobody", came out on June 26, 2018. This song became very popular years later, especially on TikTok. People used the chorus, where she sings "Nobody" many times, in funny videos. This helped many new fans discover Mitski's music. Be the Cowboy was released on August 17. It received great reviews and was named album of the year by several 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 an artist named Monica Mirabile to create these movements. This dance style was also used in her music video for "Working for the Knife".

In September 2019, Mitski said her Be the Cowboy Tour would be her last for a while. She even thought about quitting music completely. But by early 2020, she decided to keep making music. She realized it was a big part of who she is.

Mitski performing in 2022, using Butoh-inspired choreography

In January 2020, Mitski shared a new song called "Cop Car". It was from the movie The Turning. She also sang on the song "Susie Save Your Love" for Allie X's album.

Mitski also created the soundtrack for a graphic novel called This Is Where We Fall. This story is a sci-fi Western about big ideas like life and death. Mitski said it was fun to make music for a comic book. A country song from the soundtrack, "The Baddy Man", was released in March 2021.

On October 4, 2021, Mitski announced a new song, "Working for the Knife". This was the first song from her sixth album. Pitchfork called it one of the best songs of 2021. Mitski then announced her 2022 tour. Her sixth album, Laurel Hell, was released on February 4, 2022. In March 2022, her song "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 online. This song was 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. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for this in 2023.

The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We

Mitski performing at All Points East festival in 2024

On July 23, 2023, Mitski announced her seventh album, The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. The first song, "Bug Like an Angel", came out on July 26. She shared this news in a voice message to her fans. The album was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. Two more songs, "Heaven" and "Star", were released on August 23.

To promote the new album, Mitski held special cinema events in August 2023. Fans could listen to the album early and watch a movie chosen by Mitski. She also announced a few small, intimate concerts in Europe. These shows were a way to share the new album without a big stage production. She later added more tour dates in the US for 2024.

In November 2023, it was announced that Mitski would write songs for a Broadway musical. It will be based on the book The Queen's Gambit.

In March 2024, Mitski took part in the Spotify Singles series. She performed two cover songs, "Coyote, My Little Brother" and "Buffalo Replaced".

Musical Style

Critics describe Mitski's music as very emotional. It's like a "private opera house of melodrama." Her songs often talk about strong feelings. These include anger, sadness, longing, and heartbreak.

Mitski herself says her music is a place where people can express all their feelings. It's a space for emotions that might not fit into their everyday 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."

Since 2020, Mitski has lived in Nashville, Tennessee.

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

See also

In Spanish: Mitski para niños