Rina Sawayama facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rina Sawayama
リナ・サワヤマ
Sawayama performing at Primavera Sound in 2022
Born	(1990-08-16) 16 August 1990 (age 34) Niigata, Japan
Education	Magdalene College, Cambridge (BA)
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress model
Years active	2013–present
Works	Discography live performances
Musical career
Origin	London, England
Genres	Pop rock R&B
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica flute
Labels	Dirty Hit Make Mine House of Us The Vinyl Factory 88rising 12Tone Different
Signature

Rina Sawayama (born August 16, 1990) is a talented Japanese and British singer, songwriter, actress, and model. She was born in Niigata, Japan. When she was five years old, she moved to London with her parents.

In 2017, Rina released her first collection of songs, an extended play called Rina. She released it herself. Later, in 2020, she signed with Dirty Hit records. Her first full album, Sawayama, came out and was praised by many. Her second album, Hold the Girl, was released on September 16, 2022. Rina is known for her diverse music styles. She has also worked as a model for fashion brands. In 2023, she made her acting debut in the action movie John Wick: Chapter 4.

Early Life and Education

Rina Sawayama was born in Niigata, Japan, on August 16, 1990. She lived there until she was five. Then, her family moved to London, England, where she grew up and still lives. She has a special visa that allows her to live in the UK permanently.

Rina shared that her family planned to move back to Japan when she was ten. However, they decided to stay in London. When she first moved, Rina found it hard to understand her teachers and friends because she didn't speak English well. She eventually connected with others through pop music. To keep her Japanese culture alive, she listened to Japanese artists like Hikaru Utada and Morning Musume.

When Rina was 16, she started sharing music covers on Myspace. In high school, she formed a hip hop group called Lazy Lion. Rina later studied politics, psychology, and sociology at Magdalene College, Cambridge. She earned a degree in political science from the university.

Music Career Highlights

Starting Out: 2013–2016

Rina Sawayama began her solo music journey in February 2013. Her first single was "Sleeping in Waking." A special vinyl record of this song, with another song called "Who?" on the other side, was released in April 2013. Later that year, she released a song called "Terror" using the stage name "Riina." She later explained that she used only her first name because her last name was "an inconvenience."

In June 2015, Rina released a music video for her song "Tunnel Vision." In 2016, she released the single "Where U Are." This song explored how people interact with digital media. Rina explained that online, people can show their "best edited self." She noted that phones can replace human warmth, making people feel together but also alone. Critics described the song as "ultra-sweet and shimmering pop" and "90s R&B pop perfection."

First Albums: 2017–2020

In March 2017, Rina's song "Cyber Stockholm Syndrome" was first played on The Fader. Rina said the song was about how the digital world can offer support and a place to escape. It explored feelings of worry, hope, and freedom.

Sawayama performing in London in 2018

In 2017, Rina released more singles, "Alterlife" and "Tunnel Vision," which was a duet with Shamir. These were followed by her first extended play, Rina. At that time, Rina was not signed to a record label. She released Rina on her own. She shared on Twitter that she worked for two to three years to save money for the EP. The Guardian newspaper called the EP "bracing and modern." They said Rina showed she could lead pop music into the future. Pitchfork listed Rina as one of the best pop and R&B albums of the year.

In 2018, Rina released the song "Valentine" on Valentine's Day. The music video for "Ordinary Superstar" came out in June 2018. In August 2018, Rina released "Cherry," a song where she explored who she is. Rina then went on her Ordinary Superstar Tour in the UK, US, and Canada. In 2019, she opened for Charli XCX's tour in the UK. That same year, she acted in the comedy TV series Turn Up Charlie.

In 2020, after signing with Dirty Hit records, Rina released new songs from her upcoming first album. These included "Comme des Garçons (Like the Boys)," which was a tribute to early 2000s dance songs. Another single, "XS," which mixed rock and 2000s R&B, was released on March 2. The next month, Rina released "Chosen Family." Her first album, Sawayama, was released on April 17 and received great reviews. In June 2020, she covered "Dance in the Dark" by Lady Gaga for Spotify's Singles series. Rina's version changed the original song's Europop sound to a more electropop style.

In July 2020, Rina posted on Twitter about not being able to be nominated for major British music awards, like the Mercury Prize and BRIT Awards. This was because she did not have British citizenship. The hashtag "#SawayamaIsBritish" became popular on Twitter in the UK. Many people, including Elton John, supported Rina. The British Phonographic Industry (BPI) later changed their rules. This allowed anyone who had lived in the UK for a long time, like Rina, to be eligible. On October 26, 2020, Rina performed "XS" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which was her first time on TV. The next month, she released a song called "Lucid." On December 4, 2020, a special deluxe version of Sawayama was released.

Recent Work: 2021–Present

In April 2021, Rina released an updated version of "Chosen Family" as a duet with Elton John. In August 2021, Newsweek Japan included Rina on their list of "100 Japanese people respected by the world." Rina also covered the Metallica song "Enter Sandman" for a charity album called The Metallica Blacklist, released in September 2021. On September 3, 2021, a remix of Lady Gaga's "Free Woman" featuring Rina appeared on Gaga's remix album Dawn of Chromatica.

Rina started working on her second album in 2021. In November 2021, she began The Dynasty Tour to support her album Sawayama. She was featured on the song "Beg for You" by Charli XCX, released on January 27, 2022. She also appeared on "Follow Me" by Brazilian drag queen Pabllo Vittar, released on March 31, 2022. On May 16, Rina announced that her second album, Hold the Girl, would be released in September 2022. The first song from the album, "This Hell", was released on May 18. "Catch Me in the Air" was the second song, released on June 27. The album's title song, "Hold the Girl", was released on July 27. "Phantom" was released on August 25, and the final song from the album, "Hurricanes," came out on September 12.

Rina made her first movie appearance in the fourth movie in the John Wick film series. The movie was released in March 2023 and received good reviews. Rina also released the song "An Eye for An Eye," which is featured in the film.

Other Activities

Modelling Work

Rina Sawayama is signed with Anti-Agency and Elite Model Management. In 2017, she was chosen for Versus x Versace's fall/winter fashion campaign. She has also appeared in campaigns for Jourdan Dunn's Missguided. Rina wrote and performed a song called "Play on Me" for Nicola Formichetti's MAC x Nicopanda. In September 2021, she walked the runway for Balmain to celebrate ten years of Olivier Rousteing leading the French fashion house. Rina was featured on the cover of British Vogue in June 2023.

Working with Others

In 2016, Rina worked with Taiwanese artist John Yuyi. They created a visual series that looked at Asian, including Japanese, beauty standards. Rina was then featured in Vogue. In the interview, Rina explained that for many women in Japan, there are certain expectations from anime and kawaii culture. She said this can make women feel like objects or be treated like children. Rina has also worked with Nicola Formichetti for MAC x Nicopanda. Formichetti also directed the music video for Rina's song "Ordinary Superstar."

Musical Style

Rina Sawayama has shared that she started singing after her family enjoyed karaoke. She first sang "Automatic" by Hikaru Utada in front of her parents. She credits Utada as the reason she began making music. Rina also says Madonna is a "huge inspiration." She often mentions Lady Gaga as an inspiration and learned a vocal technique called bel canto after studying Gaga's singing. Music critics have described Rina's voice as a soprano. She admires vocalists like Aretha Franklin, Beyoncé, Janelle Monáe, Alicia Keys, and Karen O.

When she was twelve, Rina convinced her father to give her a guitar after listening to Avril Lavigne. She taught herself to play chords and then started writing her own songs. Other artists who have influenced Rina include Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Evanescence, NSYNC, Kylie Minogue, Limp Bizkit, Pink, Ringo Sheena, and Taylor Swift.

Film and Television Roles

Film

Television

Music Albums

• Sawayama (2020)
• Hold the Girl (2022)

Awards and Recognitions

Concert Tours

Headlining Tours

• Ordinary Superstar Tour (2018)
• The Dynasty Tour (2021–2022)
• Hold the Girl Tour (2022–2023)
• Hold the Girl Reloaded Tour (2023)

Supporting Tours

• Palo Santo Tour (with Years & Years) (2018)
• Charli Live Tour (with Charli XCX) (2019)

See also

In Spanish: Rina Sawayama para niños