Rina Sawayama’s next album reflects global chaos: “It’s darker, it’s angrier”

Rina Sawayama reveals her upcoming album explores darker, angrier themes inspired by global politics and unrest

Rina Sawayama is entering a bold new chapter in her artistic journey. In a new interview with Vogue Japan, the Japanese-British singer-songwriter revealed that her upcoming album will be her darkest and most emotionally charged project yet.

Known for blending pop with personal and political themes, Sawayama said her new music reflects the instability and anger she feels in today’s world.

“The world feels darker and more uncertain than ever,” she said. “Pop music can sometimes be an escape, but I want to reflect reality — to express negative emotions through sound rather than hide from them.”

The as-yet-untitled record follows her acclaimed 2022 release Hold The Girl, which combined pop hooks with introspective storytelling. For this new project, Sawayama has reportedly written around 50 songs, carefully selecting those that best capture her emotional and political vision.

Alongside her music, the John Wick: Chapter 4 actress continues to expand her career across film and business. She’s currently filming the Apple TV+ romantic comedy Prodigies and recently launched a beauty brand, GODMODE, with actress Chloë Grace Moretz.

Sawayama, who was born in Niigata, Japan, and raised in London, also reflected on how spending time in Japan helped her reconnect with creativity after years of touring burnout. “I learned that relaxation and stillness can also be creative,” she said.

Her next album, still in progress, promises to showcase an even more fearless and emotionally raw Rina Sawayama — one unafraid to confront the darkness of our times through art.