"XS" by Rina Sawayama // Song Review

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Rina Sawayama's "XS" delivers such a cool and sharply written take on consumerism and excess, and how deeply it’s woven into our identities. She approaches the topic in such a unique way, one that feels satirical and purposefully exaggerated, as if to mirror the very culture she's critiquing. "Cartiers and Tesla Xs, Calabasas, I deserve it," she sings in the first pre-chorus. "Call me crazy, call me selfish, I'm the baddest and I'm worth it".

Sonically, it's a wild collision of styles all at once. It shifts from polished pop perfection to chaotic bursts of distortion throughout, mirroring the cracks beneath the hyper curated surface. Released as the second single from her 2020 sophomore album SAWAYAMA, the song felt incredibly relevant at the time, but its themes have only grown sharper and even more relevant in the years to follow.  It's also very early‑2000s coded in a way that feels nostalgic and referential, but also with a distinctly modern approach. 

The satire continues into the chorus as she sings, "Gimme just a little bit more, little bit of excess, oh me, oh my, I don't wanna hear no, no, only want a yes, yes". It is so catchy and addictive to listen to, but also intentionally surface level as she continues to dig deeper into the real meaning of the song in the following verses. 

"Flex, when all that's left is immaterial, and the price we paid is unbelievable," she sings in the second verse. "And I'm taking in as much as I can hold, well, here are the things you'll never know".

In a 2020 statement to Pitchfork, Rina explained the song's deeper intention, "'XS' is a song that mocks capitalism in a sinking world, she said. "We're all hypocrites because we are all capitalists, and it's a trap that I don't see us getting out of. I wanted to reflect the chaos of this post‑truth climate change denying world in the metal guitar stabs that flare up like an underlying zit between the 2000s R&B beat that reminds you of a time when everything was alright."

The switching between the two perspectives - the fantasy of all the glamour and opulence, and the darker, more uncomfortable truth behind itis  - exactly what makes "XS" such a captivating and important pop song. It serves as a glossy pop track, but also as a sharp cultural critique, as all the best pop songs truly are.

Check out more from my song of the week series here. ☆ Thanks for reading!



Photo Credit: Dirty Hit


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