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Music

Rina Sawayama is Extraordinary in Her “Ordinary Superstar” Video

Check out the glamorous new video for her 'RINA' highlight.

Future icon Rina Sawayama has released a gorgeous new video for her single “Ordinary Superstar”. The opening track from her 2017 debut album RINA, “Ordinary Superstar” somehow finds a spot in the middle of a ‘new jack swing/80s rock/J-pop’ venn diagram without inducing any musical whiplash. The video, styled by Nicola Formichetti, finds Rina dancing through spaces inspired by Tokyo’s ‘80s club scene, flanked by backup dancers and serving fire look after fire look. In a few shots, Rina wears a suit and pinned up hair, inspired by Takarazuka drag, the all-female counter to Kabuki, as she explained on Instagram. Directed by Can Evgin, it’s very Rina, and fits perfectly into the hyperreal, neon-lit aesthetic she’s cultivated so far. Watch “Ordinary Superstar” above.

“Ordinary Superstar” is a standout from an album full of them; RINA is, for my money, one of the best pop debuts released in the last few years. It’s a record that feels fully formed, from the Backstreet Boys-sounding “Take Me as I Am” to more outré tracks like “Through the Wire” and “Cyber Stockholm Syndrome”, which moves from ambient pop balladry to a 2000s hip-hop style beat to a dense peak anchored by a psych-rock guitar solo. If you’re new to Rina’s music, the excellent “Ordinary Superstar” video is a great entry point. Read our feature on Rina from last year here.

Shaad D'Souza is Noisey's Australian editor. Follow him on Twitter.