Mitski Miyawaki, or Mitski, is an Asian-American indie artist who is finally getting the recognition she deserves.
If you’re on TikTok, you may have heard of her songs “Strawberry Blonde” or “I Bet on Losing Dogs.” One of her most popular tracks titled “Nobody” is also a song you may be familiar with. If it’s one thing about Mitski, it’s that she’s a great artist to listen to for those nights where you need to cry it all out. So lo and behold, here are a few Mitski tracks that you should listen to when you need a good crying session:
1. I Bet on Losing Dogs
This is my ultimate go-to song for when I’m in my feels. The chorus in this song is perhaps one of the most heart-wrenching lyrics I’ve ever heard. Mitski compares her doomed relationships by using the metaphor “betting on losing dogs,” in which she sings “I bet on losing dogs/I know they’re losing and I pay for my place by the ring/Where I’ll be looking at their eyes when they’re down.” She paints a sorrowful image using these lines, thus, universally creating a tsunami of tears for all her listeners.
2. I Don’t Smoke
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if this song shows up as my “most listened to” song for my Spotify Wrapped 2021 stats. “I Don’t Smoke” is the fifth track off of Mitski’s third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek. The haunting lyrics in the chorus and the deep rifts of this slow rock song are a perfect track to play for those with an aching heart.
3. Thursday Girl
“Thursday Girl” hits me right in the feels. After listening to this song a couple of times, I’ve interpreted it as a song about self-destruction and feeling lost. A lot of us can relate to this. The way Mitski says “Somebody please tell me no” in the chorus gets me every time. “Thursday Girl” definitely makes me feel less alone when it comes to self-destruction.
4. Your Best American Girl
In an NPR interview from 2012, Mitski tells interviewer Bob Boilen that “Your Best American Girl” is a song about growing up in the U.S. while having an ethnic background and not being the ideal woman to date because of it. In her music video for this song, Mitski is seen smiling at a white man as a white woman grabs his attention. They get intimate and Mitski is left alone by herself, feeling embarrassed and even ashamed. It’s an issue that non-white women deal with. This song is special to me because it finally makes me seen, and judging by scrolling through the YouTube comments underneath the music video, it makes many other WOC feel seen as well.
5. Pink in the Night
Lyrics-wise, “Pink in the Night” is the least sad track on this list yet one of the most grimacing instrumentals Mitski has ever composed. It’s the 10th track off of Mitski’s latest studio album, “Be the Cowboy.” It’s a great song to listen to when you’re falling in love.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you end up crying listening to Mitski. Most of her songs, anyway, are perfect for sad girl hour. So wrap yourself up in your blanket, dim the lights, and fall asleep to some Mitski.