Eat Your Heart Out to Mitski

graphic by anastasia powell

There’s a lot to be said about an artist whose music makes you feel completely seen. Indie-rock artist Mitski has a way of reaching into the depths of your soul and stroking your emotional woes. With five albums out, there’s plenty of material to wrap yourself up with and get comfortable in your fragility. 

Mitski’s popularity is on the rise not only thanks to the TikTok algorithm (#mitskishuffle) but because she is so fucking good at expressing her emotions. Each track has a clear emotion attached to it; somehow, she verbalizes specific experiences as if she was your own personal diarist.

Her hit song, “Nobody,” masterfully captures being lonely and desperate for connection in a new place. Remember those early days as a first-semester freshman? When the homesickness was so bad you just wanted to pack your dorm up and leave? If you were the main character, “Nobody,”  would have been the perfect backdrop to a mental spiral. 

Other breakdown-inducing songs include “Washing Machine Heart,” and “I Bet On Losing Dogs.” Both songs use metaphors for choosing to stay with someone who can’t give you the love you deserve because you don't want to give up on that thread of connection. To those who wallow in pints of Ben & Jerry’s over that one ex you’d drop anything for—Mitski knows your pain. She sings not only of heartache but of yearning to be accepted too. 

Many first-generation immigrants and women of color have found solace in Mitski’s music. As a Japanese-American woman herself,  Mitski sings about her experience as a WOC in the U.S., specifically on the tracks “Your Best American Girl” and “Strawberry Blonde.” Lyrics like “your mother wouldn’t approve of how my mother raised me/But I do, I finally do,” and “oh all I ever wanted was a/Life in your shape,” speak to those dealing with cultural insecurity. Of course, anyone can listen to Mitski’s music, but it’s important to recognize her music affirms the reality of being othered. 

Often, Mitski’s music is dismissed as “depressive,” which can water down her artistry. It’s true, a good portion of her music makes you want to cry and sob and pour your heart out in a cathartic way. But don’t mistake her entire discography as slow, sad songs. Her last album, Be The Cowboy uses poppy synth and fast tempos to touch upon themes of fame, nostalgia, and trauma. 

Whether you’re already an avid listener or completely new to Mitski, her music is timeless in the way you’ll always find a hidden gem in a tune or a lyric that can apply to whatever you’re going through.