To Be Alive

Song by Rina Sawayama

## Visualiser

"**To Be Alive**" is a song recorded by Rina Sawayama, featured as the closing twelfth track from her sophomore album *Hold the Girl*, which was released on 16 September 2022 through Dirty Hit.

The song's title was revealed by Sawayama on an Instagram post in June 2022.

## Background and production

According to Sawayama, the song is an "extremely euphoric" track about "the really pure realization that simple things can give us joy if we want them to."

The production of the song–which was handled by Stuart Price, Marcus Andersson, Lauren Aquilina and Sawayama–was inspired by "Ray of Light" by Madonna. It was written by Sawayama, Andersson and Aquilina, the latter who came up with the line "flowers are still pretty when they’re dying" of the song, which is also the last line of the song and the album itself. "[The album] ends on a hopeful note, but it's sad at the same time," said Sawayama on closing the album with "To Be Alive."

## Composition

"To Be Alive" is a pop ballad with elements from hyperpop and garage. James Mellen from *Clash* magazine felt that the song's melodies are "inherently" pop, but the "glitchy and beautifully jarring aspects" of the beat tease the realms of hyperpop. Annabel Nugent from *The Independent* also felt that the song's beat "brushes" against hyperpop. However, Louise Brailey from *Crack* magazine felt the song was a "garage-inflected" ballad that is "both sublime and ridiculous, sincere and 'sincere'."

## Critical reception

The song received positive reviews from music critics. While reviewing the parent album *Hold the Girl*, Jordan Currie from *Exclaim!* felt that it finishes strong, and described "To Be Alive" as a "bombastic" finale, he wrote, "it depicts Sawayama's journey as being far from over, but ultimately one that she's grateful to be around for." Annabel Nugent from *The Independent* described it as a "bombastic affirmation of life", and added that there is "a new forthrightness to [Sawayama's] lyrics, the kind often found in country music." James Mellen, writing for *Clash* magazine, remarked that "the sporadic snare hits toward the back end of the track are reminiscent of the late SOPHIE’s incredible work, and the plucky synths wouldn't be out of place on a PC Music project." Sam Franzini from *The Line of Best Fit* felt that, while "weak metaphors" pepper the beginning of the song, it is "bookended by a chant-a-long à la Kate Bush’s 'The Big Sky'” that feels "utterly joyous and free."

## Lyrics

Flowers still look pretty when they're dying

Blue skies always there behind the rain, rain

Oceans swallow all of our feelings

I know it's just temporary pain, pain

'Cause I used to make my world so small (Small)

Prisoner to my bedroom walls

I never thought that I'd get this right

But I finally know what it feels like

To be alive, to be alive

Opened my eyes, feels like the first time

That I finally know what it feels like

To be alive, to be alive

Opened my eyes, feels likе the first time

That I finally know what it feels like

To bе alive

Darkness used to wrap its arms around me

I used to bring it with me everywhere, where

I swear that sometimes I get to be my worst enemy

I swear this whole time, the answer's been right in front of me

All of the beauty and love I could not see

I see it now, I see it now

'Cause I used to make my world so small

Prisoner to my bedroom walls

I never thought that I'd get this right

But I finally know what it feels like

To be alive, to be alive

Opened my eyes, feels like the first time

That I finally know what it feels like

To be alive, to be alive

Opened my eyes, feels like the first time

That I finally know what it feels like

To be alive

Flowers still look pretty when they're dying

Oh, flowers still look pretty when they're dying

Flowers still look pretty when they're dying

Oh, flowers still look pretty when they're dying

## References

1. ↑ Rina Sawayama [@rinasonline] (30 June 2022). "Rina Sawayama on Instagram". Instagram. Retrieved on July 4, 2022. “signed so many Hold The Girl CDs !!!! gonna sign lots of vinyls soon too 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 it looks stunning omg 😭😭😭 my baby 😭😭😭”
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Rina Sawayama (16 September 2022). "*Hold the Girl* by Rina Sawayama on Apple Music". Apple Music (US). Dirty Hit. Retrieved on September 16, 2022.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mellen, James (13 September 2022). "Rina Sawayama - Hold The Girl | Reviews". *Clash*. Retrieved on September 23, 2022.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nugent, Annabel. "Rina Sawayama, Hold the Girl review: Pop star makes therapy fun on her ecstatic, eclectic second album". *The Independent*. Retrieved on September 23, 2022.
5. ↑ Brailey, Louise (16 September 2022). "Rina Sawayama: 'Hold the Girl' review". *Crack*.
6. ↑ Currie, Jordan (13 September 2022). "Rina Sawayama Can't Hold Back on 'Hold the Girl'". *Exclaim!*. Retrieved on September 23, 2022.
7. ↑ Franzini, Sam (15 September 2022). "Rina Sawayama: Hold The Girl review - sharpens her sound while leaving room for experimentation". *The Line of Best Fit*. Retrieved on September 23, 2022.