Cherry

## Music Video

"**Cherry**" is a single recorded by Rina Sawayama, released on 14 August 2018, under Different Recordings label. The song was written by Sawayama, and produced by Clarence Clarity and Justin Tailor.

The song is Sawayama's proud proclamation of her identity as pansexual. She talks about her day-to-day experience as a pansexual person, as well as the struggles that come with it. "Cherry" is a song that encourages listeners to be expressive about who they love and is a commentary on the lack of representation for pansexual people in music.

## Background

In an interview with *Paper* magazine, Sawayama told about the inspiration about "Cherry": "There was a girl on the tube that gave me the 'look' before a session and it set the song in motion in my head. I've identified as queer/pan since several years ago but because of experiences of shame when I was growing up that's the main emotion that comes up whenever I have non-heterosexual feelings." She added, "In the past my feelings have been erased, minimized and mocked, and I've been told by people that my desires are temporary, even suggestions that it's just a concealed desire to cheat. All of those anecdotes are included in the song."

Rina also told about "Cherry":

> I think this was the first time that I’ve written so obviously about it that I just couldn’t hide it. When releasing it as a single, I didn’t want to mask it as something that it wasn’t. It was really nerve-racking. I consulted a lot of people about making sure that the message was right. I didn’t want to further stigmatize the bi or pan community, or queer people in general… but the messages I’ve gotten from fans, and from people saying they came out because of me, it’s all just very emotional. It’s incredible. It was a risk worth taking.
>
> — "Rina Sawayama Talks Internalized Biphobia, Coming Out As Pansexual & New 'Cherry' Music Video", *Billbaord*

## Critical reception

"Cherry" received critical acclaim. Olivia Horn from *Pitchfork* described it as "a sweet-as-pie take on budding romance, written with an eye toward representation." She also praised Sawayama's vocals on it, comparing them with Mariah Carey "when she slips into her featherlight, borderline-lazy head voice," and hints of Justin Timberlake's "percussive, nasal tone when she sings". Calling Rina as "one of this generation’s best pop stars," *Vice* magazine's Daisy Jones wrote that the song is Rina's "more confessional creations to date." She continued "Rina has given us a pansexual anthem that is both relatable and personal." Erica Russell from *Nylon* magazine called "Cherry" another one of Sawayama's "multi-layered, anti-hegemonic bops that speaks to themes of identity—this time, being queer." She also commented that the song "captures the butterflies-in-your-stomach sensation of falling for someone you didn't to expect to fall for." According to Li-Wei Chu, from *From the Intercom*, "Cherry" takes "the plunge and goes all in with her influences. Everything from the big booming hook to the slight voice modulation invokes a sense of nostalgia, recalling the simpler times of the turn of the century."

## Music video

### Background

The official music video for "Cherry" was uploaded on Sawayama's YouTube account on 6 September 2018. It was directed by Isaac Lock, and choreographed by Joelle D’Fontaine and Frazer Murray.

Sawayama explained about the music video:

> There’s a princess in Japanese folklore that has ‘cherry’ in her name, and director [Isaac Lock] references that. We were able to cast incredible dancers in a really short space of time, literally the day before rehearsals. It was an all-queer POC cast. Literally everyone on the creative team and on set was queer, so it was such a celebration. In the video I’m celebrating tenderness, the strength within that, and femininity, but in lots of different forms. That’s the message of the song as well.
>
>

#### Credits

Taken from the music video description on YouTube.

* **Director:** Isaac Lock
* **Producer:** Elly Camisa
* **1st AD:** Clara Paris
* **DOP:** Krzysztof Trojnar
* **Steadicam Operator:** || Matt Allsop
* **Gaffer:** Sam Alberg
* **Production Designer:** || Tony Hornecker
* **Stylist:** Lauren Anne Groves
* **Make-up Artist:** Daniel Sallstrom
* **Hair Stylist:** Roxane Attard
* **Choreography:** Joelle D’Fontaine & Frazer Murray
* **Camera:** Panavision
* **Lights:** Panalux
* **Studio:** YouTube Spaces
* **Dancers:** Kash Powell, Matthew Miller , Robeathy Corea, David Prempeh , Ainsley Ricketts, Damjan Mrakovcic

## Lyrics

*Hello, can I speak to...*

*Oh, never mind*

So won't you? Will you be my cherry?

So come on talk to me, talk to me

Will you, will you be mine?

1, 2, 3, let's go

Down the subway, you looked my way

With your girl gaze, with your girl gaze

That was the day everything changed

Couldn't stay the same

Now it's Tuesday and I'm thinking

'Bout to tuck in, 'bout to tuck in

Telling myself that it's cheating

But it's something else

Even though I'm satisfied

I lead my life within a lie

Holding onto feelings

I'm not used to feeling

'Cause, oh, they make me feel alive

When they tell you that you've got to stay the same

Even though you're not yourself

And you've got somebody else

When they tell you that you've got yourself to blame

Even though it's not your fault

But your heart just wants to know, know

Down the subway, you looked my way

With your girl gaze, with your girl gaze

That was the day everything changed

Now it's something else

Even though I'm satisfied

I lead my life within a lie

Holding onto feelings

I'm not used to feeling

'Cause, oh, they make me feel alive (Oh, they make me feel alive)

So won't you? Will you be my cherry?

So come on, talk to me, talk to me

Will you, will you be mine?

I see you watching me, will you be mine, baby?

Will I be your cherry?

So come on, talk to me, talk to me

Will you, will you be mine?

With one look you take me back to everything I used to be

When everyone was seventeen with no ID, no ID

Now I wanna love myself

'Cause nothing else is guaranteed

'Cause inside I'm still the same me with no ID, no ID

Won't you be my cherry now?

Even though I'm satisfied

I lead my life within a lie

Holding onto feelings

I'm not used to feeling

'Cause, oh, they make me feel alive

Even though I'm satisfied

I lead my life within a lie

Holding onto feelings

I'm not used to feeling

'Cause, oh, they make me feel alive

So won't you? Will you be my cherry?

So come on, talk to me, talk to me

Will you, will you be mine?

I see you watching me, will you be mine, baby?

Will I be your cherry?

So come on, talk to me, talk to me

Will you, will you be mine?

I see you watching me, watching me

## References

1. ↑ Album of The Year. Rina Sawayama - Cherry - Reviews
2. ↑ *Paper.* Indie Pop Artist Rina Sawayama Releases New Single, "Cherry"
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *BIllboard.* Rina Sawayama Talks Internalized Biphobia, Coming Out As Pansexual & New 'Cherry' Music Video
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 *Pitchfork.* "Cherry" by Rina Sawayama Review
5. ↑ *Vice.* Oh Damn, Rina Sawayama’s “Cherry” Is a Sugary, Pansexual Bop
6. ↑ *Nylon.* Rina Sawayama’s “Cherry” Is a Joyful Pansexual-Awakening Pop Anthem
7. ↑ From the Intercom. Rina Sawayama – “Cherry”
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Rina Sawayama - Cherry (Official Video)