Alterlife

Single by Rina Sawayama

## Music Video

"**Alterlife**" is the second single and sixth track from Rina Sawayama's debut extended play *Rina* (2017). Released on 21 September 2017, the song was written by Sawayama, along with Justin Tailor, Ash Carvell and Clarence Clarity, with the latter producing the song.

Over pop-punk instrumentals, Rina explores the various identities she's adopted over the course of her career to finally embrace them. The track reads like a pep talk to Sawayama herself, but the underlying message of remaining true to oneself is universally applicable.

An accompanying karaoke-inspired music video for the song, directed by Shane Lim, was uploaded on 17 October 2017 on Sawayama's official YouTube account.

## Background

See also: Love Tonight
According to Sawayama, the song was initially written when she was 19, and it has gone "through so many versions." The song was intended to be released as "Love Tonight" in 2014 and a music video was shot by Ali Kurr, but the releases were canceled. Between 2016 and 2017, Sawayama's manager Will Frost introduced her to English producer Clarence Clarity. Clarity helped Sawayama to rework the song, conceiving "Alterlife".

In an email to *The Fader*, Sawayama said that "Alterlife" is about "finding yourself through trying to be other people. Everyone's trying to conform to what other people think about them, or trying to fit in, and part of growing up is about being able to create your own path. The production on the track is inspired by the intense, guitar-heavy music from racing games like *Gran Turismo* and *Need For Speed*."

## Composition

"Alterlife" is a "futurist" industrial, electropop, dance-pop, cyberpunk-pop track, featuring an "industrial guitar riff", and a key change.

Musically, the song is performed in the key of D♭ Minor, with a tempo of 108 beats per minute.

## Remix

A remix of "Alterlife" by Seiho was released on 13 October 2017.

## Music video

### Background

An accompanying "retro-futurist" karaoke-inspired music video for "Alterlife", directed by Shane Lim, was released on 17 October 2017.

### Synopsis

In the hazy, neon-dunked lyric video inspired by vintage Japanese karaoke booths video, Sawayama embodies a number of different alter egos, dances around in various wigs and outfits and lip syncs her way through the song.

## Lyrics

How many lies must I become

To get to a place off the track?

In our pursuit of number one

Everybody's racing harder for the pass

(You were the one)

'Cause she was the girl that I used to be

A girl with no responsibility

Became the armour that I hid behind

You like what you see?

Why are you so scared of falling?

(Hold your head up high)

Why do you hold on? Stop the mourning

(Rise and redefine)

When you begin to feel it

You know what to do so go and find it

This is your alter life

Don't stop for any red-blue light

The moment will fade underneath

Keep on the road and don't lose sight

Everybody's waiting for you to arrive

(You were the one)

'Cause she was the girl that I used to be

A girl with no responsibilities

Breaking the armour that I hid behind

I'm not what you see

Why are you so scared of falling?

(Hold your head up high)

Why do you hold on? Stop the mourning

(Rise and redefine)

When you begin to feel it

You know what to do so go and find it

This is your alter life

You are who you are

All of the pain and pleasure is you

(You were the one)

Although life is hard

Deep in the center, unshaken is you

This is my

(Alterlife, alterlife, alterlife)

You know what to do

(Alterlife, alterlife, alterlife)

Why are you so scared of falling?

(Hold your head up high)

Why do you hold on? Stop your mourning

(Rise and redefine)

And all this time been tryin'

Looking in the wrong place at the wrong time

(And now you're done)

The girl inside is healing

You know what to do now that you've found it

Live in your alterlife

## References

1. ↑ Genius Lyrics. Rina Sawayama – Alterlife Lyrics
2. ↑ "rinasawayama". CuriousCat. Retrieved on April 24, 2021.
3. ↑ Kuga, Mitchell (2 June 2021). "Rina Sawayama Is Turning Pop Inside Out: Pride 2021 Cover". *Billboard*. Retrieved on March 26, 2022.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Myers, Owen (20 September 2017). "Feel The Force Of Rina Sawayama’s Cyberpunk-Pop In “Alterlife”". *The Fader*. Retrieved on April 28, 2021.
5. ↑ Murray, Robin (21 September 2017). "Listen: Rina Sawayama - 'Alterlife'". *Clash*. Retrieved on April 28, 2021.
6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `spin`
7. ↑ Jenkins, Craig (24 April 2020). "Rina Sawayama ‘Sawayama’ Album Review". *Vulture*. Retrieved on April 28, 2021.
8. ↑ Aroesti, Rachel (21 December 2017). "Rina Sawayama: Rina review – R&B-fuelled peek into the pop future". *The Guardian*. Retrieved on April 28, 2021.
9. ↑ "Key & BPM for Alterlife by Rina Sawayama". Tunebat. Retrieved on April 28, 2021.
10. ↑ RINA SAWAYAMA on Twitter: "My new sounds: Alterlife (Seiho Remix)"
11. ↑ *Vogue.* Rina Sawayama Is a Cyberpunk Style Chameleon in Marques’Almeida in Her New “Alterlife” Video
12. ↑ The Vinyl Factory. Watch Rina Sawayama’s new retro-futurist karaoke video for ‘Afterlife’
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 *Vice.* Rina Sawayama Is a Throwback Karaoke Queen in Her New Video