Chosen Family

## Single by Rina Sawayama and Elton John

> [The song] is an invitation for anyone that feels that sense of otherness to find their chosen family, where they can truly be themselves and feel loved. I dedicate this song to my queer friends who I now consider family—it's essentially a big thank-you to them, as I love them so much and I genuinely don't think I would be alive right now if it weren't for them.
>
> Rina Sawayama

"**Chosen Family**" is a song by Japanese–British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama, described as "a powerful anthem of belonging". She did a remix version with Elton John, the single released on 14 April 2021 along with its performance lyric video. It was added on the deluxe version of her album *Sawayama* and appears as the fifth track from John's collaborative album, *The Lockdown Sessions* (2021).

In a statement, Sawayama said, "It was such a joy and honor to rework 'Chosen Family' with the legendary Elton John. The song means so much to both of us, and recording it together was such a special experience I will never forget. I got shivers when I heard his voice through the monitor and became emotional when he added the piano parts. Elton has been such a huge supporter from before the album, and when we finally met to record this song we clicked from the get-go. I hope people can hear the magic!"

## Background

Sawayama wrote the song as a LGBTQ+ anthem for her friends, where some of them have not been accepted by their family or not come out yet due to fear of their reactions. She added, "The concept of 'Chosen Family' is such a pure one, such an important one. And I think especially this year, it's been really important, the idea of family being rather flexible, and I can't imagine all the queer people who have had to endure hardship at home.... It's just a very straight up love song to my friends, which then I realized when I wrote about it really applied to other people as well." She told *Pitchfork*, "I needed to write very authentically about that, because you can very much straight-wash the whole thing—interestingly, when I showed that song to people, they thought it was about marriage. Chosen family has been a queer concept for a long time, and it felt very special to be able to write that."

The track premiered on Zane Lowe's Apple Music show before the video's release, where the visual shows the duo performing together at the piano.

John said of the song:

> I just thought this song spoke about bringing people together and loving at a time when people are so hateful to each other and that the world is so divisive.... And I just think it's just awful that people can write anonymous things about people being gay, being of another political persuasion, religious persuasion, or just plain racial. And this song, I thought, 'God, this is exactly what we need to be saying right now.' It's a song about peace. It's about acceptance, about tolerance.
>
>

## Lyrics

* Original
* Remix

**Lyrics**
[Intro]

Where do I belong?

[Verse 1]

Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine

I'm all ears, take your time, we've got all night

Show me the rivers crossed, the mountains scaled

Show me who made you walk all the way here

[Pre-Chorus]

Ooh

Settle down, put your bags down

Ooh

You're alright now

[Chorus]

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same thing, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

[Verse 2]

Hand me a pen and I'll rewrite the pain

When you're ready, we'll turn the page together

Open a bottle, it's time we celebrate

Who you were, who you are

We're one and the same, yeah, yeah

[Chorus]

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same thing, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

[Bridge]

I chose you

You chose me

I chose (Chosen family)

I chose you

You chose me

We're alright now

[Chorus]

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same pain, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same pain, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same pain, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

**Lyrics**
[Intro: Rina Sawayama]

Where do I belong?

[Verse 1: Rina Sawayama]

Tell me your story and I'll tell you mine

I'm all ears, take your time, we've got all night

Show me the rivers crossed, the mountains scaled

Show me who made you walk all the way here

[Pre-Chorus: Rina Sawayama *with Elton John*]

*Ooh*

Settle down, put your bags down

*Ooh*

You're alright now

[Chorus: Rina Sawayama]

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same thing, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

[Verse 2: Elton John]

Hand me a pen and I'll rewrite the pain

When you're ready, we'll turn the page together

Open a bottle, it's time we celebrate

Who you were, who you are

We're one and the same, yeah

[Chorus: Rina Sawayama, Elton John]

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same thing, yeah

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

[Bridge: Rina Sawayama, *Elton John*, **Both**]

I chose you

*You chose me*

I chose

*Chosen family*

I chose you

**You chose me**

We're alright now

[Chorus: Elton John, *Rina Sawayama*, **Both**]

We don't need to be related to relate

We don't need to share genes or a surname

You are, you are

My chosen, chosen family

So what if we don't look the same?

We been going through the same pain, yeah

You are, you are

*My chosen*, **chosen family**

*We don't need to be related to relate*

We don't need to share genes or a surname

**You are, you are**

*My chosen*, **chosen family**

*So what if we don't look the same?*

*We been going through the same pain, yeah* (Same pain)

*You are, you are*

*My chosen, chosen family*

*We don't need to be related to relate*

*We don't need to share genes or a surname*

*You are, you are*

*My chosen, chosen family*

*So what if we don't look the same?*

*We been going through the same pain, yeah*

**You are, you are**

**My chosen, chosen family**

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Daw, Stephen (3 April 2020). "Rina Sawayama Celebrates Her Queer 'Chosen Family' on Uplifting New Single: Listen'". *Billboard*.
2. ↑ Shaffer, Claire (14 April 2021). "Rina Sawayama, Elton John Release Duet Version of 'Chosen Family'". *Rolling Stone*.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Mamo, Heran (14 April 2021). "Rina Sawayama Picks Elton John as Her 'Chosen Family,' Talks Song's Crucial Timing". *Billboard*.
4. ↑ Blum, Dani (12 March 2020). "Rina Sawayama on Her Wildly Eclectic and Disarmingly Personal Debut Album". *Pitchfork*.
5. ↑ Moore, Sam (15 April 2021). "Listen to Rina Sawayama's new Elton John-featuring version of 'Chosen Family'". *NME*.

Template:The Lockdown Sessions