SW 2019: Mitski

If you aren’t ecstatic about Mitski’s visit to campus this weekend, you’ve probably been sleeping on indie rock for a while now. Mitski, short for Mitski Miyawaki, currently boasts a near-cultish fan base, bursting through a genre traditionally filled with white men. Although Pitchfork dubbed Be the Cowboy  its #1 album of 2018, she hasn’t always been the indie star we know today. As a child, she moved from country to country before starting college in New York City. There, she began her career as a classical/avant-garde musician, using music as a steadying force in a life of constant change. But her 2014 album Bury Me at Makeout Creek marked a transition into an era of raw vocals and gritty guitar tracks.That release started a steady climb to indie-rock icon. Her 2016 release, Puberty 2, continued pushing raw emotion and confidence, forcing her words to resonate. The album debuted such legendary songs as “Your Best American Girl,” “My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars,” and “I Bet on Losing Dogs.”Most recently, Be the Cowboy has that one Mitski song you’ve probably heard if you aren't a huge fan like me. “Nobody” is undoubtedly a bop, and the album is a great intro to Mitski if a “sobbing at Blue State” session isn’t your vibe (One of my friends actually did do this. Consider yourself warned). The album is more pop and optimistic than her other work while maintaining the bold lyrics she is known for.  I’d recommend “Washing Machine Heart” as a follow-up to “Nobody.”.Mitski’s music might be hard to tackle at first. Each song is its own universe, something to get lost in. Albums feel strung together only by her persistent voice, which is what makes her so pervasive. She’s not going to give us a set that is entirely hype, or entirely sad, or entirely anything. I hope you’re all as excited for it as I am.If you're intrigued, take a listen to some of her songs recorded live here![embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEIaBUuXDkc[/embed]Images via.