Mitski Miyawaki, known mononymously as Mitski, is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter. She started her career while studying at the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, during which she self-released her first two albums: Lush (2012), and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013). After graduating from SUNY Purchase and moving to New York City, Mitski released her critically acclaimed third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek (2014), on label Double Double Whammy. In 2016, Mitski released Puberty 2, her fourth studio album, to further critical acclaim.

Career

While studying at the SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Music, Mitski self-released her first and second albums, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013). She trained in studio composition at SUNY Purchase. After graduating from SUNY Purchase, Mitski moved to New York City where she wrote and recorded her third studio album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek.

Released November 11, 2014 by Double Double Whammy, Bury Me at Makeout Creek garnered critical acclaim from publications such as Pitchfork, NME, Rolling Stone and The New York Times. In 2015, Mitski was named one of “10 Artists You Need to Know” by Rolling Stone.

After releasing two singles from the album, “Your Best American Girl” in March and “Happy” in May, Mitski released her fourth album, Puberty 2, in June 2016. It was recorded over a two-week period at Acme Studios in Westchester (owned by Peter Denenberg), and produced by Patrick Hyland, Mitski’s only collaborator to date. The album received an 8.5 and Best New Music on Pitchfork. Puberty 2 also scored an aggregated score of 87 on Metacritic, indicating universal acclaim.

In popular culture

On November 1, 2016 she was made an “honorary vixen” of The Harvard Lampoon, an undergraduate humor publication at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The song “Francis Forever” was covered by Marceline the Vampire Queen in the episode “The Music Hole” from Adventure Time.

Personal life

Mitski is biracial, and she was born in Japan and grew up surrounded by her mother’s 1970s pop CDs. Her family moved frequently, from Japan to Malaysia, China, Turkey, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, among other countries before finally settling in New York City. Her music reflects her cross-cultural identity as “half Japanese, half American, but not fully either,” and discusses issues of belonging. Mitski has stated that she is uncomfortable with the attention that comes with being in the public eye and prefers keeping her personal life private.

Discography

Studio albums

• Lush (2012)
• Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013)
• Bury Me at Makeout Creek (2014)
• Puberty 2 (2016)

Extended plays

• Mitski – Audiotree Live (2015)

Videography

• 2016: “Townie”
• 2016: “Your Best American Girl”
• 2016: “Happy”
• 2016: “A Burning Hill”