ARTIST OF THE WEEK: No.286 - Rina Sawayama

With her eagerly-awaited debut album set to drop later this month, rising artist Rina Sawayama now returns with her latest alt-pop belter with 'Chosen Family'.

With a distinctive production landing from PC Music's Danny L Harle, this new offering showcases her ability for bold and blissful compositions, coupled with a bright and euphoric tone that breathes life and wonder into this new release.

Speaking about her new cut, she said, "'Chosen Family' is a very special song for me. The concept of a chosen family is, to me, a queer one - people are often kicked out of their homes or ostracized by their family, friends, and community after coming out. This can be an incredibly painful experience that can be remedied by finding a new 'chosen' family. The chorus lyrics 'We don't need to be related to relate, we don't need to share genes or a surname' 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's debut album 'SAWAYAMA' is set to be released on the 17th April via Dirty Hit, and you can listen to the new single 'Chosen Family' in the player below.