"XS" is a song by Japanese-British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama, released on 2 March 2020, as the third single off of her debut studio album, '' Sawayama'', via the label Dirty Hit. The song criticises

capitalism Capitalism is an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, price system, private ...

in the face of

climate change In common usage, climate change describes global warming—the ongoing increase in global average temperature—and its effects on Earth's climate system. Climate change in a broader sense also includes previous long-term changes to ...

over a

pop Pop or POP may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music * Pop music, a musical genre Artists * POP, a Japanese idol group now known as Gang Parade * Pop!, a UK pop group * Pop! featuring Angie Hart, an Australian band Albums * ''Pop'' (G ...

, R&B,

avant-pop Avant-pop is popular music that is experimental, new, and distinct from previous styles while retaining an immediate accessibility for the listener. The term implies a combination of avant-garde sensibilities with existing elements from popular ...

and

electropop Electropop is a hybrid music genre combining elements of electronic and pop genres. Writer Hollin Jones has described it as a variant of synth-pop with heavy emphasis on its electronic sound. The genre was developed in the 1980s and saw a r ...

backing. A remix featuring British artist Bree Runway, was released on 10 July 2020.

Background, themes and composition

Sawayama said in a statement that "XS" is a song that "mocks

in a sinking world": "XS" is a

2000s File:2000s decade montage3.png, From top left, clockwise: The World Trade Center on fire and the Statue of Liberty during the 9/11 attacks in 2001; the euro enters into European currency in 2002; a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled during ...

-inspired

, R&B,

and

song with "upbeat

bubblegum pop Bubblegum (also called bubblegum pop) is pop music in a catchy and upbeat style that is considered disposable, contrived, or marketed for children and adolescents. The term also refers to a rock and pop subgenre, originating in the United States ...

vibes" composed in the key of

D minor D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative major is F major and its parallel major is D major. The D natural minor scale is: Changes needed fo ...

with a

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

of 117

beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ( ...

. It begins with an "eerie" buildup of

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

s, while a "shredding" guitar riff appears before and after the chorus.

Music video

The music video for "XS" was uploaded on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second most ...

on 17 April 2020, the same day as Sawayama's self-titled debut album was released. It currently has over 8 million views, making it the most-viewed video on Sawayama's channel. It was directed by Ali Kurr, who had also previously directed the music video for her other single, "

STFU! "STFU!" (an abbreviation for " shut the fuck up") is a song by Japanese-British singer-songwriter Rina Sawayama. It was released as the lead single from her debut studio album, ''Sawayama'' on 22 November 2019 for digital download and streamin ...

". In the video, Sawayama portrays a " QVC-like" "robotic" saleswoman who attends a shopping channel broadcast to promote a beverage named "RINA Water", which consists 99% of 24-karat

gold Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au (from la, aurum) and atomic number 79. This makes it one of the higher atomic number elements that occur naturally. It is a bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile ...

and 1% of plasma. Later it is revealed that the liquid is extracted from a creature which is chained in an underground factory.

Live performance

On 26 October 2020, Sawayama gave her first televised performance ever on ''The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon'', where she performed "XS".

Track listing

*Digital download/streaming #"XS" – 3:21 *Digital download/streaming – Bree Runway Remix #"XS" (Bree Runway Remix) – 3:22

Reception

Critical response

"XS" received widespread critical acclaim upon its release. From over 20 outlets, global critic aggregator

Acclaimed Music Acclaimed Music is a website created by Henrik Franzon, a statistician from Stockholm, Sweden in September 2001. Franzon has statistically aggregated hundreds of published lists that rank songs and albums into aggregated rankings by year, dec ...

placed "XS" as the 21st best song of 2020. While reviewing Sawayama's second album '' Hold the Girl'', Cat Zhang of ''

Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...

'' named "XS" her debut album's best song, commenting that " he songwas intended as arch anti-capitalist critique in an age of climate crisis, but its luxe vision was a better sell for ''being'' the rich, not eating them; Sawayama whispered "''excess''" as if it were the name of a designer perfume, the scent of “more” intoxicating."

Accolades

References

{{Rina Sawayama Rina Sawayama songs 2020 songs 2020 singles Dirty Hit singles Songs about consumerism Songs about climate change Avant-pop songs Songs written by Nate Campany Songs against capitalism Environmental songs Songs written by Rina Sawayama