Hold the Girl
Hold the Girl is the second studio album by Japanese-British singer Rina Sawayama. It was released on 16 September 2022 by Dirty Hit.[1] The album was preceded by the singles, "This Hell",[2] "Catch Me in the Air", "Hold the Girl", "Phantom" and "Hurricanes". "Frankenstein" was also released, as the final single from the album. The album, recorded between 2020 and 2021, features production from collaborators including Paul Epworth, Clarence Clarity, Stuart Price, and Marcus Andersson. Clarity also produced much of Sawayama's debut album Sawayama (2020).[3]
This article is about the album. For the song, see Hold the Girl (song).Hold the Girl
16 September 2022
Autumn 2020 – Autumn 2021
46:04
- Rina Sawayama
- Lauren Aquilina
- Paul Epworth
- Clarence Clarity
- Stuart Price
- Marcus Andersson
Hold the Girl received critical acclaim upon its release and charted at number three on the UK Albums Chart; the highest-charting album by a Japanese-born solo artist in the history of the chart. It also became Sawayama's first charting album on the US Billboard 200 and highest-charting album in Australia, Belgium, Ireland, Japan, the Netherlands, Scotland and Spain. The album was supported by the worldwide Hold the Girl Tour (2022-23) and US/Canada Hold the Girl: Reloaded Tour (2023). Sawayama also promoted the album via performances on The Graham Norton Show,[4] Strictly Come Dancing[5] and Late Night with Seth Meyers.[6]
In a September 2023 interview with BBC News, Sawayama revealed that she was sexually groomed by a school teacher when aged 17. This heavily influenced the lyrical meaning behind Hold the Girl, particuarly the album track "Your Age". Sawayama received sex and relationship therapy for the trauma.[7]
Promotion[edit]
Before an official announcement, Sawayama's second record was listed among the most anticipated albums of 2022 by Stereogum and DIY.[29][30] In May 2022, Sawayama began advertising a forthcoming release through social media content and pamphlets with "blood-red" background and the text "Rina is going to hell" in all caps.[31][22] The same month, she released lead single "This Hell"[32] and announced Hold the Girl,[33] a release date of 2 September and an accompanying tour beginning on 12 October.[34] Following the announcement, the album was named one of Vulture's "36 Albums We Can't Wait to Hear This Summer".[35]
The singer performed "This Hell" in The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on 19 May[36] and during the BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend on 29 May.[37] A music video for the song, directed by Ali Kurr, premiered on 15 June.[38] A second single, "Catch Me in the Air", was issued on 27 June.[39] The album's title track was released as the third single on 27 July; the same day, she announced that the album was pushed back to 16 September due to "production issues" and that a fourth single would be made available before the date.[40] Kurr also directed the music video for "Hold the Girl", which was released on 3 August.[41] The fourth single, "Phantom", was released on 25 August.[42] The fifth single, "Hurricanes", was released on 12 September, four days before the album's release.[43]
The album's second concert tour, the Hold the Girl Reloaded Tour was announced in March 2023, and took place across North America between June and October 2023.
Commercial performance[edit]
Hold the Girl debuted at number three on the UK Albums Chart; the highest-charting album by a Japanese-born solo artist in the history of the chart, and Sawayama's highest-charting album to date, with sales of 13,961 (of which 7,148 were vinyl copies).[54] In the United States, the album debuted at number 166 on the US Billboard 200 making it her first entry on the chart.
Notes