In the spring of 2017 I had the chance to sit down with Mitski to talk about music, self-care, and what was happening in her life at the time as she transitioned from being an IYKYK indie artist to being very well known across the globe. During that conversation she said a bunch of thoughtful, incredibly tender things, but this part has always stuck with me:

“I think the most important process for understanding the world and what’s going on in yourself is to name things. We name streets, flowers, people, experiences, identities – we need to name a thing in order to make sense of it. I think songwriting is another naming process, where you give a name to a big muck inside you, or at least a little part of the big muck, in order to feel like you know it, and know where to put it. So I could say that writing songs has been a gateway to a deeper understanding of myself, but I actually think songwriting has given me a much simpler understanding of myself, in that all these messy, dark, unknowable things can be named, and become 3-minute songs to put on an iPhone instead of stirring in the big goop of the mind.”

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MITSKI x LOGAN LYNN

“Naming The Big Muck Inside You”

Read our chat in full HERE.

I had a super deep conversation with Mitski a couple of years ago, just before she boarded the rocket ship to Mars, and it has always stuck with me.

She’s such a powerful force, such a bright light — but also so sensitive and aware. It’s a really special mix of humanity and talent that she has so generously shared with the world, and I recall just wanting to shield her from all of what I knew was headed her way at the time.

The thing about the music industry, touring endlessly, and the commodification of one’s innermost self, is that the business model is very rarely centered around taking care of that individual’s human needs — and for anyone even remotely rooted in authenticity, navigating this shit is exhausting.

I blew up my major label deal and the career I had spent decades building back in 2010 and it was the best decision I have ever made. That pivot is ultimately why I decided I liked music again and made it possible for me to come back as my whole self later.

As Mitski the very successful artist deletes social media, hangs up her cowboy hat, and exits the public eye to become Mitski Miyawaki the person again, I hope you will all join me in wishing her well.

These stages are forever yours, darling. They’ll be here if you want them. Now go rest, feel proud, and EAT EVERYTHING.

💜💙