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Kyoto (Phoebe Bridgers song)

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"Kyoto"
The Marías remix version cover
Single by Phoebe Bridgers
from the album Punisher
ReleasedApril 9, 2020 (2020-04-09)
StudioSound City (Los Angeles, California)[1]
Genre
Length3:04
LabelDead Oceans
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Phoebe Bridgers singles chronology
"Garden Song"
(2020) 		"Kyoto"
(2020) 		"ICU"
(2020)
Music video
"Kyoto" on YouTube

"Kyoto" is a song by American singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. It was released on April 9, 2020 as the second single from her second studio album, Punisher (2020). Rolling Stone, Billboard, Paste, Variety, Consequence of Sound, and The Line of Best Fit all ranked the song among the best of 2020, the latter placing the song atop its list.[2][3][4][5][6][7] At the 2021 Grammy Awards, "Kyoto" was nominated for Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song.

Background and composition

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"Kyoto" has been described to be an indie rock,[8] grunge-rock,[9] pop rock,[10] and garage rock song.[11] Bridgers wrote the song about her complicated, evolving relationship with her father. Her parents divorced when she was 20, leaving Bridgers angry.[1] The song is named for the city in Japan; Bridgers wrote the song on her first trip to the country in February 2019.[12] A lyric observing that Japan "still" has pay phones – the sentiment being that they are long outdated – was entirely fictional, Bridgers said.[13] In a press statement, Bridgers expounded upon the song's meaning:

This song is about impostor syndrome. About being in Japan for the first time, somewhere I’ve always wanted to go, and playing my music to people who want to hear it, feeling like I'm living someone else's life. I dissociate when bad things happen to me, but also when good things happen. It can feel like I'm performing what I think I'm supposed to be like.[14]

Producer Tony Berg suggested she speed up the song's tempo, creating a brighter, more upbeat tone. Bridgers agreed, growing "sick" of recording slower ballads.[14] "Kyoto" is instrumentally dense, incorporating twelve-string guitar, synthesizers, Autoharp, and mellotron.[13] Bright Eyes' Nathaniel Walcott also contributes horns,[14] while Jenny Lee Lindberg of Warpaint adds vocals.[15]

A new version of the song featuring a new arrangement from composer Rob Moose was released on November 10, 2020 as the first single from Bridgers and Moose's collaborative Copycat Killer EP.[16] Bridgers also shared an acoustic version of the song as a Spotify exclusive in March 2021, featuring guitar and backing vocals from American singer-songwriter Jackson Browne.[17]

Music video

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The song's music video was initially slated to have been filmed in Kyoto proper. Bridgers planned the shoot to take place during a trip to Japan supporting the National in March 2020,[12] though these dates were cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, the clip was recorded in front of a green screen in Los Angeles.[14] It pictures Bridgers in a skeleton costume and superimposed over stock footage of Kyoto, including images of an arcade and at the Fushimi Inari-taisha shrine. She flies over the city and an ocean at points in the clip. The video includes appearances by Emily Bannon, Marshall Vore and Harrison Whitford—members of Bridgers' touring band. At one point in the video, the three are saved from Godzilla by Bridgers, who shoots lasers from her eyes.[12] The video was directed and edited by Nina Ljeti.[15]

Live performances

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In promotion of the single, Bridgers played the song on Jimmy Kimmel Live! remotely from a bathtub in her home while playing a Suzuki QChord and singing into a toy microphone.[18] Bridgers did another remote performance of the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on July 20, 2020.[19] On September 12, 2020 Bridgers performed the song on CBS This Morning alongside other Punisher tracks.[20] She performed the song again on The Late Late Show with James Corden on December 16, 2020, this time while lying down in bed and looking at her phone before walking over to perform at a green screen-ed Carnegie Hall.[21] She performed the song on her Saturday Night Live debut on February 6, 2021.[22]

Accolades

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Year Organization Award Result Ref
2021 Grammy Awards Best Rock Performance Nominated [23]
Best Rock Song Nominated

Personnel

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Charts

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Certifications

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Certifications for "Kyoto"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[28] Silver 200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

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  1. ^ a b Petrusich, Amanda (May 17, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers's Frank, Anxious Music". The New Yorker. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  2. ^ "Year in Review: The 50 Best Songs of 2020". Rolling Stone. December 7, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  3. ^ "The 100 Best Songs of 2020: Staff List". Billboard. December 8, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  4. ^ "The 50 Best Songs of 2020". December 11, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  5. ^ "Year in Review: The Best Songs of 2020". Variety. January 1, 2021. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  6. ^ "Top 50 Songs of 2020". Consequence of Sound. December 3, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  7. ^ "The best songs of 2020 ranked". The Line of Best Fit. December 10, 2020. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  8. ^ Coscarelli, Joe (July 30, 2020). "How Phoebe Bridgers (Begrudgingly) Writes a Rock Song". The New York Times. Retrieved December 28, 2020.
  9. ^ Nash, Ed (June 18, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers Punisher album review". The Line of Best Fit. Archived from the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved June 21, 2020.
  10. ^ Stanley, Laura. "Phoebe Bridgers' Miraculous 'Punisher' Is Larger Than Life". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 17, 2020.
  11. ^ YP Team (April 6, 2021). "Phoebe Bridgers, Punisher". SCMP. Retrieved July 22, 2021.
  12. ^ a b c Martoccio, Angie (April 9, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers Announces New Album, Drops 'Kyoto'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  13. ^ a b Martoccio, Angie (May 27, 2020). "Laughter, Tears, and Harmony: How Phoebe Bridgers Made 'Punisher'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d Strauss, Matthew (April 9, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers Announces New Album Punisher, Shares New Song "Kyoto": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  15. ^ a b Rettig, James (April 9, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers – "Kyoto"". Stereogum. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  16. ^ Skinner, Tom (November 10, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers shares stirring version of 'Kyoto' from upcoming 'Copycat Killer' EP". NME. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  17. ^ Yoo, Noah (March 9, 2021). "Phoebe Bridgers Enlists Jackson Browne for New Version of "Kyoto": Listen". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
  18. ^ Blistein, Jon (April 10, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers Brings New Song 'Kyoto' to Her Bathroom on 'Kimmel'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  19. ^ Bloom, Madison (July 21, 2020). "Watch Phoebe Bridgers Perform "Kyoto" on Colbert". Pitchfork. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  20. ^ Kreps, Daniel. "See Phoebe Bridgers Play 'Punisher' Songs on 'CBS This Morning'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  21. ^ Shaffer, Claire (December 17, 2020). "Phoebe Bridgers Performs 'Kyoto' in Her Bedroom (and Carnegie Hall)". Rolling Stone. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  22. ^ Yoo, Noah (February 6, 2021). "Watch Phoebe Bridgers Smash Her Guitar on SNL". Pitchfork. Retrieved February 7, 2021.
  23. ^ "2021 GRAMMYs: Complete Nominees List". GRAMMY.com. November 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  24. ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  25. ^ "Phoebe Bridgers Chart History (Hot Rock & Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
  26. ^ "Phoebe Bridgers Chart History (Rock Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  27. ^ "Adult Alternative Songs – Year-End 2020". Billboard. Retrieved October 24, 2021.
  28. ^ "British single certifications – Phoebe Bridgers – Kyoto". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved October 21, 2023.
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