"Bad Friend" is a song by Japanese singer-songwriter

Rina Sawayama is a Japanese and British singer-songwriter, actress and model. Born in Niigata (city), Niigata, Japan, she immigrated to London with her parents at the age of five. In 2017, she Self-publishing, self-released her debut extended play, ''Rina ...

, released on 15 April 2020 as the fifth single from her debut studio album ''

Sawayama ''Sawayama'' is the debut studio album by Japanese and British singer Rina Sawayama. It was released on 17 April 2020 by Dirty Hit. The follow-up to her self-released debut EP '' Rina'' (2017), it received widespread acclaim from music critics, ...

'', just two days before the album's release. A remix by End of the World was released on 20 November 2020. Sawayama has called the track her favourite from the album and stated that it was written after she found out through social media that her formerly close friend had just had a baby.

Composition

The

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ballad A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of the popular poetry and song of Great Britain and Ireland from the Late Middle Ages until the 19th century. They were widely used across Eur ...

is inspired by " Bush-era

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

" with vocal manipulation inspired by

Imogen Heap Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap ( ; born 9 December 1977) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and entrepreneur. She is considered a pioneer in pop music, particularly electropop, and in music technology. While attending the ...

. Channelling "the same heart-on-sleeve emotion as '' Stripped''-era

Christina Aguilera Christina María Aguilera ( , ; born December 18, 1980) is an American singer-songwriter, actress and television personality. Recognized as Cultural impact of Christina Aguilera, an influential figure in music and having received Public imag ...

" the song features a choral bridge described as a "take 'em to church moment". The song indirectly references

Carly Rae Jepsen Carly Rae Jepsen (born November 21, 1985) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. After studying musical theatre for most of her school life and while in university, Jepsen garnered mainstream attention after placing third on the fifth season of ...

's 2012 hit single "

Call Me Maybe "Call Me Maybe" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Carly Rae Jepsen from her extended play ''Curiosity'' (2012) and later appeared on her second studio album and international debut album ''Kiss'' (2012). The song was written by Jepsen an ...

" when she sings about "Singing our hearts out to Carly" in the summer of 2012. According to Sawayama, "Bad Friend" is about a deteriorating friendship during a trip to

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

and "how

Westerners The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to various nations and states in Western Europe, Northern America, and Australasia; with some debate as to whether those in Eastern Europe and Latin America also constitute the West. ...

come to Tokyo and have a great time but can be very disrespectful to

Japanese people are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Japanese archipelago. Japanese people constitute 97.4% of the population of the country of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 125 million people are of Japanese descent, making them list of contempora ...

". This ties the song in with the rest of the album's themes of family and cultural identity.

Critical reception

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'' placed the song at number 38 on their list of 100 best songs of 2020, with Dani Blum writing that on "Bad Friend", "Sawayama gives friend breakups their own ballad" while a "sense of shame courses through the track, undercutting her excuses". Blum felt that "relief doesn't come easy, but once it does, the song softens and shines".

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. His music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry, and his songwriting partnership with l ...

characterized "Bad Friend" as a "song that

Madonna Madonna Louise Ciccone ( ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Referred to as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, ...

would die for", while simultaneously dubbing its parent album as the "strongest album of the year by far".

Music video

The "Bad Friend" official music video was released in May 2020. The

film noir Film noir (; ) is a style of Cinema of the United States, Hollywood Crime film, crime dramas that emphasizes cynicism (contemporary), cynical attitudes and motivations. The 1940s and 1950s are generally regarded as the "classic period" of Ameri ...

-inspired visual was directed by Ali Kurr stars Sawayama in

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as an older Japanese businessman drowning his sorrows in a bar. There he meets another man who he befriends, but later ends up fighting.

Track listing

Digital download #"Bad Friend" – 3:28 Digital download – End of the World remix #"Bad Friend" (End of the World Remix) – 3:15

References

{{authority control Rina Sawayama songs 2020 songs 2020 singles Dirty Hit singles Synth-pop ballads Songs written by Jonny Lattimer Songs written by Rina Sawayama