Alternative rock singer, Mitski, is a household name for aspiring musicians, inspired songwriters, and reflective fans: more specifically, those who enjoy listening while staring at the ceiling late at night and deciphering melancholy lyrics about life, love, and loss (that’s me!). Mitski’s melodic, guitar-heavy, and narrative songs create colorful representations of her life, which have resonated with millions of listeners all over the globe. It was not until this year, 2021, that I really started to pay attention to Mitski as a significant artist and not just as someone who I’d casually listen to without conjecture of what her music really means. Although Mitski has a wealth of songs that are worth taking a look at, today I’m focusing on the lyrics and music video of a crowd favorite Mitski staple: “Your Best American Girl”.
In the wake of one of the most detrimental events in US history for People of Color–– the 2016 presidential election–– Mitski released the autobiographical music piece “Your Best American Girl,” which quickly became an anthem for Women of Color all over the world. While historical events like this definitely exacerbate the ostracization and mistreatment of POC, this community’s struggle has been ongoing and seemingly inescapable, as the entire foundation of the United States is based upon racism, appropriation, and alienation. However, Mitski’s “Your Best American Girl” provides an outlet for self-reflection, resilience, and resistance, and has made an impact that is much more influential than it appears to have at first glance.
Mitski has reported on many accounts that she often felt ostracized, not only as a musician but as a Woman of Color in general. Mitski being of Japanese descent conflicted with her desire to “belong”, stemming from the deep-rooted cultural trauma that has cascaded down to her through generations due to historical events (World War II, cultural erasure, etc), which have created a disdainful relationship between Japan and America that can unfortunately never be fully repaired.
The alienation that Mitski felt as a Japanese-American inspired her to write “Your Best American Girl,” which illustrates her experience feeling ostracized from a romantic interest, who is (you guessed it!) a white male. The music video begins with Mitski sitting on a stool while makeup artists and hairdressers touch up her “put together” look, as Mitski sits, visibly uncomfortable. The camera pans to her white male love interest, also sitting on a stool in a different frame, dressed casually in a tank top with nonchalant body language. The differences in their appearances symbolize the way WOC are pressured to “try harder” and “prove themselves worthy” of attention to be taken seriously, while white men can simply show up and be valued without a second thought. Although Mitski is enamored with the white male, a white woman enters his frame and begins to kiss him. The woman is the epitome of a Western standard of beauty with blonde hair, blue eyes, creamy white skin, and a skinny physique. This sets Mitski even further apart from her in comparison.
The woman is wearing clothes and tattoos that emulate those of indigenous peoples’, which is a subtle yet smart way to show cultural appropriation in this story. As indigenous people were the only true founders of America, this clip paints an almost laughable irony; the white woman is, technically, just as “foreign” to America as Mitski is, but because she is visibly white, she has privileges that Mitski does not. Mitski waves to try to get their attention, but she is ignored. This, along with a stylistic decision to never have Mitski and the couple in the same frame, symbolizes the inability that WOC often face to be seen and heard on an equal plane as their white counterparts, no matter how much they try.
Mitski’s inability to “measure up” despite her efforts is mirrored in lyrics that compare her love interest to “the sun”, while Mitski is “not the moon” and “not even a star” (Mitski). These lyrics reflect Mitski’s insecurities; those that are not based on an evidential lack of ability, beauty, or importance, but on society’s view of her as an outsider and as inferior. The struggles Mitski endures are juxtaposed with visuals of the white couple nonchalantly blowing bubbles or cuddling with the American flag wrapped around them. This is a rather obvious metaphor for the couple symbolizing America’s ignorance, both intentional and unintentional, towards the hardships POC endure, while POC (represented by Mitski) are left suffering and/or fighting to be noticed, heard, and helped.
About halfway through the song and music video, we see a shift: Mitski stops seeking the attention of the couple and instead securely and independently shreds her guitar, powerfully sings her lyrics, and even kisses her own hand, mimicking the couple. This denotes acceptance of independence and her strength (with her kissing her hand as a way to show her trying to love herself for who she is) and resistance to the white couple’s attempts of erasing her from the picture. Mitski’s resistance is a powerful visual representation of how POC simply existing, being present, and refusing to be erased, is an act of brave defiance to America’s constant attempt of marginalization and oppression. This is, again, mirrored in her lyrics, which read “Your mother wouldn’t approve of how my mother raised me, but I do, I finally do,” (Mitski), which show that Mitski accepts that she will never fully fit the Eurocentric standards America holds, but she is prideful in her culture and the person it has shaped her into becoming.
“Your Best American Girl”, though often digested as a rock ballad like the rest, quite honestly defines the experiences of Women of Color living in a Eurocentric society. There is something so special in the way Mitski illustrates a message so powerful in a manner that is easily missable unless you care enough to analyze and recognize it. In my opinion, caring enough to recognize these messages in a lot of Mitski’s music has made listening to her an experience that is insightful, meaningful, and eye-opening.