Born in Japan in 1990 to an American father and a Japanese mother, Mitski experienced a nomadic upbringing, living in over 13 countries—including Turkey, China, Malaysia, and the Czech Republic—before settling in New York. This constant movement heavily influenced her art, as she often writes from the perspective of an outsider seeking a sense of belonging. As an Asian-American woman in a predominantly white indie-rock scene, she has frequently spoken about the pressure of representing her community while maintaining her own artistic identity.
Her third album, Bury Me at Makeout Creek (2014), marked a significant shift toward raw, guitar-driven textures and garnered critical acclaim for its vulnerability. Mitski
Mitski’s career began while she was a student at SUNY Purchase’s Conservatory of Music, where she self-released her first two piano-based albums, Lush (2012) and Retired from Sad, New Career in Business (2013). Born in Japan in 1990 to an American