Rina Sawayama Plots Ultimate Revenge on ‘Eye for an Eye’ From ‘John Wick: Chapter 4’
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Out for blood doesn’t even begin to cover Rina Sawayama’s revenge plot on the new single “Eye for an Eye.” The song will appear on the upcoming motion picture soundtrack for John Wick: Chapter 4, out March 24, which finds the singer making her big screen debut as Akira alongside the film’s leading man Keanu Reeves.
“You’ve taken everything I love from me/Now, it’s time I pay the price,” Sawayama warns on the opening verse, delivered like a true loner with nothing left to lose. She is determined to not hold back, channeling the anger of someone whose innocence was compromised without remorse. “I’m gonna make it right, I won’t apologize/No tears left to cry, I’m seeing red tonight.”
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The chorus, which finds Sawayama’s vocals clawing their way through thick layers of industrial instruments, contends with her willingness to go down with the fight. “I’ll see you in hell on the other side,” she promises. It’s a stark flip in tone from the joyous ride to the underworld on her Hold the Girl single “This Hell” that sees it as the ultimate roadtrip to the party of a lifetime. In the John Wick universe’s version of hell, the devil probably isn’t wearing Prada.
“Eye for an Eye” was written and produced by Tyler Bates, who also helmed the score for all four installments of the John Wick series alongside Joel J. Richard. “It’s an honor to work with my brother Joel Richard in creating the musical landscape for a decade of John Wick,” Bates shared in a statement. “Thank you, Chad Stahelski and Keanu Reeves, for having us on board and making these films with such fire and passion!”
Sawayama’s music is what ultimately landed her on set for the new John Wick film, or actually their accompanying visuals did, but the process is entirely different. “I don’t feel grossed out at all looking at myself when I’m doing music videos. But in a movie, you’re contributing to making a character, but also, it’s someone else’s vision,” the singer told Shania Twain during their conversation for Rolling Stone‘s Musicians on Musicians.
“In front of the director and producer, I was like, “I’m so happy with my performance!” but inside, I was dying. I was like, “Oh, fuck. This movie probably cost over $100 million to make. I’m a newbie. I’m ruining it. Everyone else is an amazing actor.” It just completely sent me into a spiral. Now, I know why actors don’t watch their movies.”
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