How Iggy Pop Inspired Mitski

(Credits: Far Out / Ebru Yildiz)

Wednesday 24 July 2024 6:00pm, UK

It’s no exaggeration to say that Mitski is arguably the most interesting songwriter to hit the indie rock scene in the last decade. Using synths and orchestras to underpin her painful tales of identity and love, she’s managed to win over nearly every subset of music fans, from TikTok users to the game’s harshest critics. She’s even earned the admiration of one of her personal heroes, Stooges frontman and blockbuster punk icon Iggy Pop.

At first listen, it can be hard to detect the influence of punk in Mitski’s music. In his recent work in particular, his sound is characterised by swirling strings and choirs, 1980s-inspired synths and Americana influences. His lyrical style is sometimes violent but largely vulnerable. It seems much softer than the style of Iggy and his contemporaries, but the godfather of punk has had a fundamental influence on his approach to music.

In a conversation with DoMitski has spoken about Iggy’s importance to her, describing him as “one of her heroes.” She explained how she returns to his performances and studio recordings to remind herself of her goals in that field, suggesting that he reminds her of “what I want from music and what I want from a live show.”

If we take this last comment into account and consider Iggy’s influence on Mitski’s live presence, the punk spirit of his work becomes a little clearer. Whether he was fronting the Stooges or performing alone, Iggy always brought his best to his live performances, captivating audiences with his chaotic movements and shirtless antics on stage, throwing himself at will into microphone stands and glass floors.

Mitski seems to have borrowed Iggy’s onstage intensity, channeling it into an equally fiery performance style that’s slightly more suited to her softer style. She drops to the floor when her lyrics demand it, pulling chairs around the stage with her as if she’s orchestrating a performance art piece as she sings. There’s rarely the punk enthusiasm of a Stooges show, but the sense of spectacle is there nonetheless.

Mitski has certainly tapped into the intensity that Iggy brings to her live performances, putting as much emotion into her songs on stage as she does into her writing. The latter practice has even earned Mitski praise from her punk hero, who once described her as “the most progressive American songwriter I know” in an appearance on his Instagram account. BBC 6 to show.

Although they are from completely different genres and generations, it’s easy to see why Iggy admires Mitski’s talent for songwriting and lyricism. Like him, she’s a versatile artist who is paving the way for a new world of music. “She writes, sings, and plays too,” Iggy exclaimed, “her name is Mitski.”

Most aspiring punk bands would crave the same praise from Iggy, but Mitski earned it with a style that was far different from her own. The vulnerability and love she put into her lyrics, the life she breathed into them with her voice, and the soundscapes she adorned them with won over the masses and proved Iggy’s point without a doubt. Mitski is one of the defining songwriters of her generation, as well as a disciple of punk and Iggy Pop.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4kLgnFexo