Rina Sawayama’s musical contribution to John Wick: Chapter 4, “Eye For an Eye”

The whole time news of Rina Sawayama being in John Wick: Chapter 4 was circulating, I was thinking ‘How come there is no news of her working on a song for the film?’. Because how the hell are you going to put a pop star in a film, and not have them contribute anything to the soundtrack?

Well, it turns out that she did. And that song is an “Eye For an Eye”. There will be John Wick: Chapter 4 spoilers after the jump. So if you are yet to see the film, you have been warned.

“Eye For an Eye” continues the pretty heavy rock sound that’s always been a part of Rina’s repertoire, but was pushed further on her second studio album, Hold the Girl. “Eye For an Eye” would have fit nicely on the Hold the Girl, but I don’t think it would have moved the needle for how anybody felt about that album - good or bad. But the song is fine for what it is. “Eye For an Eye” is very James Bond-esque, which made me have the epiphany (one I’m sure many had) that Rina would be an amazing choice to take on a Bond theme. Rina has the talent and the range to do any type of song for anything. But hearing “Eye For an Eye” made me see the vision much clearer. And it would be an amazing look for the franchise to have a Bond theme helmed by a British Japanese singer; especially after that mess in 2020, when the BPI tried to invalidate Rina’s Britishness, shutting her out of the BRITs and Mercury Prize. Hopefully Rina’s team will start leaving Post-its and copies of Hold the Girl and the John Wick: Chapter 4 soundtrack along the street on which Barbara Broccoli lives.

Although, speaking hypothetically, Rina being attached in any form to the Bond franchise would probably be dependant on Rina’s future in the John Wick franchise. Rina’s character has a pretty small part in the film, but one which could become something bigger; given that she doesn’t die, and is featured in the post-credits scene. John Wick dies at the end of Chapter 4 (or so we’re led to believe). But the John Wick series is so popular, and the box office figures for Chapter 4 are the highest for a John Wick movie to date, so there is no way the door is closing on John Wick. And despite Chapter 4 supposedly being the last film, its done so well commercially, that I can’t imagine there not being early talks to do a Chapter 5. John Wick has truly become a franchise at this point, and spin-offs have already been announced. A 3 episode series The Continental, which features that white man from Braveheart and Lethal Weapon, is set to release later this year. And a John Wick spin-off movie Ballerina, starring Ana De Armas is already dated for 2024. And people are already talking about whether there would be a spin-off which features Rina’s character Akira, or if she will show up in Ballerina.

HENNYWAY.

This is all hypothetical. But during her appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Rina had expressed wanting to do more acting. And in an interview with Ali Plumb for the BBC, Rina had mentioned that she had been auditioning for roles and shooting self-tapes for 2 years prior to being cast in John Wick. So, Rina really wants to do this acting thing, and I’m sure she’s gonna start getting booked off the back of John Wick.

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💿 Rina reviews: Hold the Girl | This Hell | Sawayama | Rina
📀 Rina revision: Sawayama (The Random J Pop Revised Expanded Edition)
🗄️ Rina shit: That time Rina performed “This Hell” on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | That time Rina performed at Coachella | That time Rina got shafted because of racism and xenophobia | That time Rina met Hikaru Utada | That time Rina released a gay anthem and gave it an awful music video