Grimes has released a new song ahead of her forthcoming double album, Book 1.
“Shinigami Eyes” is pure electro-pop and features Blackpink’s Jennie. The title (and Grimes’ big red eyes in the video) is inspired by the Japanese anime and film, Death Note, about a high school student who finds a book that allows him to kill anyone by writing their name on the pages.
It’s unclear whether “Eyes” or her previously-released song “Player of Games” will appear on the new concept album.
In a wide-ranging interview with Apple Music 1’s Zane Lowe, Grimes alluded to a less commercial “space opera” she wrote and that “Shinigami Eyes” is more like a one-off: “This is the label executive decision song,” she said in the interview. “I love the record, but it’s just like, everyone’s like, what’s the deeper meaning? And it’s like, well, Nino Angelo just really had just watched Death Note and really liked it. Basically, I wrote the whole space opera thing and this is the only song that wasn’t this big narrative plot. Anyway, I actually do really like the song. Sorry. I’m just undermining the marketing strategy.”
