Rina Sawayama: ‘Gaming is not just a hobby, it’s a way of life’

Worldbuilding has come to shape the work of Rina Sawayama. The pop artist has built a universe of immersive visuals, era-defining album covers and chameleonic beauty looks. But stepping beyond music, Sawayama has ventured into various creative lanes in recent years: “I’ve got ADHD, so I like doing lots of different things. Sometimes I want to do music, sometimes I want to act, sometimes I want to do something completely different, like this. Right now, it’s all three, which is kind of blowing my mind.”

This time, that “something completely different” is GODMODE – a new beauty brand co-founded by Sawayama, Chloë Grace-Moretz and Closer Brands. Inspired by gaming culture, GODMODE is named after the gaming cheat code that grants players invincibility. “The thing with gaming that maybe non-gamers don’t realise is that you’re dropped into these wild worlds that are nothing like reality, but it still feels really seamless. Even though it’s like a dream world, you still connect to it,” explains Sawayama.

In this world, make-up is framed as a tool for ultimate self-activation: a way to unlock new identities, break rules and reimagine the character you want to be. Products in the first drop include a Genesis Glow highlighter, Level Up Lip Liner and Mirage Lip Gloss, all parts of the Genesis Collection, the first biome of the GODMODE universe. As the duo set out to create a beauty brand that sits outside the usual orbit of celebrity co-signs, they crack open a portal into a different kind of beauty world. “GODMODE isn’t make-up for one type of person or gender – it’s open to interpretation. It’s about being creative and having fun,” says Moretz. We speak to Rina Sawayama below.

Do you have an early beauty memory that stands out?

Rina Sawayama: I’ve gone full circle because I’ve started shaving my brows again, really thin. I’ve got naturally thick brows, and that was my first beauty experiment when I was maybe 12. I shaved them and my mum was horrified, I’d just discovered face razors.

Back then, in the 90s, the only foundation shade was orange. But highlighter was my big thing, and colour make-up more generally. I used to use brands like Miss Sporty – I don’t think they exist anymore. Make-up got really exciting when YouTube started to blow up. I got into it properly at uni, I think I was trying to avoid what I was studying, so any time I could, I was just doing make-up.

Your visuals have always stood out. How have you used beauty to experiment with your look?

Rina Sawayama: In my music videos, especially for my first record, I wanted to represent all the different genres through different characters. The character in “XS” is so different to the one in “Bad Friend”. Ana Takahashi did all the make-up – she’s amazing – and I just let my face be the canvas for her to create these characters. Even the album cover, with that iconic gold look, summed up my feeling of alienness. It was a statement, like: ‘I’m going to traverse genres.’

You couldn’t tell what kind of record it would be from the cover, and that was the point. Then you watch the videos and you meet all these different characters. I always just wanted to have fun with it. I didn’t really care about looking hot back then. A lot of people care about that, and I definitely have too. You get used to a look, you feel represented in it, but then you get bored and want to change again. With my second album, I stuck with more of a look. But for the third, I think I’ll weave between both approaches – that’s the plan.

What do you think drives that experimentation in you?

Rina Sawayama: There’s a really strict code of beauty in pop. Your face becomes part of your brand. But changing your look with make-up challenges that. It’s about being comfortable with your face looking different in every video. It is a real challenge, especially as I’ve got older. You get used to a certain face, a certain standard of beauty, and it’s hard to let go of that. But I’m ready to experiment again.

What parts of GODMODE resonate with you?

Rina Sawayama: I’m really drawn to how it’s inspired by gaming worlds – even the launches and pre-launch phases have been all about storytelling. I’ve always been a bit of a chameleon when it comes to hair and make-up, especially colour make-up, so that’s always fascinated me.

Is there a stand-out product for you?

Rina Sawayama: When I first tried Genesis Glow, the highlighter in the egg, I was really struck by the colour – I’d never seen anything like it. The way it was explained to me was that it’s how you look when you’re staring at a screen – that greenish, bluish glow and flipping the idea of blue light on its head. I thought that was really cool.

That’s definitely my favourite. There are others coming out soon that I’m really excited about, but I’ve also been using the Level Up lip liners in Cherub. I rotate between three colours, they’re incredible.

How do you see the world of GODMODE developing?

Rina Sawayama: There’ll be the traditional releases in terms of make-up, but it’s more about the lore alongside that. It’s like character building – I’ve got my character, Rani – and it’s about introducing these products into the world through the lore, in a very game-style way.

It also speaks to a whole group of gamers who have been ignored, especially women. I’ve been gaming since I was seven, which is maybe a bit too young. But the storytelling, the visuals, the world, it’s just as important as the product itself.

How was working with Chloë Grace-Moretz? Had you met before?

Rina Sawayama: I actually hadn’t! When they said Chloë was doing GODMODE I was like, ‘Wait, what?’ But then I found out she’s a gamer, and that’s the whole point of this, right? Bringing different worlds together with this shared love of gaming.

Meeting her on set was great. She’s so lovely. And we’re both queer; we had different touchpoints, different connections, but that shared language too. She’s an incredible actor and I come from music, it makes it all more interesting.

And the fans seemed to love it – the reaction was so positive.

Rina Sawayama: Gamers just get each other. It’s a whole code. Especially when you meet another girl gamer, it’s like, ‘You get it’. It’s not just a hobby, it’s a way of life. It takes real commitment.

GODMODE launches with the inaugural Genesis Collection, available exclusively at godmodebeauty.com