‘Nobody’: Mitski’s devastating look at isolation, alienation, and a “big fucking breakdown”
‘Nobody’, one of Mitski’s most renowned tracks, gained significant traction on TikTok in 2021. The song, featured on her 2018 album Be the Cowboy, initially seems to reflect a yearning for a relationship or an ex-partner. However, upon closer inspection, the material delves into the profound loneliness Mitski experienced while staying in Malaysia after her Asia and Australia tour.
At the time, Mitski decided it would be a more cost-effective option amidst the surge of holiday pricing, which overtook flights to the United States. Though having spent a good portion of her childhood living in Malaysia, she hadn’t considered the inevitable alienation that would unfold as she was in a place new to her in adulthood, without any friends or family to call on. At a time when the holidays are usually joyful and event-filled, she found herself feeling intensely lonely and isolated for the duration of her trip.
Lyrically, digging into the track provides further context as she explained to Genius that she’s “too proud to be hysterical to other people”, but the chorus featured on ‘Nobody’ was “literally me in a semi-huge state on my hands and knees on the floor just crying and just repeating the word, ‘nobody’.” Once she realised there was something to her experience in the way of creative development, Mitski decided, “Let me use this pain and exploit it for my money”.
Initially, Mitski thought staying in Malaysia would provide a chance to decompress after her extensive tour. However, she soon regretted the decision. While social media is a tool for connection, it can also amplify feelings of isolation, particularly when separated from loved ones. Mitski found herself unprepared for the profound loneliness she felt, especially during the holiday season. Reflecting on this period, she described it as devastating “to be all alone in a country where no one knows me, while everyone else I know is having holidays with their family and friends.” This isolation, coupled with other emotional pressures, ultimately led to a breaking point for the artist.
Initially, Mitski thought staying in Malaysia would provide a chance for her to decompress after an extensive tour. However, she soon regretted the decision. While social media is a tool for connection, it can also amplify feelings of isolation, particularly when separated from loved ones. Mitski found herself unprepared for the profound loneliness she felt, especially during the holiday season. Reflecting on this period, she described it as devastating “to be all alone in a country where no one knows me, while everyone else I know is having holidays with their family and friends.” This isolation, coupled with other emotional pressures, ultimately led to a breaking point for the artist.
The lyrics of ‘Nobody’ evoke a feeling of being overwhelmed and encroached upon, a sentiment underscored by the song’s musical arrangement. The upbeat double claps and guitar riffs lend a bittersweet air, pulling the listener into a “laughing to keep from crying” state. This tension crescendos in the track’s most poignant moment when Mitski repeatedly sings “nobody”, her voice gradually fading into an ominous echo layered with static. The song closes hauntingly with the final words, “nobody, no,” leaving an indelible impression of despair and yearning.
It goes without saying, ‘Nobody’ stands as one of Mitski’s most poignant and relatable compositions. It is both a cry for companionship and an embrace of existential solitude and smothered in an unvarnished honesty.
