REVIEW: Paris Paloma Returns With Humanity-Focused “Miyazaki”
REVIEW
REVIEW
☆ BY IVONA HOMICIANU ☆
“MIYAZAKI” BEGINS WITH A RELEASED BREATH AS PARIS PALOMA SINGS “I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY”—A clever way of introducing a controversial take that goes against the majority, which is the legitimacy of AI art. It is an artist’s cry for battle as she defends the core component of art, namely humanity. Her lyricism isn’t less poetic than in her past releases. If anything, it is exacerbated by the subject at hand.
Paloma is an UK-based artist that became known after her single “labour” resonated with a large amount of female-identifying population. She went on to release her debut album “cacophony” in 2024, which set her on the path to becoming one of the strongest and most outspoken songwriters of this generation.
“Miyazaki” is named after the Japanese animation giant, Hayao Miyazaki. He is the founder of Studio Ghibli, a film production studio that created some of the most beloved animated films, such as Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle and Princess Mononoke. He deftly opposed AI technology in art and film throughout his career, which brings us to the core subject of Paloma’s new single.
The drum that accompanies Paloma’s voice throughout the first beat is akin to the adrenaline felt as passion courses through one’s veins. It pauses right before the chorus as Paloma yells “Please don’t take it from me,” then comes back to the upbeat tempo. Though a lot of the emotion is anchored in anger, the chorus exhibits a jumpy feature of production that is reminiscent of happiness.
Paloma’s signature echo put her on the map as an artist that speaks of significant societal themes, a grand majority surrounding the violence of patriarchy. Her music stood as a counteract—a softness found in the wilderness of nature—though there was always this passion if listened closer.
Here, the violence takes another form as she defends her craft—“I'm not a violent person but I make things with aggression / I'm not a violent person but my work is one exception / I won't let you take it from me / Changes the colour of the air that I breathe” is echoed as her words burrow deep inside the listener’s mind. Spoken like a mantra, her whispered “You can never have it ever, you can never have it ever, you can never have it ever” that brings closure to the bridge is just as powerful as her yells.
Paloma took one of the greatest tragedies of being an artist in the modern day and created an anthem that has the guts to fight against the AI-prone world that is slowly erasing artists and their work. “Miyazaki” is proof that when humans get involved, lasting art that shows passion and truth is in the making.
