Music discovery · Influence explorer

Artists like Mitski — and the music that made them

Indie Rock · 2012-present

Indie rock's most emotionally devastating poet of millennial alienation

Mitski Miyawaki is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter who has become indie rock's most compelling voice for exploring themes of identity, loneliness, and desire through her intensely personal yet universally resonant music. Her powerful vocals and genre-blending compositions have established her as a defining artist of the 2010s indie scene, earning critical acclaim for albums like 'Puberty 2' and 'Be the Cowboy'.

Essential tracks

►Your Best American Girl

►First Love / Late Spring

►Nobody

Did you know

She lived in 13 different countries before age 18 due to her father's work

She studied composition at SUNY Purchase and initially planned to score films

Her stage name is simply her first name, though her full name is Mitski Miyawaki

“Orchestral indie rock with confessional lyrics exploring identity and desire.”

generations
of influence

Influence tree

Trace Mitski's roots back through history

Every sound has a source. Click any node to hear the connection.

Mitski

2012-present

Fiona Apple

1996-present

cited

Björk

1987-present

sonic

Cat Power

1994-present

sonic

Joni Mitchell

1968-present

movement

Kate Bush

1978-present

sonic

Tori Amos

1992-present

sonic

Nina Simone

1958-2003

sonic

Leonard Cohen

1967-2016

movement

↑ Click any influence node to see the connection and where to start listening.

What makes the sound

Sonic elements

Orchestral arrangements

Confessional lyricism

Dynamic vocal range

Genre-blending production

Start with these tracks

Your Best American Girl

First Love / Late Spring

Nobody

Washing Machine Heart

If you like Mitski, try these

Japanese Breakfast

Asian-American perspective with lush indie rock arrangements and personal storytelling.

2010s · Indie Rock

Phoebe Bridgers

Introspective songwriting with delicate vocals over carefully crafted indie arrangements.

2010s · Indie Folk

St. Vincent

Art rock sophistication with both vulnerable and powerful vocal delivery.

2000s · Art Rock

Fiona Apple

Raw emotional honesty and complex piano-driven compositions with literary lyrics.

1990s · Alternative Rock

Cat Power

Intimate vocal style with minimalist arrangements that build emotional intensity.

1990s · Indie Folk

Björk

Experimental approach to pop songwriting with dramatic vocal range and artistic vision.

1990s · Art Pop

About this page

Music like Mitski — Mitski Miyawaki is a Japanese-American singer-songwriter who has become indie rock's most compelling voice for exploring themes of identity, loneliness, and desire through her intensely personal yet universally resonant music. Her powerful vocals and genre-blending compositions have established her as a defining artist of the 2010s indie scene, earning critical acclaim for albums like 'Puberty 2' and 'Be the Cowboy'.

Artists like Mitski today include Japanese Breakfast, Phoebe Bridgers, St. Vincent, Fiona Apple. If you enjoy Mitski, these artists share similar sonic qualities, influences, and emotional range.

Bands like Mitski and songs like Mitski are among the most searched music discovery queries — rootz.guru goes deeper by tracing the roots of the sound itself, not just surface-level similarity.