Rina Sawayama has spoken out following Sabrina Carpenter’s recent Saturday Night Live performance, calling for greater cultural sensitivity from creative teams who incorporate Japanese elements into Western pop culture visuals.
In a post shared to her Instagram Stories, the Japanese-British singer commented on the staging for Carpenter’s live rendition of “Nobody’s Son,” which aired during the Oct. 19 episode of SNL. The set, designed to resemble a minimalist karate studio, featured tatami mats and two martial artists performing choreographed sparring in the background.
While Carpenter herself stood on the mats only briefly, the performers wore sneakers throughout the routine, a detail that immediately drew Sawayama’s attention.
“Big love to Sabrina,” Sawayama wrote, “but fellow artists’ creative teams, if we are clearly referencing a culture, please can you do so with the research, respect, and care it deserves. Shoes on tatami is jail.”
The remark, at once humorous and pointed, underscores a broader frustration shared by many Asian artists and audiences who have seen Japanese aesthetics frequently used without proper understanding or context.
Carpenter’s SNL set was part of her promotional run supporting her latest single, which continues her streak of theatrical, highly stylized live appearances. The “Nobody’s Son” performance featured the singer surrounded by dim lighting and sparse props meant to evoke a dojo environment, as two red-belt fighters, dressed in white uniforms and wearing sneakers, sparred during key moments of the song.
Although Sawayama directed her note primarily at the creative team behind the production rather than Carpenter personally, her comment has reignited conversation online about the fine line between artistic homage and cultural insensitivity.
Tatami mats, made from tightly woven straw, hold deep cultural meaning in Japanese tradition. They are often used in spaces that demand respect, including temples, traditional homes, and martial arts dojos. Wearing shoes on tatami is widely considered inappropriate, as it symbolizes a disregard for cleanliness and custom.
For Sawayama, who was born in Niigata, Japan, and raised in London, the issue reflects a recurring pattern in Western entertainment, where Asian imagery is often employed for aesthetic effect but stripped of cultural context. Her statement was less about condemnation and more about education: a reminder that even small details, such as footwear on a mat, can carry significant meaning.
The incident comes amid ongoing discussions in the entertainment industry about cultural representation and appropriation. Artists such as Gwen Stefani have faced repeated criticism for borrowing from Japanese street fashion without acknowledgement or nuance. Stefani’s early-2000s “Harajuku Girls” era, once praised for its creativity, has since been reassessed as emblematic of cultural fetishization.
In 2023, Stefani defended her artistic choices in an interview, saying she identified strongly with Japanese culture and considered her inspiration a form of admiration. “If people are going to criticize me for being a fan of something beautiful and sharing that, then I just think that doesn’t feel right,” she said at the time.
Sawayama’s comment was widely shared on social media, with many users echoing her sentiment while others noted that her message remained respectful and directed toward improvement rather than public shaming.
The singer, who has long used her platform to discuss identity and representation, has previously spoken about the role pop music played in helping her assimilate into British culture after immigrating from Japan as a child. “If you’re new to that school or whatever, it can really connect you to the rest of the students,” she said in a past interview, citing artists like Britney Spears and Lady Gaga as formative influences.
Carpenter’s team has not issued a statement regarding any potential changes or clarifications for future performances.
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