I listened to Mitski’s new album, and now my ceiling is my best friend.
On January 16, 2026, Mitski dropped a bombshell on all of her social media pages–after years of relative silence, Mitski announced her eighth studio album “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” through her record label, Dead Oceans.
Social media erupted almost immediately–and so did my heart.
I remember getting into my car to listen to this for the first time–there was something so anxiety-inducing listening to this on my way to work, the volume of my car radio at 100%. But, alas, I persevere–for one must overcome their nerves to indulge in the intricacies of what Mitski has to offer.
“In a Lake” starts as Mitski’s first song from the album–the instrumentals catch your attention. Mitski has adopted a country sound, greeting listeners with soft banjos and fiddles that remind me of what it was like to grow up in a small southern town in the early 2000’s. I cannot help but feel as though I am reminiscing about my past through this song–Mitski uses the suffocation of living in a small town to portray the devastation that comes with everybody knowing everything. There is beauty in tightly-knit communities–but, as Mitski stated, in a big city, you can just start over.
“Where’s My Phone” is what really gets the album chugging along. “Where’s My Phone” is probably one of the loudest songs on the album, the beat of a drum bursting into her listeners’ ears. Mitski is not a stranger to creating emotional songs with noisy instrumentals–but it made my heart ache when I realized it has been so long since Mitski has dared to release such a song, arguably since “My Body’s Made of Crushed Little Stars.”
In “Where’s My Phone,” Mitski tackles dissociation head-on, demanding to know where did it go, where did she put her phone, where did she go–woah. Slow down. The song is panicked, with an individual desperate to find satisfaction (“I just want my mind to be a clear glass”), desperate for peace. Mitski’s character is drifting through life, feeling fuzzy and empty.
Some other strong songs from the album include “If I Leave,” “Dead Women” and “I’ll Change for You.” “I’ll Change for You” stood out to me in particular–I cannot tell if it’s because of the almost-jazz vibe, the despairing lyrics or the strange giggling in the middle of the song. “I’ll Change for You” is Laufey-esque and hauntingly raw. Mitski’s character insists that they’d do anything for them to love them again. It’s rough. It’s real.
“Nothing’s About to Happen to Me” is the quiet exhale after the scream. While this album departs from her previous releases, it still captures the eerie calm Mitski has perfected; tension riddles every track. Tension that is so familiar to those who are infatuated with Mitski’s works.
After this album, Mitski may go back into hiding once more–which is why it is so important to admire her work while she’s still active.
To keep up with Mitski, you can find her on Instagram, X, Facebook and TikTok.
