Album Review: "Nothing's About to Happen to Me" - Mitski

Ashley Adams
1 day ago
6 min read

Mitski Nothing's About to Happen to Me Cover Art

Artwork from Dead Oceans record label

Nothing's About to Happen to Me is the eighth full-length studio LP from musician Mitski, an album that includes song with combined genres and varying important topics.

T R A C K L I S T

In a Lake
Where's My Phone?
Cats
If I Leave
Dead Women
Instead of Here
I'll Change for You
Rules
That White Cat
Charon's Obol
Lightning

Mitski is a visionary in her own right, becoming a spellbinding artist in the music industry with her incredible work, spanning years and genres, all emphasized by her endless creativity and talent. She released her debut album Lush at the start of 2012. A year and a summer later, she created her second record Retired from Sad, New Career in Business. After this, she would come out with Bury Me At Makeout Creek and Puberty 2, where her signature rock sound would develop in accordance to her iconic alt pop-produced music. Following this were three more albums, also all extraordinary: Be the Cowboy, Laurel Hell, and The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We. In February 2026, she released Nothing's About to Happen to Me.

In a Lake

At the beginning of the album, Mitski signifies new beginnings by leaving the place she’s from for somewhere better. She feels claustrophobic from the spotlight that’s on her and wants to move away from people she can recognize every time she goes out. She needs a fresh start, which she can’t get from staying in the same town for the rest of her life, preferring the anonymity that comes with living in the city. The majority of "In a Lake" is folk and driven by an accordion and its accompanying country-esque instruments, until it reaches its grand, all-encompassing finale, as a beautiful introduction for the album.

Where’s My Phone?

When you use your phone, endlessly scrolling for hours and tuning out the rest of the world, it’s easy to dissociate from reality and not think of anything else. Mitski expresses her desire for this constant ability to turn off her thoughts and emotions in “Where’s My Phone?”. In order to disconnect and feel no anguish or sorrow, she describes her inclination towards this by singing lines such as “I just want my mind to be a clear glass […] with nothing in my head”. The song derives inspiration from 2000s alt rock, and grows stronger and distorted towards the end - Mitski's signature production style.

Cats

The cats Mitski confides in could be actual cats or metaphors in track 3 of Nothing’s About to Happen to Me. In the uncertainty of the stability of her relationship, Mitski gives her partner an ultimatum, saying that they can leave or stay, and either way, it will be okay because of the support system she has. "Cats" is the culmination of soft rock and country music combined, as a pedal steel guitar carefully wafts throughout the song with supplementary slow tempo drums. The whispered wavering organ in the background only adds to the dreaminess of the production.

If I Leave

What may be the opposite perspective from “Cats”, Mitski’s partner tells her that they can’t end the relationship because of the strong connection they share between each other, whether it is as stable as they say or not. They admit they are not the best partner, but it would be very difficult for them to leave her because this is the best relationship they have ever had. The instrumentation arranged in the larger half of "If I Leave" is the sinister-sounding build up to the thrash of electric guitar cords waiting on the other side, before they return to the unique drum beat and softer guitar notes they were before.

Dead Women

The fifth track of Nothing’s About to Happen to Me references femicide and the exploitation and abuse of women, and how they are still abused even after they die. They are disregarded and disrespected, similar to how they were treated when they were alive, symbolizing that the pain women suffer never ends due to misogyny and living in a male-dominated society. "Dead Women" mixes acoustic guitar, muffled drums, and orchestral production all at once and unravels into a distinctive and novel symphony that leads out the song.

Instead of Here

The state of death becomes personified in the lyrics of “Instead of Here”, which Mitski says she has met several times before, who has told her that the two of them aren’t yet ready to meet again. Also sung about in “Where’s My Phone?”, Mitski emphasizes her dissociation with reality in order to block out pain that tries to come her way, as it has previously. This track is another soft rock masterpiece, complimented by more amazing organ work, perfectly fitting for the atmosphere of the song; the wind instrument represents death, and the guitar chords represent hope.

I’ll Change for You

Intoxicated and yearning for a former significant other, Mitski calls the person in question and says that she’ll do whatever it takes for them to reunite and be together again. As she is not in the best state of mind, she proposes promises that aren’t good for her to do to herself, hence the track’s title “I’ll Change for You”. The song takes genre-bending to another level, aligning itself with lo-fi, bossa nova, and a complimenting piano ballad that ties everything together, making the production a masterpiece in itself on top of the already ethereal remainder of the song.

Rules

The eighth track of Nothing's About to Happen to Me, “Rules”, experiments with trumpet solos and organs in yet another amazing country-pop crossover. Lyrically, the song appears to be a continuation from track 7, as Mitski sets boundaries regarding the reconciliation of her and her ex-partner. Based on them, it appears as though she is going to go through with changing herself, which will lead to an unhealthy dynamic in the relationship. In addition to the upbeat production style, Mitski also utilizes counting and music scales as a creative way to number most of the rules she lays out.

That White Cat

Cats, insects, and other types of animals are symbolic for the people mentioned in the ninth track of the album. “That White Cat” is actually a man that takes advantage of the position society has given him as a white man, thinking he is better than women, and as Mitski sings, takes over their house as though it’s only his. He tries to take away her power, as well as the other characters, who symbolize other types of misogynists. The production of the track defines it as a one-of-a-kind rock song, implementing rock elements but incorporating them at different times.

Charon’s Obol

More animalistic metaphors lie in the penultimate track of Nothing’s About to Happen to Me. Vicious, cruel, and evil men are often compared to dogs, which is how they are portrayed in this song’s lyrics, as a woman suffers from the abuse brought upon her by them. They are described in the song as the murderer of a girl. The lyrics also say that another girl must continuously take care of them, implying that these men are likely members of her family. In the midst of this slowed down, alt-country song is an outstanding string section, common with most country music but makes a distinctive appearance in "Charon's Obol".

Lightning

In a full circle moment, the conclusion of the album and track 11, “Lightning”, bridges back to “In a Lake”, both lyrically and sonically. The former song, a poem about the beauty of rain, creates a lake after enough is produced in the provided description of a thunderstorm. As Mitski finds freedom in being in the lake, she finds freedom in becoming rain after she passes away. "Lightning" strays away from the country elements of the first track, but still features the classic Mitski style of adding the element of surprise, and implementing an impactful shift in the tempo and instrumentation.

I have been a massive Mitski fan for years, so I was more than excited when she announced this record, and while listening to the singles leading up to its release. The most accurate way to describe Nothing's About to Happen to Me is that it is another wonderful project from the immensely skilled musician and lyricist, diving deep into her poetic talents while dignifying the country and rock aspects of her discography that she has integrated into her songs. Mitski stands out from all other artists, because she always knows what she's doing when it comes to crafting her intricate and detailed artwork.

Full painting of the album artwork:

Artwork from Dead Oceans record label

Written By Ashley Adams

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