an ode to Rosalía and how she has influenced my brand building journey
an ode to Rosalía and how she has influenced my brand building journey
La Rosalía!
To say I am obsessed with Rosalía is an understatement. After all, there is no one whose almost entire discography I love, whose songs I wake up singing to, whose concerts I’ve had multiple dreams of attending, whose music has actually made me change my style, mindset, who has took all my cultural loves and fused them together in an indescribable way, whose every song I have translated, whose album artwork I have made into my nail art.
Why the obsession? I discovered Rosalía when my Spotify AI DJ “X” (I usually hate that mofo) played her hit song, ‘DESPECHÁ,’ and my ears fell. in. love. The beat, the fast-paced lyrics—it was love at first listen. Growing up in North Bergen, NJ, surrounded by Latino culture, I've always had a deep appreciation for Spanish/Latin music. Latin music is not just about the melodies; it's about the layers of meaning in the lyrics, the raw emotions, and the freaking rhythms that make you want to dance. My obsession with Latin men kind of started from there as well… but I digress. Similarly, my love for Arabic music stems from its beauty, emotional depth, and the unique linguistic nuances. I only wish I could fluently speak both languages. Interestingly, many roots in the Spanish language trace back to Arabic, adding another layer of connection between these two beautiful languages.
Anyways, back to my love for Rosalía. My immediate obsession towards DESPECHÁ had a lot to do with my love for Omega’s music. His song, Si Te Vas (¿Qué Tengo Que Hacer?), is one of my top #5 songs of ALL TIME. I’m not even kidding. Just click & listen and you’ll know what I mean. Well, Lo and behold, Omega was originally supposed to be on Despecha, but eventually his part didn’t make the final cut. Rosalía made sure to give him a shoutout at the end and clearly you can hear his influence in Despecha’s beats. Long story short — I knew me and Rosí had a connection when the first song I heard of hers had the touch of Si Te Vas.
And, the rest is history. As with everything, I made sure to read everything possible about Rosalía; from her wikipedia, to interviews, live performances, reddit threads, gossip blogs, instagram captions, and all in between. Rosalía isn’t just a singer; she’s a true student of music. The more I read about her education and dedication to this beautiful art called singing, the more I understood her music and loved her. While ‘Despecha’ is a fun, merengue track and brought her more commercial success, she’s known in Spain and in her early days for her flamenco-inspired music and compositions in a fresh, pop, avant-garde mainstream way. Sure, all that sounds contradictory — but believe me, it’s not and it’s what we didn’t know we needed. Serendipitously, my husband and I decided to celebrate our first anniversary in Spain, and I totally get it. Granada was full of history and beauty, while Barcelona was bustling with character, grittiness, and creativity, similar to my other favorite place in the world, New York City.
Rosalía’s first experimental and conceptual albums, El mal querer, which catapulted her to commercial success was actually her *thesis project* for her baccalaureate at Catalonia College of Music. It revolves around a toxic relationship inspired by an anonymous 13th-century Occitan novel Flamenca, with every song being a “chapter” of the book—a narrative technique that resonated with my own storytelling instincts.
To say it’s a masterpiece is an understatement. Some of my favorite songs from that album are “A ningún hombre”(Cap.XI: Poder), and “Malamente" (Cap.I: Augurio).
Motomami, on the other hand, is a totally different project. While it’s a departure from her earlier work, it showcases her versatility and willingness to explore new musical territories. It shows her love for Japanese music/culture, kind of weird and unusual, a whole different persona, a little moto, a little mami — but a whole lot of good music + beats. Even if you are a little confused by CHICKEN TERIYAKI, songs like SAKURA remind you that the girl can f—king sing. Ahh, if only I knew of her early enough to attend the Motomami Tour. Doesn’t matter though, I already know she is going to sell out MetLife Stadium one day.
As an entrepreneur, I draw inspiration from Rosalía's fearlessness in embracing change and pushing boundaries, and realizing that you don’t have to end where you start — it’s OK for your taste to change, grow — as long as you make sure that people still enjoy the hell out of your final product. My favs from Motomami are LA FAMA, CANDY (Remix), SAKURA, HENTAI, TKN (minus Travis Scott), and of course DESPECHÁ.
But Rosalía's influence extends beyond her music; it's her ethos, her dedication to her craft, and her fearlessness in pushing boundaries that inspire me most. As I navigate my own brand building journey, she reminds me to embrace experimentation, to stay true to my vision, and to fearlessly pursue my passions.
In many ways, Rosalía embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship—a relentless pursuit of innovation and a refusal to conform to norms. As I continue to build my brand, I draw inspiration from her music, her artistry, and her unwavering commitment to her craft. Rosalía isn't just a musician to me—she's a muse for those looking to do something truly weird and different, but also amazing.
The only thing I wish I knew was — what does Rosalía smell like? What are her favorite fragrances, what is her signature scent? Alas, maybe we’ll save that for another post.
XO
—N