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Rosalía, from controversy to controversy
The singer Rosalía has been at the center of many controversies this year. What has been the latest? Which side are you on?
The name Rosalía is synonymous with success, but also with controversy. Since the release of her latest work, many have accused her of wrongful appropriation of symbols and culture, something she herself has denied on several occasions. The episodes in this soap opera of love and hate towards the singer do not cease. Like the one involving the mayor of Valladolid over her fee.
Rosalía’s controversies
In May 2018 Rosalía presented her song Malamente, a piece that left no one indifferent, whether because of the blend of styles the singer performs or because of the styling, gestures, and twists she makes in the song. In it, she dares to blend trap with flamenco, something that was not well received by some sectors of the gypsy community.
Cultural appropriation
From this community, they indicated that she included symbols of their culture, something they called appropriation. From that moment, the term cultural appropriation began to appear in all the media, and Rosalía was wrapped in a controversy that made her talked about everywhere. Something the singer would soon deny.
A few months later, with the release of her album El mal querer and the unveiling of another song from the album, the controversy that seemed to have been settled continued.
In Di mi nombre, many understood that Rosalía was referring to the Yeli, or in other words, the word used to refer to the handkerchief test in the caló culture. The styling of the music video in which she appears dressed as a gypsy bride also did not help to quell the fire of the controversy.
The singer soon clarified that in reality the song did not say: Yeli, but rather: Ay Ali, Ali, Ali… Something she explained in this Tweet. For some of her fans, it was a convincing clarification, but for others, it was not.
We leave you the video so you can judge for yourself.
The fee
A new source of debate opened when the mayor of Valladolid, Óscar Puente, published a Tweet in which he revealed the singer’s fee. From there, the uproar began over whether it was a fair price or not and whether the mayor had the right to reveal the fee any artist asked to perform in the city.
Her agent told us, after keeping us waiting for 2 months, that they would start talking with us from 500,000€. In any case, if that is not the figure, let’s say her fee and we will be happy to hire her. We already tried in 2018 when she asked for 45,000€ but had no date. https://t.co/aszMTqGvxu
— Oscar Puente (@oscar_puente_) March 23, 2019
From the publication of this Tweet began a true free-for-all battle on social media between defenders and detractors of each party involved. Finally, Rosalía decided to put an end to the controversy once and for all.
Rosalía replied to Puente with the following Tweet
The only thing I’m going to say about what is said we ask for our show is that it is false. It is true that it is not a simple show (you know me) and that many people work so the show is incredible, but what has been said is far from the truth.
— R O S A L Í A (@rosalia) March 23, 2019
And she added in a press conference: "I was very surprised, truly, by what he said. I wish I could pay my team the figures this gentleman says because it is not even close, it is not that".
De altura the new collaboration with J. Balvin
It is not the first time the singer collaborates with the Colombian J. Balvin; in Brillo she left thousands of fans speechless with a song that at first glance seemed out of place. But the result was spectacular.
In De altura they have managed to blend reggaeton with flamenco. As expected, the new song has not been free from all kinds of reactions. Her fans are enamored with what she has managed to create, and her detractors are horrified by a song with very urban touches and her stylings. Also, the lyrics clearly show the singer’s tastes as she names Camarón and how she uses hand claps to adorn each song, whatever type it may be.
