Rosalía shares minimalist new single, ‘Hentai’ – listen
It's the fourth cut to be released from third album 'Motomami'
By Joe Goggins
Rosalía has shared another single from her forthcoming third album – you can see the video below.
‘Hentai’ is the fourth song to be released from ‘Motomami’ ahead of its arrival on Friday (March 18), following on from ‘La Fama’, ‘Saoko’ and ‘Chicken Teriyaki’. She had teased the track on TikTok back in January, along with another song, ‘Candy’, which will also appear on ‘Motomami’.
The new track is a minimalist affair, featuring only the Spanish singer-songwriter’s vocals over a sparse piano for much of it, before a battery of rapid-fire electronic beats is introduced towards the climax. The accompanying video was directed by Mitch Ryan.
It comes after Rosalía made her first solo appearance on ‘Saturday Night Live’ last weekend (March 12). By performing ‘Chicken Teriyaki’ and ‘La Fama’, she became the first artist in the 47-year history of the show to perform entirely in the Spanish language.
Last year, Rosalía became Rolling Stone en Español’s first-ever cover star, and in the interview discussed the meaning behind ‘Motomami’s title and its links to the record’s overarching feminist themes. “The album title is a feminine name, even though “moto” is one thing and “mami” another,” she said.
“For me, there’s a duality, just like in its sound,” she continued. “The record is structured in binaries, two types of contrasting energy. So, when you talk to me about feminism, I think that’s implicit in the intention – it’s very radical and it’s very much present in some songs, and maybe not some much in some others, because in the end, it’s all the emotional journey of the ups and downs an artist can take.”
She also revealed that the process of making ‘Motomami’ was considerably more challenging than for her previous two albums, 2017’s ‘Los Ángeles’ and 2018’s ‘El Mal Querer’. “There was a lot of time when I struggled and felt on the edge of an abyss,” she said. “At a creative level, it felt like an abyss. On other records, I always had company, even when I was the one pushing things forward because I had a clear picture. In this case, more than ever, I felt the weight and the responsibility of the entire project.”
“Even if I felt that way before, it was different here,” she went on. “I’ve worked with various producers; I’ve collaborated with various people. I’ve enjoyed it, but I had to fight for it. With previous albums, I didn’t have that feeling. Everything flowed like water, easy. I’ve been truly alone at times.”