On the other side of the computer screen, Rosalía connects (Sant Esteve Sesrovires, 33 years old). Immersed in the preparations for her Lux Tour, she reflects on the “privilege” of being the face of the new Calvin Klein perfume Euphoria. The brand launched its iconic fragrance for the first time in 2005. Then, Natalia Vodianova photographed by Steven Meisel, the great creator of the unmistakable ‘Calvin’ visual signature, was the chosen star to promote it. Now Rosalía takes over and does it her way: she dances sensually in the spot, to the rhythm of her song Dios es un stalker.
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Question. I would like to take you to the Vida Festival 2017. You sang in front of very few people with Raül Refree on guitar in the middle of a forest. What remains of that Rosalía?
Answer. It is a comforting memory. It was on my first tour with the album Los Ángeles. I felt very comfortable playing with Refree. We were very grateful to play at a festival and do what we loved. I remember I wore a jumpsuit from a designer friend, María Simón. There is much that is still there: my tastes, my dreams, my desire to keep making music and to get on stage. This is a different tour, but just as exciting.
Q. What does it mean to you to be the face of such an iconic perfume as Calvin Klein’s Euphoria?
A. Imagine… Calvin Klein is part of the collective imagination. It is an honor to be part of such a campaign. It makes me very excited.
Q. In the making of the campaign, you mention that one of the Euphoria elixirs you would wear to go out partying.
A. Yes, it’s the Bold. When I put it on, I thought that if you go out partying, when you come back it still smells. It’s that kind of fragrance that has strength. But there are also the other two. It’s very interesting to have different options. I really respect people who are loyal to just one perfume, but I like to play with scents and say: I get up in the morning and depending on the outfit or the mood I use this one or the other.
Q. At another point, you say you are very excited that “your exes” see the campaign. There is a sense of humor there…
A. I think you have to have fun in life. You always have to keep a sense of humor, right?
Q. Of course. Your laugh is somewhat contagious and I think you have also dealt with heartbreak with humor through music…
A. In flamenco, if you notice, many times tragedy is sung and explained from a place of celebration. Comedians also turn things around. It’s very beautiful to live from that place.
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Q. Did you expect La perla to connect so much with people?
A. It’s always a surprise. I think the only thing I can do is try to make songs with which I really feel I have given my best and in the end if others connect it is something I appreciate very much. Maybe I thought people would take longer to get into the album, but soon people wanted to make their own analysis and interpret how it made them feel. That makes me happy. It gives meaning to what I do.
Q. There may be some bitterness in La perla , but in other songs on the album, like Sauvignon blanc, there is a lot of hope in love…
A. There was that search. I have tried to build from silence, from contemplation. It is a very personal project. I tried to speak many languages, learn from other cultures, other ways of thinking, of living. Sometimes it is thought that to be creative and innovate you have to break. Here there is a lot of love for tradition, for the classical, for going back to the past and saying: “Wow, there is this music that is incredible, classical music! Let’s value it, put it on the table.”
Q. Many people have been left without tickets to see you. Did you consider more dates?
A. It’s such a big challenge to put on a show like this… But the truth is I understand that many people said: “Maybe we wanted more dates.” It’s a big challenge to be in so many places in the best possible way. I hope life allows me to keep doing many more concerts. Whatever the project, I’m sure there will be opportunities to do more performances.
Q. Enduring so many nights in a row on stage is very complicated. How do you prepare?
A. It’s true that it is very demanding physically, emotionally, and psychologically. Preparing a tour like this requires a lot of discipline, a lot of dedication. You have to surrender and commit, and there is always a search for excellence. But at the same time, I think that by putting love and care into small things day by day I can give my best. I do pilates, I dance, and I sing a lot.
Q. Are you still taking your classes?
A. Yes, I continue with singing and piano lessons. As a person who gets on stage, what I want is for others to arrive, enjoy it, and hopefully feel different from how they came, to take something away… The only way to achieve this is by being as free as possible to be able to convey emotions.
Q. How has your experience been as an actress in Euphoria? It’s a series with a lot of diversity among the characters (trans, racialized) and connects very well with young people.
A. Acting is a very different form of expression, but at the same time very connected to my work, which in the end is speaking from emotions. I am a big fan of the series. I am very eager to see how it turned out, as I haven’t seen anything yet. I trust Sam [Levinson] a lot and I have completely put myself at the service of his vision. I learned a lot from this cast, from watching my friend Alexa Demie act. And watching how Zendaya did it was incredible. It has been truly inspiring.
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