“Malamente” (badly) was the first single from ROSALÍA's 2018 album El Mal Querer, a concept album based on a 13th-century novel about a jealous, toxic love. In this opening chapter she senses that something is going to go wrong: signs and omens warn her, and she goes ahead anyway.
It made ROSALÍA a star: modern beats built on flamenco palmas (hand claps) and the shouts of encouragement flamenco audiences call out. The song won two Latin Grammys.
Its Spanish is Andalusian-flavoured, with dropped letters and set flamenco calls you'll hear at any tablao. Learn a few — they're also everyday Spain slang — and the song's rhythm opens up.