Clad in a black dominatrix-meets-Barbie-doll outfit, Rosalia opened up her colorful set with darkness at the 2019 MTV VMAs with “A Ningun Hombre.” The melody pays homage to her Spaniard roots with its flamenco influence. Later, the stage lit up into a colorful collage of red flowers when reggaeton-trap sensation Ozuna joined her on stage for their stellar single “Yo x Ti, Tu x Mi.”
Their chemistry on stage was palpable which left the crowd roaring in praise and admiration for their sexy performance. The 25-year-old finished her set with the electric “Aute Cuture,” in front of a brightly lit castle with her name etched on it. Rosalia has had quite a break out year. She won a Latin Grammy for Best Alternative Song, “Malamente.”
Rosalia also won two VMAs for best choreography for “Con Altura” with J. Balvin featuring El Guincho and Best Latin Video. Through her colorful art and futuristic way of making an old cultural staple like flamenco new again, she’s invading and crafting a new lane for Spanish artists to make it in America—just like Latin artists like J. Balvin, Ozuna, and Bad Bunny have. They are bringing the mainstream world into theirs.
“I respect the flamenco tradition..I love flamenco,” she told Rolling Stone. “It’s very difficult music to sing. But I think of any genre as a snow globe — you don’t admire it for its stillness. You have to shake it up and see how it explodes.”