Saoko
{{Short description|2022 single by Rosalía}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox song
| name = Saoko
| cover = Rosalía - Saoko.png
| border = yes
| alt = On a red background, a black motorcycle helmet (it's shield down) with pink hair attached outwards, forming bunches. The song's title "SAOKO" is painted in white vertically on the helmet with the artist's name, Rosalía, printed on the bottom part of the "O".
| type = single
| artist = Rosalía
| album = Motomami
| language = Spanish
| released = {{Start date|df=y|2022|2|4}}
| recorded = February 2021
| studio = *Electric Lady (New York City)
- Larrabee (Los Angeles)
| genre = * Alternative reggaeton
| length = 2:17
| label = Columbia
| composer = * Rosalia Vila
- David Rodríguez
- Dylan Wiggins
- Juan Iván Orengo
- Juan Luis Morera
- Justin Quiles
- Michael Uzowuru
- Noah Goldstein
- Urbani Cedeño
| lyricist = * Rosalia Vila
- Juan Luis Morera
- Juan Iván Orengo
- Urbani Cedeño
| producer = * Rosalía
- Noah Goldstein
- Sir Dylan
- Michael Uzowuru
| prev_title = La Fama
| prev_year = 2021
| next_title = Chicken Teriyaki
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|6o7bCAZSxsg|"Saoko"}}}}
}}
"Saoko" (also spelled Såoko) is a song by Spanish singer Rosalía. It was released on 4 February 2022 by Columbia Records as the second single from her third studio album Motomami (2022).{{Cite web|date=2021-11-02|title=Rosalía Announces New Album Motomami|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/rosalia-announces-new-album-motomami|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Pitchfork}}{{Cite web|date=2022-02-04|title=Rosalía Shares Video for New Song "Saoko"|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/rosalia-shares-video-for-new-song-saoko-watch|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Pitchfork}} The song was written by Rosalía, David Rodríguez, el Kagueto del Guetto, Juan Orengo, Justin Quiles, Michael Uzowuru, Noah Goldstein and Urbani Cedeño. Rosalía, Wiggins, Goldstein, and Uzowuru also served as producers. With lyrics about transformation and metamorphosis, Rosalía's "Saoko" contains an interpolation of "Saoco" by Wisin and Daddy Yankee. The song's title is a reference to Puerto Rican slang for "outstanding rhythm."{{Cite web|date=2022-02-04|title=The meaning of Rosalía's Saoko pays homage to classic reggaeton|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/02/04/saoko-meaning/|access-date=2023-05-17|website=HITC}}
The song was widely acclaimed by music critics, most of whom praised its deconstruction of reggaeton and cyberpunk experimental sounds, stating "the song is more experimental than anything she has recorded before and perhaps her best work yet".{{Cite web|last=Sancho|first=Xavi|date=2022-02-04|title=Rosalía breaks new ground with 'Saoko'|url=https://english.elpais.com/culture/2022-02-04/rosalia-breaks-new-ground-with-saoko.html|access-date=2022-02-06|website=El País English Edition}} The song's accompanying music video, directed by Valentin Petit, was shot in Kyiv, mainly at Podilskyi Bridge.{{Cite magazine|last=Lopez|first=Julyssa|date=2022-02-04|title=Rosalía Joins An All-Girl Biker Gang on 'Saoko'|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/rosalia-saoko-motomami-release-1294829|access-date=2022-02-06|magazine=Rolling Stone}} It would go on to win an MTV Video Music Award and a UK Music Video Award.
Background
"Saoko" was first mentioned in November 2021, in a Rolling Stone article by Diego Ortiz that covered the emancipation of Rosalía and the recording process of her album Motomami. It was also revealed to be the opening track of the album.{{Cite web|date=2021-11-17|title=MOTOMAMI: El camino de Rosalía a su propia emancipación|url=https://es.rollingstone.com/moto-mami-el-camino-de-rosalia-a-su-propia-emancipacion|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Rolling Stone en Español|language=es}} The singer previewed the song on TikTok on 29 December.
Upon unveiling the cover art of the album, the singer announced a new song to be released on 4 February.{{Cite web|date=2022-01-31|title=Rosalía Reveals Artwork for New Album Motomami|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/rosalia-reveals-artwork-for-new-album-motomami|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Pitchfork}} A teaser of the music video for "Saoko" was posted on 2 February, indicating the release of the song that week.
This song is on FIFA 23's soundtrack, which was released on 30 September 2022. {{Cite web |title=FIFA 23 Release Dates |date=20 July 2022 |url=https://www.ea.com/games/fifa/fifa-23/news/fifa-23-release-dates}} Due to players that pre-ordered the game via Xbox getting access to the game earlier than the official release date accidentally, the entire soundtrack has been leaked early to the game's release, confirming "Saoko" being part of it. {{Cite web |last=Leston |first=Ryan |date=August 30, 2022 |title=FIFA 23 Seemingly Just Leaked, a Month Early |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/fifa-23-leaks-month-early-third-kits-revealed-real-life}}{{Cite web |last=Callum |first=Smith |date=September 3, 2022 |title=Leaked FIFA 23 Soundtrack List Has 50+ Songs With Gorillaz & Bad Bunny |url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2022/09/02/leaked-fifa-23-soundtrack-list-has-50-songs-with-gorillaz-bad-bunny/}}
Composition
"Saoko" is an experimental with industrial and reggaeton elements that runs for two minutes and seventeen seconds. Rosalía labeled the process of creating the track's beat "as fun as driving a Lamborghini."{{Cite web|date=2022-02-04|title=Rosalía – "SAOKO"|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2174971/rosalia-saoko/music|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Stereogum}} It features heavy synthesizers, a distorted piano and traditional reggaeton drums, as well as a ten-second avant-jazz talking interlude between the singer and her team at Electric Lady that was compared to Eddie Palmieri's The Sun of Latin Music (1974).{{Cite web|date=2022-02-06|title=Rosalía: la gata sobre el asfalto cultural caliente|url=https://www.revistavanityfair.es/articulos/rosalia-nuevo-disco-motomami-analisis|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Vanity Fair España|language=es}} Described by music critics as "bizarre, industrial and psychotic", the song combines influences of Nine Inch Nails' The Downward Spiral (1994), and Kanye West's Yeezus (2013), both of which Rosalía has cited as an artistic inspiration, as well as Arca, who she previously worked with on "KLK".{{Cite magazine|last=Ortiz|first=Diego|date=2021-11-17|title=The Reinvention of Rosalía|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-latin/rosalia-motomami-interview-1256304|access-date=2022-02-06|magazine=Rolling Stone}} "Saoko" marks the first solo release of Rosalía since "Dolerme".{{Cite web|date=2020-12-17|title=Rosalía says she's close to finishing her new album|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/rosalia-says-shes-close-to-finishing-her-new-album-2841546|access-date=2022-02-06|website=NME}}
In an interview with Clash, Rosalía explained that "each and every phrase is an image of transformation. Celebrating transformation, celebrating change. Celebrating that you are always yourself even though you are in constant transformation or even that you are you more than ever at the very moment you are changing".{{Cite web|title=Rosalía's 'Saoko' Dips Into Her Reggaeton Roots|url=https://www.clashmusic.com/news/rosal%C3%ADas-saoko-dips-into-her-reggaeton-roots|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Clash}} Lyrical references include Frank Ocean, Vivienne Westwood, Lego, and Kim Kardashian, among others.
Music video
Rosalía shared a preview of the music video on 2 February 2022.{{Cite web|date=2022-02-02|title=Watch: Rosalía Drops Teaser For Upcoming Single 'Saoko'|url=https://remezcla.com/music/watch-rosalia-drops-teaser-of-upcoming-single-saoko|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Remezcla}} The video itself premiered on 4 February on YouTube. It was directed by Valentin Petit and produced by Division. It features an all-female professional motorcycle crew.{{Cite magazine|author=Billboard Staff|date=2022-02-04|title=First Stream Latin: New Music From Rosalia, Llane, Beele & More|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/first-stream-latin-rosalia-saoko-1235027255|access-date=2022-02-06|magazine=Billboard}} It was filmed over the course of three days in early July 2021 mainly at the Podilskyi Bridge and Naberezhno-Khreschatytska street in Kyiv, Ukraine, as well as in a filming studio nearby.{{Cite web|title=Grammy winner Rosalia released Saoko music video shot in Kyiv|url=https://112.international/society/grammy-winner-rosalia-released-saoko-music-video-shot-in-kyiv-69358.html|access-date=2022-02-06|website=112.international}} A fictional gas station was set up in the filming studio also using chroma key technique. The music video received comparisons to Spring Breakers, Street Fighter, Fallen Angels, and the music video for "Gasolina".{{Cite web|date=2022-02-04|title=Las referencias artísticas (y de moda) que están en 'Saoko', el último videoclip de Rosalía|url=https://www.vogue.es/living/articulos/saoko-referencias-artisticas-video-rosalia|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Vogue España|language=es}}
Style advice was given by Samantha Burkhart, featuring clothes by Jean Paul Gaultier.{{Cite web|date=2022-02-06|title=Rosalía: la gata sobre el asfalto cultural caliente|url=https://www.revistavanityfair.es/articulos/rosalia-nuevo-disco-motomami-analisis|access-date=2022-02-06|website=Vanity Fair España|language=es}}
For the video, Petit and co-editor Jon Echeveste would go on to win the MTV Video Music Award for Best Editing.
Personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.{{Cite web|title=Credits / Saoko / Rosalía|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/214733840/credits|url-access=registration|access-date=7 February 2022|publisher=Tidal}}
Production
- Rosalia Vila Tobella – composition, songwriting, production, vocal production, vocals, background vocals, handclaps, drums, piano.
- Noah Goldstein – composition, songwriting, production, drums.
- Dylan Wiggins – composition, songwriting, production, piano.
- David Rodríguez – composition, songwriting, recording engineer.
- Justin Rafael Quiles – composition, songwriting
- Michael Uzowuru – composition, production, bass, synthesizer
- Juan Luis Morera – songwriting (sample)
- Urbani Mota Cedeño – songwriting
- Juan Ivan Orengo – songwriting
Technical
- Anthony Vilchis – assistant engineer
- Chris Gehringer – mastering engineer
- Manny Marroquin - mixing engineer
- Zach Peraya – assistant engineer
- Jeremie Inhaber – assistant engineer
- Anthony Vilchis – assistant engineer
- Chris Gehringer – assistant engineer
Charts
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Saoko" ! scope="col"| Chart (2022) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| {{single chart|Billboardglobal200|101|artist=Rosalia|rowheader=true|access-date=15 February 2022}} |
| {{single chart|Portugal|68|artist=Rosalía|song=Saoko|rowheader=true|access-date=18 February 2022}} |
| scope="row"| Spain (PROMUSICAE){{cite web|url=https://elportaldemusica.es/lists/top-100-canciones/2022/6|title=Top 100 Canciones: Semana 6|publisher=Productores de Música de España|access-date=15 February 2022}}
| 5 |
|---|
| {{single chart|Billboardlatinsongs|22|artist=Rosalia|rowheader=true|access-date=15 February 2022}} |
Certifications
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for "Saoko"}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|digital=true|award=Platinum|artist=Rosalía|title=Saoko|relyear=2022|certyear=2023|accessdate=27 July 2023}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Mexico|type=single|award=Gold|artist=Rosalía|title=Saoko|relyear=2022|certyear=2022|accessdate=7 October 2022}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|title=Saoko|artist=Rosalía|certyear=2022|type=single|award=Platinum|relyear=2022|access-date=26 April 2022|id=rosalia-saoko}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
Release history
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Release history and formats for "Saoko" ! scope="col" | Region ! scope="col" | Date ! scope="col" | Format ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" | Various
| 4 February 2022 | {{hlist|Digital download|streaming}} | Columbia |
|---|