Saoko

"Saoko"
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".
Single by Rosalía
from the album Motomami
LanguageSpanish
Released4 February 2022 (2022-02-04)
RecordedFebruary 2021
Studio
Genre
Length2:17
LabelColumbia
Composer(s)
Lyricist(s)
Producer(s)
Rosalía singles chronology
"La Fama"
(2021) 		"Saoko"
(2022) 		"Chicken Teriyaki"
(2022)
Music video
"Saoko" on YouTube

"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).[1][2] 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."[3]

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".[4] The song's accompanying music video, directed by Valentin Petit, was shot in Kyiv, mainly at Podilskyi Bridge.[5] It would go on to win an MTV Video Music Award and a UK Music Video Award.

  1. ^ "Rosalía Announces New Album Motomami". Pitchfork. 2 November 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  2. ^ "Rosalía Shares Video for New Song "Saoko"". Pitchfork. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  3. ^ "The meaning of Rosalía's Saoko pays homage to classic reggaeton". HITC. 4 February 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
  4. ^ Sancho, Xavi (4 February 2022). "Rosalía breaks new ground with 'Saoko'". El País English Edition. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  5. ^ Lopez, Julyssa (4 February 2022). "Rosalía Joins An All-Girl Biker Gang on 'Saoko'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 6 February 2022.