KLK (song)
| "KLK" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Arca featuring Rosalía | ||||
| from the album Kick I | ||||
| Language | Spanish | |||
| B-side | "KLK" (instrumental) | |||
| Released | 22 June 2020 | |||
| Recorded | September–December 2018 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 3:47 | |||
| Label | ||||
| Songwriter(s) |
| |||
| Producer(s) |
| |||
| Arca singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Rosalía singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
"KLK" (abbreviation of "qué lo qué", a colloquial expression for "what's up?") is a song recorded by Venezuelan musician Arca featuring vocals by Spanish new flamenco singer Rosalía. Written by both of the performers in Barcelona, Spain, the track was released on 22 June 2020 through XL Recordings and Columbia Records as the fourth single off Arca's fourth studio album Kick I.
In December 2021, a remixed version featuring Ivy Queen and La Goony Chonga premiered exclusively on Motomami Los Santos, Rosalía's own Grand Theft Auto V radio station hosted by her and Arca.[1]
Background
Arca and Rosalía have been friends since 2018. Their friendship started when Arca discovered the Spanish singer through her hit single "Malamente" and saw her set at the Sónar music festival.[2] In April 2019, during an Instagram livestream, Arca teased a song titled "KLK" and stated "I can't wait to put this record out".[3] The couple of friends were seen in public again at Frank Ocean's PrEP+ Party in New York City, where the Venezuelan played a special DJ set.[4][5] In November 2019, Rosalía sampled Arca's voice as an interlude to transition from "A Palé" to "Con altura" during her performance at the 20th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.[6]
On 8 March 2020, Arca revealed to Garage Magazine that her new album would be released in 2020 and that would feature collaborations with Björk and Rosalía among others, confirming the participation of the Spanish new flamenco artist in her fourth studio album.[7] On 21 June, Arca and Rosalía had a conversation on an Instagram livestream where they discussed the track and previewed it. Without any previous announcement, "KLK" was released on digital download and different streaming platforms the day after, along with its instrumental version.[8]
Composition
The track was first recorded in Barcelona on 17 September 2018 and was lyric empty.[9] Since Rosalía was promoting her second studio album El mal querer (2018) in Madrid and Miami, her vocals were sent to Arca through a WhatsApp voice note.[10] Thus, the song has partly been recorded using an iPhone.[11] "KLK" was also produced by Venezuelan musician and Arca's high school friend Luis Garban, who records under the stage name Cardopusher.
About "KLK", Arca explains that it is inspired by traditional Venezuelan music, specifically an instrument called furruco: "Venezuelan music has always been with me, and I am grateful that I have studied some of the typical styles of Venezuelan music. I always think of the furruco when I program a subbass. It is an indigenous instrument of Venezuela that is played with friction, you rub a stick hooked from the leather of a large drum and it has a super infra sub bass, it marks the pulse of the gaita, a style of music typical of Venezuela".[12]
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Tidal.[13]
- Alejandra Ghersi – producer, composer
- Rosalía – lyricist
- Cardopusher – producer, composer
- Alex Epton – mixer, studio personnel
Track listing
- Digital download – streaming
- "KLK" – 3:47
- "KLK" (instrumental) – 3:47
Release history
| Country | Date | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Various | 22 June 2020 | XL Recordings |
References
- ^ "Rosalía and Arca to Host Grand Theft Auto Online Radio Station". Pitchfork. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
- ^ "Rosalía vuelve al estudio de grabación con otro invitado muy especial | Noticias". El Quinto Beatle (in Spanish). 31 December 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Georgiev, Nikolay (15 April 2019). "Arca Playing New Music on Instagram Live". YouTube. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (22 October 2019). "What Frank Ocean's PrEP+ Party Understood". The Atlantic. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Staff (25 October 2019). "Rosalía y Arca juntas en la última fiesta PrEP+ de Frank Ocean". Revista Marvin (in Spanish). Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Rosalía usa un 'sample' de Arca en los Latin Grammy". CusicaPlus (in Spanish). 15 November 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ "Arca Details New Album 'KiCk i' Featuring Rosalía & Björk". HYPEBEAST. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- ^ Moreland, Quinn. "Arca and Rosalía Link Up for New Song "KLK"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Get to Know Rosalía, the Spanish Singer Giving Flamenco's Age-Old Sound a Bracingly Modern Twist". Pitchfork. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
- ^ "WhatsApp will now let you share voice status, here's how to post one". Updated July 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023.
- ^ Music, Rosalía (21 June 2020). "Hablan de cómo surgió 'KLK' y de que Rosalía grabó su parte desde su propio iPhone". Twitter. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Arca publica 'KLK', su bailable tema con Rosalía". jenesaispop.com (in Spanish). 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2020.
- ^ "Arca – KLK". Tidal. Retrieved 29 December 2021.