Tenía Razón
2022 single by Daniela Lalita
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"Tenía Razón" (English: "I Was Right") is a song by Peruvian musician Daniela Lalita. It was released on July 12, 2022, through the label Young as the lead single from her debut EP Trececerotres (2022). Written and produced by Lalita in collaboration with Sega Bodega, the song blends elements of folktronica, avant-pop, and experimental electronic music. It was later featured on the EA Sports FIFA 23 soundtrack.
| "Tenía Razón" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Single by Daniela Lalita | ||||
| from the album Trececerotres | ||||
| Language | Spanish | |||
| Released | July 12, 2022 | |||
| Studio | Sterling Sound, Edgewater, NJ | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 2:53 | |||
| Label | Young | |||
| Songwriters | ||||
| Producers |
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| Daniela Lalita singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Tenía Razón" on YouTube | ||||
Recording and composition
"Tenía Razón" was recorded at Sterling Sound.[3] Lalita performed vocals and played a Buchla modular synthesizer, in addition to co-writing and co-producing the track.[2][4][5] Sega Bodega contributed additional programming and co-production.[2][6] Vocal engineering was carried out by Lalita herself, while Gabriel Schuman mixed the track. Mastering was completed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Joe LaPorta, also at Sterling Sound.[3][6][7]
The song is written in 4
4 time and has a tempo of 103 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of E minor and follows a chord progression of Em–B–C–Cm.[8]
Lalita was inspired by melodies that her grandmother and mother sang during her childhood years in Lima.[9]
Lyrics
A form of self-exploration of the relationships we have with our past and future selves, with the intention of trying to love and understand ourselves in all our variations, no matter how many times those manifest as constant, antagonistic...and almost monstrous voices trying to destroy one's sense of self. Many of these internal battles and emotions are almost impossible to explain so I hope to connect with others who are experiencing similar emotions.[10]
The lyrics of "Tenía Razón" explore self-reflection and self-acceptance through an inner dialogue between past and future selves, depicting antagonistic internal voices and emotional struggles that are difficult to articulate.[10]
Release and reception
"Tenía Razón" was released on July 12, 2022, via Young[11] and subsequently featured on the FIFA 23 soundtrack.[12] Critics highlighted Lalita's vocal performance and experimental production. One review noted the contrast between her initially soft vocal delivery and its later transformation into layered, shifting textures over an Arca-influenced rhythmic structure.[4] Other reviews compared her vocals to those of Kate Bush[13] or described them as resembling "primal chanting",[5] while several commentators remarked that the track evokes intrigue and curiosity about Lalita's artistic identity and sonic world.[14][15] The Journal of Musical Things selects the song as one of the five best songs of 2022.[16]
Music video
The music video for "Tenía Razón" was released concurrently with the single and directed by Lalita.[17] Choreographed with Isabel Legate,[18] it features her mother, Pilar Secada, and addresses themes of inner dialogue, mental health, and trauma. The visual concept draws on psychoanalytic interpretations of dreams as expressions of the subconscious.[19][20] Critics have compared its choreography and trance-like movement to the work of Pina Bausch.[21]
Track listing and formats
Credits and personnel
Musicians
- Daniela Lalita – lead vocals, synthesizer, programming
- Sega Bodega – programming
Technical
- Joe LaPorta – mastering engineer
- Gabriel Schuman – mixer
- Daniela Lalita – engineer