Arca embraces fluidity and changing between states, whether it be gender, genre, or personality. In a 2020 interview, they say "We all have multiple personalities. Rather than causing panic, I think maybe that could cause some relief". "There was a clear intention on her fourth album, Kick i to allow every self to express itself. Not to decide how much air time each self would get, but to allow for modulation between them in a spontaneous way. There is no such thing as normal". In Mutability and ambivalence guide the sound of her music — the atmospheres they create often contain abrasive percussive blasts, metal-shop whine, the screech of subway brakes, the whine of jet engines overheating. Anthropomorphic and animalistic sounds abound —mewling cats, mooing cows, anguished screams, the grunts and groans of orgasm, commingling pleasure and terror and beauty and ugliness in the most thrilling ways possible.
She has also been credited for her writing/producing efforts on Björk's Vulnicura and the entirety of Utopia. Alongside FKA twigs' EP2 as well as for their collaborations with Dean Blunt, Frank Ocean, Kelela, Kanye West, ROSALÍA and Lady Gaga, among others.
La Chíqui
Arca Lyrics
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Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
The beat is my boyfriend (soy la chiqui)
Flowers of my love (bonita)
Beat is my best friend (la chiqui)
Roots pulling up
Roots pulling up (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Flowers of my love (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Roots pulling up (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, chiqui-chiqui)
Roots pulling up
The schism
It shifts, it rips
The lick, it stings
To sing to rip the slit out loud, girl
The crowds amass the smell of blood
The spray, its mist
A tinted hiss from the necks of lambs
I, I, I, I think I am?
I-I try to pray instead
I-I try to pray instead of aching, girl
Depositing my faith again
It gets physical
I lose strength
The beat is my boyfriend (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Flowers of my love (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Beat is my best friend (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Roots pulling up (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Roots pulling up (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Flowers, my love (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Roots pulling up (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Roots pulling up (menéalo, menéalo, menéalo)
Soy la chiqui-chiqui
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Soy la chiqui
Chiquitita, bonita, riquiquí
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Soy la chiqui
Chiquitita, bonita
No se le olvide
A nadie
The lyrics to Arca's song "La Chíqui" are a stunning mixture of Spanish and English words that convey the artist's deep connection to music and the beat. The beat is portrayed as Arca's "boyfriend" and "best friend," with the flowers of her love surrounding it. The repetition of the phrase "menéalo," which means "move it," adds an extra layer to the song's message, as if urging the listener to let go and move along with the beat.
In the second verse, Arca describes the pain and struggle of creating music, likening it to a schism that shifts and rips. The lyrics move back and forth between English and Spanish, describing a physical ache that music can cause. The artist turns to prayer to relieve the pain, but even that is not enough, and she loses strength. The beat remains a constant companion, pulling up the roots of Arca's musical inspiration.
The chorus repeats, with the addition of the phrase "soy la chiqui-chiqui," which adds a playful element to the song. It is like Arca is inviting the listener to join her in this dance of pain and inspiration, to let the beat be their boyfriend and their best friend, to let the roots pull up and nourish their creativity.
Overall, the lyrics to "La Chíqui" are a poetic and emotional expression of the artist's connection to music and the creative process. The repetition of certain phrases adds to the song's hypnotic quality, drawing the listener in and urging them to let the beat move them.
Line by Line Meaning
Menéalo, menéalo, menéalo, menéalo
Shake it, shake it, shake it, shake it (repeated multiple times)
The beat is my boyfriend (soy la chiqui)
The rhythm is my partner (I am 'la chiqui')
Flowers of my love (bonita)
The blooms of my affection ('bonita')
Beat is my best friend (la chiqui)
The pulse is my closest ally ('la chiqui')
Roots pulling up
Strong origins emerging
The schism
The division
It shifts, it rips
It moves, it tears
The lick, it stings
The touch, it hurts
To sing to rip the slit out loud, girl
To vocalize removing the separation loudly, girl
The crowds amass the smell of blood
The masses gather the scent of blood
The spray, its mist
The spraying, its haze
A tinted hiss from the necks of lambs
A colored whisper from the throats of lambs
I, I, I, I think I am?
I, I, I, I, do I think I am?
I-I try to pray instead
I, I attempt to pray as a substitute
Of aching, girl
Instead of feeling pain, girl
Depositing my faith again
Storing my trust again
It gets physical
It becomes tangible
I lose strength
I lose power
Soy la chiqui-chiqui
I am 'la chiqui-chiqui'
Da-da-da-da-da-da
Words to fill the gaps between thoughts or actions
Chiquitita, bonita, riquiquí
Little, pretty, tiny
No se le olvide
Do not forget it
A nadie
Nobody
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Alejandra Ghersi, Sophie Long
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind