KiNG MALA is an alternative soul artist based in Los Angeles. AKA Areli Cas… Read Full Bio ↴KiNG MALA is an alternative soul artist based in Los Angeles. AKA Areli Castro, the El Paso born musician pens songs which touch on themes from lust, sexuality and badass femininity. Not afraid to spill her guts, the songwriter set out with the hopes to spark confidence in both herself and her listeners, creating music that will make you walk taller and speak louder. Both her music and visuals experiment with mascualine tropes, sharing “There’s something about taking something traditionally masculine and wearing it as a woman that makes me feel really powerful.” These masculine threads weave throughout everything she does, hence King rather than Queen and “MALA” which translates to the feminine word for “bad" in Spanish. Sharing her feelings from the bottom of her heart KiNG MALA encourages you to dig deep and connect with your inner-self. Life is messy and we shouldn’t feel ashamed to show our emotions and speak our mind.

Shadows
KiNG MALA Lyrics

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I'm a run the city
I'm a run the city
I'm a run

Bet ya didn't know
I mean it doesn't show
I've been working in the shadows
It's been building up

I been breaking it down
Why ya counting your numbers
I've been working from the underground

Imma run the city
Imma run the city
Imma run
Imma run the city
While ya stay being petty
You don't like my tone
Imma run the city
And ya won't even know
I bet ya didn't count on the ones that work in the shadows

I bet ya don't understand
Why a little girl talks like a man
But I was made to grow
And I've been working this body to the bone
I gonna grind it til it's gold

Imma run the city
Imma run the city
Imma run
Imma run the city
While ya stay being petty
You don't like my tonе
Imma run the city
And ya won't even know
I bеt ya didn't count on the ones that work in the shadows

Ooh for the ones working
Ooo, ooo
Giving it all away
You're giving it all away
Giving it all, I said you're giving it all away
You're giving it all away
You're giving it all away
Giving it all, I said you're giving it all away

Imma run the city
Imma run the city
Imma run
Imma run the city
While ya stay being petty
You don't like my tone
Imma run the city

And ya won't even know
I bet ya didn't count on the ones that work in the shadows

Overall Meaning

In KiNG MALA's song "Shadows", the artist begins by stating she is going to "run the city". She repeats this statement throughout the song, emphasizing her confidence and determination to take action. She then goes on to say that despite her outward appearance, she has been working in the shadows and building up her skills while others were busy "counting their numbers". She is aware that people may not take her seriously or believe that she is capable of taking over the city, but she is undeterred by their opinions. She asserts that she is going to achieve her goals regardless of what others think or say about her.

In the second verse, the artist explains that she has had to work hard in order to grow and develop her talents. She has been grinding "this body to the bone" in order to become successful. She then repeats the chorus with even more conviction, stressing that she will run the city and that others will not be able to stop her. She acknowledges that there are many people who work in the shadows like she does, and they are often overlooked by those who only focus on the surface-level aspects of success.

Overall, KiNG MALA's "Shadows" is a song about hard work, determination, and the power of self-belief. The artist uses repetition and a strong vocal performance to emphasize her message and make it clear that she is not going to be held back by anyone.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm a run the city
I am going to take control of the city

Bet ya didn't know
You probably didn't realize

I mean it doesn't show
It's not obvious

I've been working in the shadows
I have been secretly working behind the scenes

It's been building up
My efforts have been accumulating

I been breaking it down
I've been deconstructing things

Why ya counting your numbers
Why are you focused on your own success?

I've been working from the underground
I have been working in secret and from a hidden position

Imma run the city
I am going to take control of the city

While ya stay being petty
While you continue to focus on insignificant matters

You don't like my tone
You don't approve of how I communicate

And ya won't even know
You won't realize what's happening

I bet ya didn't count on the ones that work in the shadows
You didn't expect the people who work secretly behind the scenes to succeed

I bet ya don't understand
I bet you don't comprehend

Why a little girl talks like a man
Why a young female speaks confidently and assertively

But I was made to grow
But I was meant to mature and develop

And I've been working this body to the bone
And I've been working very hard

I gonna grind it til it's gold
I'm going to work relentlessly until it's successful

Ooh for the ones working
Oh, for the people who work hard

Giving it all away
Giving everything they have

You're giving it all away
You're giving everything you have

Giving it all, I said you're giving it all away
Giving everything you have

Imma run the city
I am going to take control of the city

While ya stay being petty
While you continue to focus on insignificant matters

You don't like my tone
You don't approve of how I communicate

And ya won't even know
You won't realize what's happening

I bet ya didn't count on the ones that work in the shadows
You didn't expect the people who work secretly behind the scenes to succeed

Writer(s): Giuseppe Nicolosi, Nicola Nicolosi, Rossana Nicolosi, Domenico Nicolosi, Gregg Brown

Contributed by Ruby B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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