There are two artists performing under this name.

One is a 9 person … Read Full Bio ↴There are two artists performing under this name.

One is a 9 person Valencian band that formed in 2010 and performs exclusively in Spanish with a focus on social issues.

One is a soloist singer-songwriter who began releasing music in 2015. Mafalda describes her music as "dark pop" and cites Lana Del Rey, Cat Power, Lauryn Hill, The Strokes, Belle & Sebastian, and Kaiser Chiefs as musical influences. She has both Spanish- and English-language songs. She started writing music when she was fourteen years old. She released her first single, Don't Let Go, in 2015 while she was a student at Berklee. She released an extended play titled Daisy Chain in June 2019, which was produced by Ian Barter and Doug Schadt.

Born in London, of Spanish-Bulgarian origin, Mafalda is a singer-songwriter with diverse roots and life experiences. Mafalda defines her music as her “most vulnerable self, an honest reflection of what I see in the world my generation lives in. In November 2020 she released her first song in spanish “Decir Adiós”. Following her successful Spanish-language debut, Mafalda is beginning the year by releasing her second single in Spanish "Así Lo Hago Yo". Written by Mafalda in Los Angeles in collaboration with Carola Rosas and Dani Sobrino, the song was produced by Oscar Free (from the U.S.) and Tunvao (from Andalusia in Spain), with the executive production of Alizzz.

Recuperar mi vida
Mafalda Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Soy lo que la tele me ha enseñado
yo no cambio de programación
estoy muy segura de mis gustos
lo dice el presentador

me lo ha ordenado el Gran Hermano
me dice como debo ser
alta, guapa, correcta, fuerte, callada, consumista y obediente

El capitalismo me ha brindado
una nueva oportunidad
yo que soy pobre e ignorante
me dice que podré triunfar

Solo debo hacer unos cambios
comenzando por mi actitud
hoy renuncio a mi vida
me tomo la aspirina
quiero ser como tú

Relájate y deja de ser, qué es lo que intentas? Que intentas? (bis)
Relájate y coge fuerzas para gritarles: IROS TODOS A LA MIERDA

Si vienes de frente te caerán "magdalenas"
A quien tenga algo que opinar "magdalenas"
A los que piensan que voy a cambiar "magdalenas"
Bienvenida a mi revuelta interna

No hay manera
amas tanto tu coche no creo que me entiendas
No hay manera
ni fúbol ni prensa rosa ni carreras

Especismo, sexismo, violencia patriarcal, terrorismo de estado, boicot alimentario, independencia, tendencias de moda que apestan, me va a explotar la cabeza.

Voy a ser el mejor el campeón pero a mi manera
Voy a ser el mejor el campeón de las cosas pequeñas

Ieee ieee he de recuperar mi fe (bis)

A veces pienso en caer en la trampa y ser cuanto quieren que seas, ser un vegetal me espanta.

V -- I -- D --A es mia y la voy a recuperar!!!

RECUPERAR MI VIDA...

Si vienes de frente te caeran "magdalenas"
A quien tenga algo que opinar "magdalenas"

A los que piensan que voy a cambiar "magdalenas"
bienvenida a mi revolución/revuelta interna

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Recuperar mi vida" by Mafalda are a critical and sarcastic reflection on the powerful role of the mass media (especially television) and the consumerist culture in shaping people's identities and aspirations. The song starts with the assertion that the singer's TV habits determine who she is and what she wants. She identifies herself as a loyal follower of the dominant program, secure in her tastes and beliefs, and obedient to the cues of the presenter, who embodies the authority of the "Big Brother."

The second verse reveals the paradox of the singer's situation: she is poor and ignorant, precisely the kind of people usually marginalized by the glossy and glamorous image of TV celebrities and products. However, the capitalist system provides her with a "new opportunity," telling her that she can succeed if she changes her attitude and accepts the prescribed characteristics of a desirable person: tall, beautiful, correct, strong, quiet, consumerist, and obedient. The singer admits that she is ready to renounce her old self and take the aspirin that will make her like those models she admires so much.

However, the chorus gives a countervailing message of rebellion and resistance. The singer urges herself and others to "relax" and not to fall into the trap of conformism and control. She invites them to shout "Go to hell" to those who try to impose their standards and values onto others. The "magdalenas" that will fall on those who come straight ahead or express their opinions refer to a Spanish idiom meaning "telling the truth straight to someone's face and upsetting them." Therefore, the singer is warning that she won't hesitate to expose the lies and hypocrisies of those who pretend to know what is best for others.

The rest of the song elaborates on the different forms of oppression and violence that the singer perceives in her daily life, such as racism, sexism, patriarchy, state terrorism, food boycotts, independence movements, and fashion trends that stink. She rejects them all and declares her intention to reclaim her identity and dignity from those who seek to rob her of them. The song ends with the repeated refrain, "Voy a recuperar mi vida," meaning "I am going to recover my life," which signals the resolve and courage of the singer to resist and overcome the forces that threaten her existence and well-being.

Line by Line Meaning

Soy lo que la tele me ha enseñado
I have become what the television has taught me

yo no cambio de programación
I am not changing the channel

estoy muy segura de mis gustos
I am very confident about my preferences

lo dice el presentador
The presenter says it

me lo ha ordenado el Gran Hermano
Big Brother has ordered me

me dice como debo ser
He tells me how to be

alta, guapa, correcta, fuerte, callada, consumista y obediente
Tall, beautiful, proper, strong, silent, consumerist, and obedient

El capitalismo me ha brindado
Capitalism has offered me

una nueva oportunidad
A new opportunity

yo que soy pobre e ignorante
Me, who is poor and ignorant

me dice que podré triunfar
He tells me that I can succeed

Solo debo hacer unos cambios
I just need to make some changes

comenzando por mi actitud
Starting with my attitude

hoy renuncio a mi vida
Today I am giving up my life

me tomo la aspirina
I take the aspirin

quiero ser como tú
I want to be like you

Relájate y deja de ser, qué es lo que intentas? Que intentas? (bis)
Relax and stop being, what are you trying to do? What are you trying to do?

Relájate y coge fuerzas para gritarles: IROS TODOS A LA MIERDA
Relax and gather strength to shout at them: GO TO HELL

Si vienes de frente te caerán "magdalenas"
If you come at me directly, you will fall flat

A quien tenga algo que opinar "magdalenas"
To anyone who has something to say, I don't care

A los que piensan que voy a cambiar "magdalenas"
To those who think I'm going to change, I don't care

Bienvenida a mi revuelta interna
Welcome to my inner revolt

No hay manera
There is no way

amas tanto tu coche no creo que me entiendas
You love your car so much that I don't think you'll understand me

ni fúbol ni prensa rosa ni carreras
Neither football nor pink press nor races

Especismo, sexismo, violencia patriarcal, terrorismo de estado, boicot alimentario, independencia, tendencias de moda que apestan, me va a explotar la cabeza.
Speciesism, sexism, patriarchal violence, state terrorism, food boycott, independence, fashion trends that stink, my head is going to explode.

Voy a ser el mejor el campeón pero a mi manera
I will be the best champion but in my own way

Voy a ser el mejor el campeón de las cosas pequeñas
I will be the best champion of small things

Ieee ieee he de recuperar mi fe (bis)
Ieee ieee I have to regain my faith

A veces pienso en caer en la trampa y ser cuanto quieren que seas, ser un vegetal me espanta.
Sometimes I think about falling into the trap and being what they want me to be, being a vegetable scares me.

V -- I -- D --A es mia y la voy a recuperar!!!
L -- I -- F -- E is mine and I'm going to recover it!

RECUPERAR MI VIDA...
RECOVER MY LIFE...

Si vienes de frente te caeran "magdalenas"
If you come at me directly, you will fall flat

A quien tenga algo que opinar "magdalenas"
To anyone who has something to say, I don't care

A los que piensan que voy a cambiar "magdalenas"
To those who think I'm going to change, I don't care

bienvenida a mi revolución/revuelta interna
Welcome to my inner revolution/revolt

Contributed by Matthew G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS