Rosalía’s ‘La Perla’ ‘Wouldn’t Exist’ Without Paquita la del Barrio’s ‘Rata de dos Patas’

Rosalía revealed on Saturday (Aug. 22) that the invective against the “emotional terrorist” referenced in her hit heartbreak anthem “La Perla” is primarily inspired by legendary ranchera singer Paquita la del Barrio and her iconic song “Rata de Dos Patas.” The Spanish superstar made the statement during the first of her five nights at the Palacio de los Deportes in Mexico City, part of her LUX tour.

Rosalía told the audience how honored she felt to be performing in Mexico — “a land with history, with enormous tradition and culture,” she said — and mentioned the similarities she finds between traditional Mexican music and flamenco. It was then that she admitted the ranchera genre inspired her hit “La Perla,” recorded as a duet with the singer from the Mexican-American trio Yahritza y Su Esencia, and included in her celebrated 2025 album that gives the tour its name.

“Ladies and gentlemen, without ‘Rata de dos patas,’ ‘La Perla’ wouldn’t exist,” Rosalía told the 16,500 people (according to Ocesa figures) gathered at the venue. “So, thank you very much, Mexico, and thank you, Paquita la del Barrio. Today, I offer heartfelt thanks for the inspiration.”

The legendary singer of classics that also include “Tres Veces Te Engañé” and “Las Rodilleras” died in February 2025 at the age of 77.

The living museum of LUX with contemporary liturgy from the Catalan artist included a second homage to Mexico when pop star Kenia Os joined Rosalía on stage for the famous “confessional,” a mythical segment of the show where celebrities share their most guarded secrets with the Motomami.

During her participation, Os — whose romantic relationship with Peso Pluma ended in June “on the best terms” — revealed that her “type of men” often tends to be singers. Rosalía responded, “Do you know what singers usually have in common? They know how to sing, but they don’t know how to maintain harmony in a relationship,” prompting a wave of applause and cheers from the audience.

The Mexican artist admitted her romantic relationships don’t work because she’s a woman “who sets boundaries and says what she doesn’t like.” She spoke about a previous partner she dubbed “el cacas” (a reference to fecal matter), whom social media quickly associated with rapper Gera MX. She recounted that it all happened during her first U.S. tour, when they decided to take a break due to conflicting work schedules.

“I found out he secretly tagged a woman on social media thanks to my friends and many gay friends,” Os revealed. “I told him I needed space, and he said it was nonsense, that I was crazy and he’d never be with her. Ten days later, he started dating her.” She concluded her segment with the saying, “An eye of a crazy woman never lies,” and both artists agreed: “When they tell you it’s not her, it is her.”

During her first night in Mexico City, Rosalía also surprised fans with new outfits for her performances of “Sexo, Violencia y Llantas,” “Reliquia” and “Dios es un Stalker.” In “Reliquia,” she gave a nod to Mexico by adding the country’s name to the lyrics, singing, “I grew up and learned boldness in Mexico and Barcelona.”

Rosalía will continue her series of shows in Mexico City on Aug. 24, 26, 28 and 29. Previously, the Barcelona-born star kicked off her trek in Mexico with two shows in Guadalajara (Aug. 15 and 16) and one in Monterrey (Aug. 19).