Last month, Spanish singer-songwriter MAVICA unveiled her captivating new single “you could never do that.” Fusing rhythmic serenity with atmospheric depth, the track delves into MAVICA’s relationship with her body as a female performer, echoing the collective desire to celebrate self-expression and autonomy in the music industry.
“you could never do that” commences with delicate synths and MAVICA’s hauntingly ethereal vocals, evoking an unblemished, icy soundscape akin to a blanket of fresh snow. As the grounded bass and soothing percussion are gradually introduced in sweeping layers, the track ultimately crescendos into a shimmering, crystalline sonic mist.
Reflecting on the inspiration behind the single, MAVICA shares, “‘You could never do that’ was written after a conversation with a good friend who is an artist as well. We were discussing how the music industry sexualizes the female body and how we want to celebrate our bodies on our own terms and not just as a tool to sell our music.”
The accompanying music video, directed by Irene Calvo, is a minimalist masterpiece that showcases MAVICA and a group of women intricately intertwined in contemporary dance. Calvo explains the motivation behind the visual: “We wanted to create something centered around the power of connection and complicity between women. We also wanted to keep it very open and improvised. All these incredibly talented dancers came together to give movement to the ideas and feelings we were working towards.”
RAYDAR had the pleasure of speaking with MAVICA about the latest record and its accompanying music video, the industry’s sexualization of the female body, and much more. Continue scrolling to read the full conversation.
Your new single “you could never do that” delves deep into your relationship with your body as a performer. Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind this track?
When I was writing this song I was overwhelmed by the influence of the music industry on female projects. I started thinking about how I could speak up about this. The lyrics came naturally and felt like a conversation with myself I never had. I was listening to a lot of Christine and the Queens at the time who’s a big inspiration.
The song has a serene, untouched atmosphere created by gentle synths and your ethereal vocals. In what ways does this musical landscape connect with the song’s themes and message?
For me, every sound of this song expresses calmness, security, and empowerment. The song starts in a soothing way, almost like a lullaby- which for me is the moment of realization. As the song moves forward the beat comes in and there’s a second stage of protection and self-care. The end of the song is the last stage of that empowerment, security, and reassurance.
Discussing the music industry’s sexualization of the female body with a fellow artist also played a significant role in this song’s creation. Given your experience and those of your peers, what do you think both the industry and fans can do to shift the narrative in the right direction?
I think the first step is recognition. Opening a conversation is the best way to make people think about and acknowledge there’s a problem. Once we can have those conversations we can try to work on solutions.
The music video for “you could never do that” really brings the lyrics to life in a beautiful way. Can you walk us through how it all came together?
When Irene, the director for this video, and I started planning this video I had just picked up dancing again and attended some classes. I really wanted movement and dance to be part of it. I just so happened to be working with Freja Jenkin (choreographer) on another video. We loved our collaboration so much that we decided we had to do more together. Luckily Irene instantly envisioned what I had in mind and we got Freja onboard. It’s very rare to connect with people who I’m so in sync with creatively.
Irene Calvo mentioned the importance of connection and complicity between women in the music video. How do you see these concepts playing a role in empowering other women in the music industry?
Working with these two incredible female artists made me realize that you can live in a world where women support, understand, and connect with each other in such an easy way, free of ego and the jealousy society is pushing us women to have for each other.
The more I work with women, the more I realize that society has made us think that we have to step on each other in order to succeed. When it’s actually the opposite, we shine more when we work together. We didn’t even plan to just have only women on this shoot. It happened to work out that way. It was the easiest, funniest shoot I’ve done ever. Being around so many talented women inspires me.
As an artist with a passion for both dance and music, are there any other art forms or creative outlets you’d like to explore in the future?
I love cooking, I think I have my grandma to thank for that. I’d love to somehow mix cooking with music in the future. I also love painting, pottery, or anything where I can use my hands.
Lastly, what advice do you have for aspiring musicians who want to stay true to their artistic vision and celebrate their bodies on their own terms?
I would tell them to write without caring about who’s going to like it or not and to not be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. In music, it’s very easy to get carried away by other people’s opinions. The most important thing is that feel comfortable and happy with the art you’ve created.
