Madonna is ushering in the Confessions II era with a series of studio videos that reveal how she works on the album’s tracks with her collaborators. We obviously see Stuart Price, but also Feid, Parisi, and Andrew Watt. The latest to join has been Arca, who ends up recommending a small historic bar in Barcelona’s Raval to the pop icon.
The videos allow viewers to see how the songs are built, from the choice of sounds and samples to the vocals and production details. She works with Feid on “Read My Lips,” with Parisi on “Love Without Words,” and with Andrew Watt on “Danceteria.” Madonna appears quite immersed in the task, listening, trying things, and closely following the process. At times she even looks quite serious, ensuring that everything turns out the way she wants.
The session with Arca has an added allure: the two are working on “What Will Save Me,” an unreleased track that ultimately did not make it onto the album. There’s also room for jokes. When Stuart Price says he has “an inner pain that I want to express,” Arca cuts him off: “Please, Stuart, no. You’ve had enough with your therapy, I can’t take it, it’s unbearable!” Madonna laughs in the background.
In another moment, the conversation turns to Spain and flamenco. Madonna says she would like to be Spanish in her next life and that she plans to move to Madrid to learn flamenco and speak Spanish. Arca has another proposal: stay in Barcelona and get closer to 23 Robadors, a venue in the Raval where, she explains, some of the best flamenco musicians perform.
The name of the bar also invites a small explanation. Arca tells Madonna what “robador” means in Catalan while the singer tries to pronounce it. We don’t know whether the recommendation will end up becoming a visit, but in 23 Robadors they are already celebrating the unexpected mention.
“PARDON?! MADONNA AND ARCA TALKING ABOUT 23 ROBADORS?!”, they wrote on their social media. “There are things that aren’t invented, and moments that must be shared,” they add, before celebrating the “unexpected connections” between the Raval and two artists like Madonna and Arca.
23 Robadors is a tiny bar with an underground vibe that has been programming live music for years. Its stage has hosted artists such as Rosalía and Niño de Elche, as well as musicians linked to the flamenco and jazz scenes. Far from the large stages and tourist-oriented venues, the space has become a musical reference in the neighborhood.
