Today's Song of the Day, as chosen by Kevin Cole, host of Drive Time on KEXP, is "Niña Soñando" by Verde Prato, from the 2023 album Adoretua on Plan B Rec.
Recording under the name Verde Prato, Colombian artist Ana Arsuaga sings in Basque, honoring the traditions of the ancient Vascones and Aquitanians. Her haunting neo-folk synth-pop songs call to mind artists like Kate Bush or Tirzah.
Via her Bandcamp page, she explains today's Song of the Day reflects on "the questions that arise for a girl, questions that a girl asks of the world, of life, of otherness, of love, to innocence." The accompanying video features students at the Berrobi School in Tolosa, Spain, and the clip was directed by Maria Muriedas and Arsuaga's mother, Elena Arambarri (the theater teacher at the Berrobi).
"I find it a song that moves me," she tells Mondo Sonoro, "because it talks about some questions and a general state in which I could be a lot when I was a child, and I'm not only referring to the lyrics, but also to the tone of the song, to the cadence, to the atmosphere. For me it's like a sad and happy song at the same time, dreamy, and the rhythms also lead me to such a dance."
