The Wellness Routine Behind Rosalía's "Motomami" Energy
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Rosalía is more than just an international superstar — she's a fashion icon, a trailblazing feminist, and the ultimate embodiment of a motomami. The title of her third studio album, "Motomami" is a Spanish slang word that can be literally translated as "biker chick." It's no secret that Rosalía considers herself a motomami, but it's not just because she grew up riding motorcycles. To Rosalía, being a motomami is more than that.
"Motomami is an energy," Rosalía said in a March 2022 interview with Billboard. "It's the way you feel."
Whether she's serving bombastic, gum-chewing side-eye while performing 'Bizcochito,' or singing bachata ballads like 'La Fama,' Rosalía's motomami energy is contagious.
The Spanish artist is getting ready to kick off two back-to-back shows at Coachella this weekend, followed by a full European tour this summer. Between constant travel and putting on one jaw-dropping performance after another, the tour life could inevitably be taxing on the singer, but from what we can tell, she's dedicated to keeping her mind, body, and spirit healthy.
Here's everything we know about what Rosalía does to stay well while on the road or at home.
She Prioritizes Fitness
When it comes to talking about fitness, Rosalía is an open book. She's constantly traveling for work, but it seems she always gets a good workout in, no matter what — so much so, that she actually brings workout equipment on the road with her.
"I don't have time to work out as much as I'd like, so I always carry weights around. I'd work out the shoulders. Then a little bit of triceps. A little bit of everything," Rosalía told GQ in a video titled "10 Things Rosalía Can't Live Without" on YouTube. "I'm still learning. I know there's a lot of technique involved," she admits, but "fitness is always on my mind. I really like it."
In an Instagram post from April 2023, the pop star shared a picture of her callused hands with the caption "Fitness hands 😩". It's unclear what workout she's been doing in the lead-up to Coachella, but we know that she's a fierce rope climber and loves using free weights, so it's possible that either one was the culprit.
She and Fiancé Rauw Alejandro Hit the Gym Together
Couples' workouts aren't for everyone, but Rosalía and fiancé Rauw Alejandro seem to be fans. She's shared snippets of their workouts together, including one on TikTok that shows them getting after it in the weight room together.
"We have different routines because our bodies are different and our objectives are different, but cardio is always in there," Alejandro told Billboard in a joint interview with Rosalía in March 2023. "[We] train together at the gym," she added. "We combine HIIT and cardio workouts. I train five, six days a week."
If you're looking for a taste of Rosalía's workouts, this one from TikTok is a great routine to try: She powers through a near full-body routine, including what looks to be a dynamic upper-body warmup, dumbbell shoulder raises, medicine ball V-ups, hanging crunches, horizontal rows, weighted hip thrusts, planks, leg lifts, and more.
She's Not Afraid to Get Out There
She Focuses On Recovery
Fitness seems to be an important part of the singer's life, but so is recovery. She works hard, whether she's at the gym or on a stage — have you seen her dance moves?! — so it makes sense that she relies on certain tools and practices to relieve tension in her muscles.
In an Instagram post from September 2022, Rosalía shared a picture of her hotel room in New York, where a massage gun can be seen resting on a side table. Massage guns can help relieve muscle tightness and provide stress relief by increasing blood flow, according to the Cleveland Clinic, all of which can help improve post-exercise soreness.
On top of using a massage gun, Rosalía has also shared photos of her back with circular marks from cupping therapy shortly before her Coachella performances. It's not completely understood how or why cupping therapy works, but research shows that the practice dates back to ancient times and can offer pain relief, particularly from musculoskeletal pain, migraines, or tension headaches.
She Has Really, Really Clean Teeth
For most people, teeth brushing only happens in the morning and at night. But, in Rosalía's daily life, the teeth brushing limit doesn't exist.
"I have an obsession with brushing my teeth literally every time I eat, and I admit it," the singer wrote in an Instagram post from March 2022.
In a "What's In My Bag?" video with Vogue Spain, Rosalía pulls a toothbrush and tube of toothpaste out of her "purse" — which, of course, is a motorcycle helmet.
"I'm obsessed with brushing my teeth," Rosalía said in the video. "I always brush them in the studio, when I'm working before a show . . . [I] always have to brush my teeth first. I don't know why."
She Loves Tea
Those who know Rosalía know just how passionate she is about tea. In an interview with Byrdie, when asked about the one thing she does before bed, the singer shared, "I make myself a pineapple peel tea and put on a little show or series…"
In Vogue Spain's "What's In My Bag?" video, Rosalía pulls a giant piece of fresh ginger root from her helmet.
"[I have] ginger root because I love making tea, and I don't believe the teas that come in a bag are real ginger," she said. "So, I carry ginger, I peel it, cut it into chunks, I put it in the tea, and it's like it gives me more vitamins. It stops me from getting ill."
She Eats Whatever Makes Her Happy
It's no secret that one of Rosalía's love languages is food. She posts pictures and videos of herself cooking homemade meals like gnocchi, Nutella brownies, Spanish tortilla, or a creamy avocado and shrimp dish called Agua Chile, all accompanied by a satisfied smile on her face. A lot of her favorite meals look straightforward and delicious, but she's also very open about her more obscure cravings.
In GQ's "10 Things Rosalía Can't Live Without" video, the singer polishes off a heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise after sharing how much she loves the condiment. And, in an interview with Pitchfork, she talked about her obsession with milk.
"I drink milk because it makes me feel instantly happy, and I don't feel the same way when I drink water," Rosalía said. "[People say] I'm not supposed to drink milk because … blah, blah, blah. People say that it's not good for your voice. But I love drinking milk, so I drink milk."
Bottom line? If it sparks joy, it's in. If not, it's out. "I want to live my life, I want to have fun — and that's something that makes me make better music," she told Pitchfork. "I just don't want to forget all the things that I love to do. I want to keep doing them until I can't do them anymore."
She Takes Care of Her Mental Health
For Rosalía, her fitness routine is part of taking care of her mental health. "I wake up every morning; I train, because for my mental health it really helps me to work out," she told Pitchfork. And while making an album is hard work, it's also part of what she needs to feel mentally her best: ". . . for me, music is a human manifestation and this is what makes me feel excited to wake up every day. This is what I feel happy to do every day. It's almost mental health to make music to me."
"Just like that energy comes, it will also go," Rosalía said in an interview with Byrdie
. "The same day it comes could be the same day it ends. Meditating definitely gives me perspective, eating an ice cream brings me joy, and moving my body gets rid of the bad energy."