After an almost 5-year hiatus, acclaimed Chilean singer-songwriter Camila Moreno has roared back into the spotlight with “Es Real,” a brand new song tolling the bells of musical and sexual revolution. Co-produced alongside Iván González and Cristián Heyne, the track blasts Moreno from the indie rock glory of her 2015 opus Mala Madre straight into 2020’s gauzy soundscape—her trusty guitar still in toe, but this time with glossier electronic production framing her honey-dipped vocals.
“’Es Real’ has to do with a personal process of expansion and liberation,” says Moreno via press release, unpacking the concept behind the bold new release. “It’s part of a necessary departure from the comfort of my creative process. It’s probably the biggest reinvention of my career to date.”
The Manuela Martelli-directed clip for “Es Real” echoes this sentiment of evolution and catharsis, shifting between stolen glances, strobing rave scenes and beautiful dance sequences. While breakbeats and distorted vocals cast an eerie spell over the video, Moreno walks down a dilapidated hallway where she peers into two different rooms, seemingly looking into her past and future. The first room, where a woman sits absentmindedly holding a child, might represent Moreno’s past and the many personal and professional sacrifices triggered by motherhood. The second room offers us a glimpse into what Moreno’s future could look like, with dancer and choreographer Nuri Gutes delivering a riveting solo performance that is as convulsive and fluid as the singer’s unfolding path.
The video also features a budding romance with actress and multimedia artist Paloma Hoyos, further highlighting the worlds of possibility a rejuvenated Moreno aims to explore in years to come. “I feel like we’re in a time where there is nothing left to prove, you just need to be real,” poignantly adds the press release.
“Es Real” is the first taste of Moreno’s yet-untitled fourth album, slated for release in 2021. The song comes on the heels of 2019’s “Quememos el Reino,” a fiery protest anthem released in solidarity with Chile’s massive social uprisings, where millions have demanded a new constitution and fundamental restructuring of public services for nearly six months.