Rosalía stood before a packed Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Saturday (Aug. 1) and delivered her most expansive apology yet to Argentine fans still stinging from a World Cup-fueled controversy she set off nearly two weeks ago.
Speaking directly to the crowd, the singer addressed the backlash that erupted after she reshared a video from influencer Mia Khalifa that many Argentines read as an insult following Spain's 1-0 defeat of Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final on July 19.
"My God, what a mess that day was," Rosalía said from the stage. "I was just curious, without looking into it too much, and I quickly reposted it… and it was a huge mistake. It was never my intention, truly.
The reposted clip, originally from Khalifa's Instagram, showed the influencer lip-syncing to Rosalía's track "La Perla" from a balcony, with a caption reading: "How life sounds now that the perlas have been defeated."
In Spain, "perla" is shorthand for someone untrustworthy or shameless, and Argentine fans immediately interpreted the phrase as a dig at their national team. Both Rosalía and Khalifa later deleted the content.
Rosalía issued a written apology on July 22 in an Instagram Story that also included the Argentine flag.
"I shared it because 'La Perla' was playing and I didn't even read what it said. My bad, I'm sorry," the singer wrote at the time, adding a follow-up post that simply read: "I only have love for Argentina."
Rosalía is currently on the Lux Tour that’s in Buenos Aires for some rescheduled shows before moving through Brazil, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and then wrapping in Miami on Sept. 16.
