The Songs of Paquita Salas: Function and Meaning of Music in Tv Shows
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62008/ixc/16/01LascanKeywords:
Music and TV, Popular music, TV fiction, Netflix, MetanarrativeAbstract
This article examines the function and meaning of pre-existing songs, musical numbers, and the theme song in Paquita Salas (Flooxer, 2016; Netflix, 2018–2019), one of the most successful Spanish streaming-platform series in recent years. The findings reveal that songs serve to situate the action, convey the protagonists’ emotions, and contextualize the narrative by emphasizing and anchoring the storyline. Musical numbers, in turn, operate as narrative devices that blend formats and genres characteristic of transmedia culture. The study also observes that the series’ growing success, along with its move to Netflix, coincides with an increased use of iconic songs—such as those by Rocío Jurado or Camela—which strengthens its ties to Spanish popular culture. The participation of prominent artists such as Rosalía, Isabel Pantoja, and Sergio Dalma in the theme song further reinforces the symbolic legitimization of these musical references in consolidating the cultural value of this televisual metafiction.
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