Lali’s video “Fanático” and its political message ^{CEFR B2}

Argentine artist Lali Espósito released the music video for “Fanático” at the end of September 2024. The single became an international hit, entering the Top 5 most viewed videos in the world and reaching number one in Argentina. The clip is widely read as a political statement and appears to mock President Javier Milei, who has been in office for ten months.

The song and video respond to a year of public harassment and media confrontation between Lali and the president. The dispute intensified after the primary election result on August 13, 2023, when Lali posted the tweet “How dangerous. How sad.” The tone of their exchanges has been compared to the public confrontation between Donald Trump and Taylor Swift.

“Fanático” uses humour, symbols and references to Lali’s career. The video was filmed in a large warehouse as a nod to Milei’s nickname for her, “Lali Depósito.” It shows a casting session where fans imitate characters from her past TV roles and music career. A character who resembles Milei appears with fake sideburns and a leather jacket, screaming and losing his temper before being pushed out and then returning to shout again. The clip also includes a rolinga fan wearing a T‑shirt that reads “Who the fuck is LALI?”, a reference to Keith Richards’ shirt and to Milei’s claim that “I only listen to the Rolling Stones.” The lyrics are simple and mischievous, fitting both a story of obsessive fandom and the political context around Lali.

Mariana “Lali” Espósito was born in Buenos Aires in 1991 and began her television career at age 10. She was part of Teen Angels, recording six studio albums with the group, began a solo career in 2013, and acted in the 2021 Netflix series Sky Rojo. She has worked on social causes from a young age, calls herself a “feminist apprentice,” and is a member of Actrices Argentinas, created in 2018 to support the right to abortion. She has reported cyber‑attacks, threats and harassment, including from the current president.

The video’s sharp humour energised her followers and attracted wide online attention. A social media post on September 27, 2024 said: “In 3:07 minutes of a song, Lali Espósito has done and said much more than the opposition has in 9 months.” It remains unclear how the government will respond to the video’s reach and tone.