karmento

Karmento will compete in the grand final of Benidorm Fest 2023 with her track “Quiero y duelo”. The track is a reflection on her life’s journey: that of someone born in a little town who moves out of it to make a living.

From her own insecurities to her parent’s support, Karmento makes poetry out of the experience of a lifetime.

Scroll down for the “Quiero y Duelo” lyrics

Benidorm Fest 2023: Karmento “Quiero y Duelo”

Karmento, a social worker by trade, is a folk artist who has lived abroad several times and has moved all around her region, La Mancha. That experience of meeting each town’s traditions finally flourished in a passion for music that emerged when she was living in Malta.

Once she came back to Spain, Karmento started developing her musical persona. Now, she’s thriving as a musician. Most of her videos are deeply connected to her region’s land, just like her Benidorm Fest staging. 

What do the “Quiero y Duelo” lyrics mean?

“Quiero y Duelo” is actually a saying from Karmento’s town Bogarra. It means “I want and I mourn”. Speaking in an interview, Karmento explained the saying with an analogy to pregnancy — giving birth is like a “Quiero y Duelo”. 

The lyrics reflect on her life and her doubts: “And discern if the ship is stalling or if it sails peacefully”. “In the years grey moments, when she had doubts, she lived out of the memories”. “What are you going to do, if the wind is calling you, if the bonfire is still lit and you don’t know where to come back?”

“Quiero y Duelo” lyrics – Karmento (Benidorm Fest 2023)

Spanish text

Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló…
Si decían tú no mires, ella miraba, ella miraba.
Y un buen día en la repisa, donde jugaba, donde jugaba…
¡Que apareció una luz! que alumbraba el paso largo de una senda,
Que prendía la bengala de una hoguera, ardiendo en su interior…


Su madre lo vio muy claro y le dio unas alas, le dio unas alas.
Y su padre entre los miedos la acompañaba, la acompañaba.
Si tienes que buscar, anda y busca, siempre aquí tendrás tu casa.
Y el destino la enfrentaba a una jugada, que no pudo rechazar.


¿Y qué vas a hacer? Si el viento te está llamando,
Si la hoguera no se apaga… y no sabes a qué volver.
Y distinguir, en mitad del quiero y duelo,
Si se ha parado el velero o navega en calma.
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroloró…


Y en los grises de los años, cuando dudaba, cuando dudaba,
Se valía del recuerdo, y en el cotano donde cantaba,
Sintiéndose en el mar, tan inmensa como el ruido de las olas,
Proyectada en la ilusión de una victoria, que te vuelva a levantar.


¿Y qué más vas a hacer? Si el viento te está llamando,
Si la hoguera no se apaga… y no sabes a qué volver.
Y distinguir en mitad del quiero y duelo,
Si se ha parado el velero o navega en calma…
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroloró…

English translation

Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló…
If they told her not to look, she looked, she looked.
And on a good day, in the shelf, where she played, where she played
Suddenly a light appeared! It illuminated the long way of a path
It ignited the spark of a bonfire, which was burning inside of her


Her mother saw it clear, and she gave her wings, she gave her wings
And her father, between his fears, he accompanied her, he accompanied her
If you have to search, go and search, you’ll always have a home here
And destiny provided her with a good shot that she could not refuse


And what are you going to do? If the wind is calling your name,
If the bonfire is still lit, and you don’t know where to come back
And discern, in the middle of the want and mourn.
If the ship stalled or it sails peacefully
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroloró…


And in the grey moments of her years, when she doubted, when she doubted
She lived out of her memory, and in the tiny hole where she sang,
Feeling herself in the sea, as immense as the wave’s sound
Projecting the illusion of a victory, which will wake you up again.


What else are you going to do? If the wind is calling you
If the bonfire is still lit, and you don’t know where to come back.
And discern, in the middle of the want and mourn,
If the ship stalled or it sails peacefully…
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroló,
Loroló, loroloroloró…

Is “Quiero y Duelo” your favourite Benidorm Fest entry? Should Karmento sing at Eurovision 2023? Tell us in the comment section below!

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Anita
Anita
1 year ago

Thank you for this post!

lasse braun
lasse braun
1 year ago

i have learned a lot about spain culture here. 🙂

Eurotoxic
Eurotoxic
1 year ago

This is really authentic

I think it could have a good result in Eurovision, in the middle of a sea of melodifedtivalen songs… People would love something with personality.

This is real and pure

WALLY
WALLY
1 year ago

My favourite one from the beginning when the songs were released. It’s not only simple lyrics, it”s poetry. And her perfect staging makes her the best option for the winning.

Ari
Ari
1 year ago

I feel like this is very underrated. If you wanna go with something ethnic and inherently Spanish, I wish this would be the contender. This speaks much more to me than Blanca’s offer but apparently it will not stand a chance to win, looking at the semi final results.

Clara
Clara
1 year ago
Reply to  Ari

Same!