“I love listening to music on match days,” Mariona Caldentey tells Apple Music. “It helps motivate me and keep my mood high and happy.” In fact, music is a constant for the Spain forward/midfielder. “At home games, before I leave, while I’m getting ready, I always have the music on full blast,” she says. “Later, in the car, too. When we’re at the hotel, I always take my speaker and AirPods with me, so I don’t change my routine. I play loud music in my room, and then on the bus I also use my AirPods. I really enjoy those moments and choosing my music consciously, because when we get to the pitch, in the locker room, we play music loudly and we all listen to the same music. Finally, when we go out to warm up, the music is still playing in the stadiums. In this case, we don’t choose what’s playing, but it’s a fantastic boost when the songs are familiar and enjoyable.” Unsurprisingly, given that she’s played for both Barcelona and Arsenal, Caldentey’s playlist of motivational picks is cosmopolitan and adventurous. “I’m more of a pop fan, but reggaetón motivates me for pre-game moments,” she says. “It’s hard to stick to one genre, but I tend to listen to music in Spanish and Catalan, although I also like some English [language] music.” One particularly resonant track is from very close to home—OR (O-ERRA)’s 2022 single “La Canción del Verano.” “This is possibly a lesser-known song to the public because it’s by a band from Mallorca,” says Caldentey. “But as a true Mallorcan, I look out for number one! Hearing that accent helps me feel close to my people and my roots. And also helps me not forget where I come from and who I am.” Likewise, María Escarmiento’s “PUEDES CONTAR CONMIGO” with BLNCO and detunedfreq provides plenty of motivation while tapping into Caldentey’s roots. “I really enjoy this song because it connects me so much with my past,” she says. “La Oreja de Van Gogh [who recorded the original 2003 version] was my favorite band from my childhood and adolescence. I’ve sung all their songs at the top of my lungs with my friends. Plus, this version by María Escarmiento is more upbeat, and for me, more appropriate for the ‘game mood’—motivation, concentration. So it has everything, and it’s one of those songs that, no matter how many times you listen to it, you never get tired of it.”