In the world of Netflix’s Emilia Pérez, music is a key element in advancing the story, with the song “Mi Camino” at its core, performed by Selena Gomez.
Gomez steps into new territory by acting in Spanish for the first time, but she brings a familiar strength to her role through her singing. Her performance of “Mi Camino,” sung entirely in Spanish, becomes a crucial moment in the film. The song, created by French songwriting duo Clément Ducol and Camille Dalmais, blends nostalgic melodies with Latin influences, creating a sound that mirrors the journey of Gomez’s character.
The creation of “Mi Camino” began when director Jacques Audiard gave Ducol and Dalmais a treatment for the film. “Jacques never gives specific directions. He’s a director who asks questions,” Dalmais explains. “After several attempts, Jacques told us he wanted [‘Mi Camino’] to be more profound, more sentimental, and to really reflect Selena’s essence as a woman.”
Ducol and Dalmais emphasized the importance of tailoring each song to fit the individual actors. This approach was essential to their creative process. “For ‘Mi Camino,’ we tried at least three different keys because Selena has a relatively low voice, but she chose a much higher key for herself,” Dalmais shared. The composers wanted to ensure that both the character and Gomez remained authentic, incorporating her Mexican-American heritage into the song. “Spanish is her father’s language,” Camille explained, noting that Gomez spoke Spanish until she was seven. The team also appreciated that Gomez’s slight American accent added a unique touch to the song. “We allowed Selena to keep her slight American accent. It felt very nice that she brought that American influence to it.”
The song evolved through various musical styles before reaching its final version. Initially, it was “very intimate,” according to Ducol. As the song progressed, it took on a more vintage nightclub vibe. “Jacques wanted it to sound like an ’80s hit that people would dance to in a nightclub.” This change brought in live orchestral elements, Latin percussion, layered choir vocals, and synthesizers to create a blend of nostalgic and contemporary sounds.
“Mi Camino,” which means “my way” in English, plays a pivotal role in a key scene where love and vulnerability intersect for Gomez’s character. As Zoe Saldaña’s character, Rita, watches this moment unfold, Dalmais says, “Rita’s gonna melt, like us, because she sees what love is,” emphasizing the song’s universal appeal and emotional impact on both the character and the audience.
Check out Clément Ducol and Camille Dalmais as they explore the making of the song in the video below.
