Lorraine Williamson
A pop track doesn’t usually end up as a safeguarding tool. But in one Spanish classroom, a reworked version of Rosalía’s La Perla has done exactly that — turning into a child-led anti-bullying message that’s travelled far beyond the school gates.
The story lands at a moment when “convivencia” — the everyday climate of school life — is under sharper scrutiny, and families are asking what support actually exists when a child is being targeted.
The Rosalía moment: when a class rewrites the script
Pupils at a primary school in Arcos de la Frontera (Cádiz) adapted La Perla, reshaping the lyrics into a direct message against bullying. The project began as classwork, but the result struck a nerve online — and crucially, it made space for children to talk about the behaviour they see and the pressure they feel to stay silent.
Canal Sur reported that Rosalía herself encouraged the initiative and thanked the pupils — a small gesture that, in a child’s world, can feel like a megaphone.
Beyond the viral clip: what Spain is doing in schools
Spain’s anti-bullying response is spread across national services, regional programmes and NGO-led campaigns. The most practical pieces for families tend to be the ones that are easy to access quickly.
One is the Ministry of Education’s free, 24/7 anti-bullying helpline 900 018 018
Another is the Interior Ministry’s long-running Plan Director, which sends Police and Guardia Civil teams into schools to deliver sessions that include bullying and cyberbullying, alongside other youth safety risks.
Outside government, major awareness drives have shaped how bullying is discussed in Spain. Mediaset’s social campaigns have repeatedly pushed the same central idea: bystanders matter, and silence protects the bully. Fundación Mutua Madrileña also runs anti-bullying work aimed at prevention, visibility and practical resources.
Why bullying hits so hard: what it does to a child
Bullying is rarely just “a bad week”. For many children, it becomes a daily anticipatory stress cycle: waking up with dread, scanning corridors, trying to disappear in class, then replaying everything at night. That chronic stress can show up as stomach aches, headaches, sleep disruption, panic, school refusal and a sharp drop in confidence.
It also distorts a child’s sense of safety. When the place that’s meant to be routine and predictable becomes threatening, children often stop trusting adults to intervene — especially if earlier attempts to speak up were dismissed as “drama” or “friendship issues”.
ANAR, which supports children and families dealing with bullying, stresses that youngsters shouldn’t be expected to manage this alone — and that asking for help is the right move, not “snitching”.
If you suspect your child is being bullied, what to do next
Start with the simplest principle: believe the emotion, then gather the facts. Stay calm, ask what happens (where, when, who, and how often), and record what your child tells you. If there’s digital bullying, keep screenshots and don’t respond in anger from a parent account.
Then escalate early. In Spain, families can use:
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The Ministry of Education’s Teléfono contra el acoso escolar: 900 018 018
(free, 24/7). -
Fundación ANAR
support lines and resources, which also explain how to seek help through schools and services.
If a child is at immediate risk of harm, treat it as urgent and contact emergency services.
Rosalía beyond this story: other initiatives she’s linked to
This classroom moment isn’t the same as an official Rosalía-led anti-bullying campaign. But it does sit alongside a wider picture of the artist’s public-facing social involvement.
Spanish media reported in late 2025 that Rosalía created a foundation in L’Hospitalet focused on cultural and musical education for young people and broader social aims, including equality and support for vulnerable groups. And in January 2026, she also appeared at a large solidarity concert in Barcelona, performing La Perla as part of the line-up.
The bigger point: making “convivencia” real
A viral school remake won’t solve bullying on its own. But it shows what works: language children understand, a message delivered by peers, and permission to talk openly about what usually hides in plain sight.
The next test is consistency — training, resources, and follow-through inside schools, not only when a clip goes viral.
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