In late 2018, Anitta released the Solo EPâthree songs, each in a different language: Portuguese, Spanish, and English. It was a bold move, showcasing her ability to navigate different markets without relying on features. âGoals,â the English track, was a quieter, more introspective moment in the mix. While âVenenoâ grabbed most of the attention with its provocative visuals, âGoalsâ offered something different: a reflective mood and a clean, futuristic video that felt deeply personal. Produced by Pharrell Williams, the song had a different kind of weight.

The roots of âGoalsâ trace back to a chance meeting in Las Vegas. Anitta has recalled that Pharrell Williams, impressed by her energy, âgiftedâ her an unreleased demo after they spent time together during a US trip. She described the tune as âa rare gemâ that instantly sparked her imagination.
Pharrell went on to co-write and produce the final track. For Anitta, collaborating with a Grammy-winning architect of modern pop was a creative coup and a strategic move that positioned her squarely in the global conversation.
At first listen, the hookââThatâs my goals, goals, goalsââsounds simple, almost chant-like. Dig deeper and the verses deliver a pep-talk of glittering affirmations:âShine, the rest of the stars are watching / Youâre awesome, youâre unique for all time.â Lines about retiring insecurity and embracing uniqueness echo throughout the song, mirroring the confidence Anitta projects in her public life.
Because the entire EP revolves around self-esteem, âGoalsâ completes a thematic trilogy: âVenenoâ flaunts seductive power, âNĂŁo Perco Meu Tempoâ shows romantic detachment, and âGoalsâ zooms in on inner validation.
Brazilian outlets noted that the move echoed her prior Checkmate project, yet pushed the concept further by threading an explicit self-love narrative across all tracks.
âGoalsâ instantly caught the attention of international fans who had been clamoring for more English-language material since âIs That For Me.â It also satisfied domestic listeners eager to see a Brazilian artist break language barriers without sacrificing identity.
Director JoĂŁo Papaâalready trusted by Anitta after âVenenoâ and âNĂŁo Perco Meu Tempoââhelmed the âGoalsâ shoot. He set out to film Anitta under a real night sky, reflections and all. Technology made that impossible, so the crew replicated the heavens indoors.
- They rented one of Brazilâs biggest sound stages and erected a 49-meter chroma-key wall.
- A shallow âmirror poolâ covered the floor so the star-field would appear under Anittaâs feet once visual-effects artists composited the sky.
- The color palette hinges on twilight huesâlilac, deep blue, and soft pinkâto mimic a dusk-to-night gradient.
Papa later called it âthe most complex job of my life,â praising a technical team that had to light water, glass beads, and fabric without contaminating the chroma key.
Anittaâs longtime stylist AndrĂ© Philipe faced a deceptively tricky brief: find pieces that catch light but do not bounce the chroma colors back into camera. He chose crystal-strewn bodysuits and a sheer, iridescent over-layer that stayed fluid while she danced in shallow water. Hair-and-makeup guru Henrique Martins kept skin luminous and hair sleek to maximize the mirror effect. The result is a visual that glitters without feeling cluttered.
Rather than overload the frame with backup dancers or props, Papa opted for minimalism: slow-moving cranes, silhouette poses, and bursts of improvised movement that line up with the songâs syncopated claps. Light rigs shifted color temperatures in real time, so the stars behind Anitta appear to shimmer as she turns.
Several shots freeze her reflection perfectly underfootâan optical illusion achieved by wetting the set just enough to create a glassy sheen. That interplay between body, water, and digital sky sells the idea that sheâs dancing among constellations.
âGoalsâ showed that Anitta could carry a full English track without a featured guest, signaling confidence to American and European labels. While the single never stormed global charts the way âEnvolverâ later would, it became a fan-favorite live staple and a proof-of-concept for her future bilingual and trilingual releases.
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