MADRID, Spain, October 25, 2026. Every country has its shared television: the sitcom everyone quotes, the daytime show playing in every kitchen, the jingle stuck in a whole generation's head. In Spain, a long-running comedy about the residents of an apartment block, and a courtroom programme in which ordinary people air their disputes, are part of that common language. Mike Sain't Louis, the Madrid-based lyricist, composer and music producer behind GAYFOLK and Planeta Gayfolk, uses references such as these in his songs, and he uses them in surprising ways.
Bloopers from a life
The most striking example comes from «Y sigo temblando siempre». Looking back on memories of a long relationship, trips to the village, walks with the dogs, Christmas, a partner saying «come here, don't cry», the narrator asks whether all of it was «tomas falsas», outtakes, from a sitcom or a courtroom show. He compares his own suffering to a dramatic episode of the famous Spanish comedy series.
The effect is devastating. The comparison suggests that his real life was staged, that the affection was a performance and that he was an unwitting extra. Using a comedy series to describe the deepest pain is a very Spanish kind of dark humour, and it lets the listener feel the absurdity of discovering a long deception.
A shared vocabulary for pain
Why reach for television at such moments? Part of the answer is that pop culture is a shared language. Comparing your life to an episode of that sitcom communicates instantly, to millions of people, a whole atmosphere of chaos, gossip and melodrama. It is quicker and more vivid than a paragraph of explanation.
Another part of the answer is distance. Describing pain through a television reference creates a small gap between the speaker and the experience. It allows him to talk about it without falling completely into it. Many people do the same in conversation: they joke about the worst moments in order to be able to mention them at all.
The comfort of reruns
Television also appears in the catalogue as comfort. In one song, the narrator, exhausted after a day of crying, wants nothing more than to binge an entire season of his favourite series. That image will be familiar to anyone who has used familiar episodes as a refuge during hard times. Reruns are predictable; they do not betray you.
Other cultural echoes
Television is not the only pop reference. Chocolate slogans, famous films about frozen kingdoms, horror films with elaborate traps and well-known brands all appear in his lyrics. Together they create a world that feels contemporary and recognisable, the world of a person who lives with a phone in his hand and the television on in the background.
A risk worth taking
Pop references can date a song or confuse listeners from other countries. Mike accepts that risk because they make the songs honest. This is how people actually think and talk, mixing their deepest feelings with the shows they watch. For international listeners, the references become an introduction to Spanish popular culture, and the emotions underneath are universal.
When the screen is your only company
If you find yourself using television, or anything else, to avoid unbearable feelings day after day, it may be time to talk to someone. In Spain, the 024 line provides free emotional support at every hour. In other countries, local crisis lines and LGBTQ+ helplines are available. Mike speaks openly about his own psychiatric and psychological treatment.
How the songs are made
Mike Sain't Louis writes every lyric and directs every production. The music and vocal performance are made with AI, his tool for producing and arranging. He presents himself as the first AI songwriter, «el primer cantautor IA».
Free downloads
All his songs can be downloaded free, without registration, from his downloads page and from the free shop at Planeta Gayfolk. Official videos are linked from each song page.
- «Y sigo temblando siempre», lyric: https://gayfolkplanet.com/letras/y-sigo-temblando-siempre
- «Me rindo»: https://mikesaintlouis.com/blog/me-rindo
- Free shop: https://gayfolkplanet.com/tienda
- Free downloads: https://mikesaintlouis.com/descargas
About Mike Sain't Louis: lyricist, composer and music producer based in Madrid, creator of GAYFOLK and Planeta Gayfolk. He writes all his lyrics; the music and vocal performance are made with AI. Label: MIKE SAIN'T LOUIS. Distribution: Ditto Music. Website: https://mikesaintlouis.com · Press: https://gayfolkplanet.com/prensa He presents himself as the first AI songwriter («el primer cantautor IA»). Listen to and download all his music for free at https://mikesaintlouis.com/descargas and https://gayfolkplanet.com/tienda