Rosalia reaches for divine in new album 'Lux'
Spanish pop icon Rosalia has unveiled 'Lux', her long-awaited fourth studio album - an ambitious, orchestral reflection on spirituality, femininity, and the search for transcendence.
The 33-year-old Grammy-winning artist, known for constantly reinventing herself, has once again defied expectations with a record that trades the edgy experimentalism of 'Motomami' for something altogether more contemplative.
The album's title, 'Lux' - Latin for 'light' - hints at its spiritual undercurrents. Sung across 13 languages including Spanish, English, German and Sicilian, the record weaves together choral hymns, symphonic movements and delicate electronic textures.
It features collaborations with the London Symphony Orchestra, Icelandic artist Bjork, and the youth choir of Catalonia's Montserrat Abbey - whose haunting voices moved Rosalia to tears during a recent visit.
"That spiritual feeling has always been there," she told The New York Times this week. "It's just that I haven't rationalised it or intellectualised it. I love travelling, I love learning from other humans. Why would I not try to learn another language and try to sing in another language? The world is so connected."
Critics have been quick to embrace the album's bold departure from her previous work. Rolling Stone described 'Lux' as "a truly timeless work of art," while NME praised it as "arrestingly beautiful" and "fearless in its intimacy." The record has been hailed as a leap toward universality, combining sacred choral traditions with Rosalia's signature emotional intensity.
Promotion for the album has been no less dramatic. Last month, hundreds of fans flooded Madrid's Callao Square after Rosalia posted a cryptic invitation online. Arriving in white, a rosary dangling from her car mirror, the singer was mobbed by fans when her car became stuck in traffic. Videos on social media captured her leaping from the vehicle and running through the streets as fans screamed and followed.
Those expecting a spontaneous concert were left with only a fleeting moment - Rosalia waving from a nearby cinema window before disappearing inside. The surreal scene dominated Spanish headlines, and Madrid city officials later said they were reviewing whether fines should be imposed for staging a public event without a permit.
Two nights later, she resurfaced in a markedly different setting - a hushed listening session at Barcelona's Museum of Contemporary Art. Draped in white fabric, she lay motionless onstage as 'Lux's ethereal soundscapes played through the gallery, a silent audience absorbing the music as though it were a sacred ritual.
Spain's Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun praised Rosalia in a radio interview on Thursday, calling her "one of our country's foremost musical talents" and applauding her ability to bring Spanish artistry to the global stage. "She represents not just modern Spain, but a universal language of feeling and imagination," he said.
Rosalia's latest evolution cements her reputation as one of the most daring figures in contemporary music. From her flamenco-infused debut 'El Mal Querer' to the genre-bending brilliance of 'Motomami', she has continuously redefined the boundaries of pop. With 'Lux', she steps into new territory - a world of faith, transcendence, and luminous restraint.
On Friday night, she performee selections from 'Lux' live for the first time at a major radio gala in Valencia. As the artist once again reimagines her voice and vision, 'Lux' feels less like an album release and more like a spiritual offering - an invocation of light in a world that often feels dimmed.