Rosalía’s ‘LUX’ Mixes Pop, Flamenco, and Faith

With LUX, Rosalía creates more than just an album: it is part pop, part opera, and part world-language manifesto, pushing artistic boundaries while maintaining her distinctive voice.

The Spanish artist shapes LUX in four movements and 18 tracks, balancing noise and silence, combining high art with catchy hooks, confessional moments with stadium anthems, and heart with a sense of the divine. The album symbolizes Rosalía’s ascent akin to Mary’s assumption.

Artistic Ambition and Evolution

As both performer and sound architect, Rosalía expands her creative vision with LUX. Throughout her career, she has drawn deep inspiration from the centuries-old flamenco tradition, reinventing it into a fresh, modern expression that has attracted critical praise and worldwide attention.

Early Disruption in Flamenco

In 2017, Rosalía emerged as a transformative figure in flamenco with her debut album Los Ángeles. She deconstructed flamenco’s over 50 styles—which involve modular and improvisational interplay between singer, guitarist, and dancer—and reassembled them into a structured pop narrative with verse-chorus symmetry.

Breakthrough with El Mal Querer

Her 2018 album, El Mal Querer, initially a baccalaureate thesis and winner of Album of the Year at the 2019 Latin Grammys, further reinvented flamenco by blending its traditional elements with R&B production.

"If El Mal Querer was about translation—turning flamenco into a pop language—then LUX is about the feminine mystique and transcendence beyond language."

This concept profoundly redefines Rosalía’s discography, marking a significant evolution in her artistry.

Author’s Summary

Rosalía’s LUX boldly reinvents flamenco through a modern lens, blending pop, opera, and spirituality to transcend language and redefine her musical journey.

Rolling Stone Philippines — 2025-11-06