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 creative boundaries while maintaining her distinct voice.

The Spanish artist shapes LUX into four movements with 18 tracks, crafting a space between noise and silence, blending high art with catchy hooks, intimacy with stadium grandeur, and emotion with spirituality. Rosalía’s ascent into LUX recalls Mary’s assumption, symbolizing transcendence.

The album showcases Rosalía’s growth as both a performer and sound architect. Throughout her career, she has drawn deeply from flamenco, a centuries-old art form, reinterpreting it in a fresh, modern way that has earned critical acclaim and worldwide attention.

Innovating Flamenco

In 2017, Rosalía emerged as a flamenco innovator with her debut album Los Ángeles. She deconstructed flamenco’s over 50 styles—a dynamic interplay between singer, guitarist, and dancer—into a pop framework structured around verse and chorus.

Her 2018 breakthrough album, El Mal Querer, conceived initially as a thesis project, further redefined flamenco by fusing traditional elements with R&B production. It won Album of the Year at the 2019 Latin Grammys.

The Shift from Translation to Transcendence

While El Mal Querer focused on translating flamenco into a pop language, LUX explores the feminine mystique and spiritual transcendence beyond language. This conceptual leap marks a significant evolution in Rosalía’s artistic journey.

"Rosalía ascends into LUX like Mary’s assumption."

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

Summary: Rosalía’s LUX elevates her flamenco-inspired sound by blending pop, opera, and spirituality, showcasing her evolution from genre translator to transcendent artist.

Rolling Stone Philippines — 2025-11-06