Rosalía – ‘Lux’ review: an arresting album of astonishing scope and ambition
Rosalía’s fourth album Lux ventures into new territory by blending operatics, orchestral movements, and electronic sounds. The Spanish artist continues to evolve, drawing from her past work while exploring ambitious new creative directions.
Her debut album, Los Ángeles (2017), revived centuries-old flamenco cantes with a modern twist. The follow-up, El Mal Querer (2018), combined Andalusian music with pop and hip-hop influences. In 2022, Motomami took her to Latin America, merging reggaeton with experimental electronics.
Now 33, Rosalía’s latest release might be her boldest yet. Lux spans entire worlds and astral planes, bridging Earth and the divine. The album showcases her singing in 13 languages including Japanese, Arabic, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Latin, and Sicilian.
She dedicated a year to refining the lyrics, initially using Google Translate, then collaborating closely with professional translators to ensure authentic and natural phrasing fit for song. The album’s concept draws from [translate: житія святих] and stories of female saints or similar revered figures from various cultures worldwide.
“Lux contains not just whole worlds, but astral planes, bridging the gap between Earth and whatever you believe heaven to be.”
This album solidifies Rosalía’s reputation as a daring innovator who masterfully blends diverse influences into a cohesive, transcendent musical journey.
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