LUX: The Great Novela

By Sarah Elizabeth Fernandez

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At first listen, I was a bit confused. I have followed and admired the singer Rosalia for years, but I didn’t expect her latest album, Lux, to be so serene. Motomami (2022) is the album most people recognize her for, with songs influenced by reggaeton and trap. Others might know her for her distinctly Spanish style in earlier albums such as El Mal Querer (2018), which blends Catalan and flamenco culture into pop. However, I have come to realize songs such as Hentai and Como Un G, off Motomami, are preambles to the great novela that is Lux.

The lyrics of Lux discuss Rosalia’s past loves, but go beyond simple harmonized gossip by focusing on what she learned from the relationships. In “La Perla,” for example, Rosalia metaphorically examines the experience of having to tip toe around a lover who is as deli- cate as a pearl. For a non-Spanish speaker, the song sounds lighthearted and catchy, but it’s

loaded with pointed statements and complex lyricism; despite being a Spanish speaker, I’m

equally drawn to the production of the tracks as I am to the clever lyricism. She sings about heartache and lovers but also digs into more com- plex thoughts about the divine feminine and womanhood. On “Magnolias,” she sings about existentialism and accepting the inevitable fate at the end of life. She also coins some of my new favorite phrases in this song, “terrorista emocional” (terrorist of emotions) and “ladrón de paz” (thief of peace).

One of the major contributions of Lux to the music world is Rosalia’s choice to replace her previous bachata, reggaeton and electronic influences with classical arrangements. The songs’ modern anxieties are backed by choirs, string ac- companiment, and opera-like vocals. Rosalia’s range is really shown in Lux; she sings in thirteen languages throughout the eighteen tracks, which gives her access to a wide range of unique expressions. In Spanish, for example, the phrase “te quiero” is somewhere between “I love you” and “and I care for you [without a romantic attachment]” and has no casual English equivalent. As someone who finds inspiration everywhere– including my diverse background and travel experiences– I felt particularly seen by this approach in her songwriting.

Throughout the album she hints at her own musical inspirations——by featuring 90s avant-garde singer Björk on “Berghain”—and flawlessly flexes her status as a global superstar. “Berghain” was the first track to be released to the public, and at first listen I was a bit scared by the ominous chanting and singing, but the classical through-line deterred any thought I had about this being a low-quality experiential phase in Rosalia’s career. The song is a testament to Rosalia’s classical training and talent for music production.

I have played this album while traveling and softly drifted into sleep, yet I have also listened to some of the more upbeat songs like Berghain, Reliquia, and La Perla as I do errands. It is a flexible list of songs that doesn’t make me feel like I need to be in the perfect moment to en- joy it. Rosalia seems to be the natural candidate to promote a mesh of vastly different genres given her diverse past; her projects have consistently shown a commitment to growth and exploring new concepts. She might have surprised the world by showing a new side for a whole album, but the quality of work hasn’t changed; just shape shifted.

This article was originally published in CHICK Magazine Issue #1 on December 10, 2025