Why Rosalía’s ‘Lux’ Was Worth the Wait: Critic’s Take

Why Rosalía’s ‘Lux’ Was Worth the Wait: Critic’s Take

Rosalía made us wait for her new album Lux, and it was certainly worth it. After the success of 2022’s Motomami, which brought her close to superstardom, the easy path would have been to quickly release a follow-up album in a similar style. That album successfully blended her flamenco Spanish roots with Latin and reggaetón influences.

Motomami included hits like “Despechá,” Rosalía’s take on merengue, and “La Fama,” her bachata collaboration with The Weeknd. This project marked a transition from the niche appeal of her stunning El Mal Querer to a broader audience that embraced her sound with cult-like enthusiasm.

It was expected that a similar album would follow soon, but instead fans waited two and a half years for Lux. This album not only redefines Rosalía's style but challenges the entire musical landscape.

An Ambitious Orchestral Experiment

Recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, Lux features 18 tracks performed in 13 different languages. Rosalía explores new vocal territories, pushing her abilities in a bold and complex orchestral and operatic work.

This is not simply a collection of pop songs with symphonic backing. Rather, it presents a fresh take on pop—or perhaps classical—that questions genre boundaries and examines music production and consumption in an era dominated by quick, disposable tracks.

“This isn’t your tried-and-done collection of pop songs set to symphonic arrangements, but rather a new take on pop (or is it classical?) that tests the limits of what genre is and where it falls in the spectrum of musical production and consumption especially in an era of fast-food music that’s quantified and discarded with grim abandon.”

Author's summary: Lux shows Rosalía reinventing her music with an ambitious, genre-blurring orchestral album that redefines pop and classical boundaries in today’s fast-paced music world.

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Billboard Billboard — 2025-11-07

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