At first glance, this work might appear more like a difficult university challenge than a new pop record by an artist who just had a previous single was a collaboration with a global K-pop star. Split across 4 separate movements and sung in thirteen languages, we have a head-spinning classical-tinged work investigating feminine mystery, religious ascent, and physical change, frequently through the lens of various female saints. The end of a relationship—a topic handled with raw honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched skyward here, buoyed by the lush sound of a major symphony orchestra and input from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a long list of contributors. The pure daring alone renders the efforts of other pop stars seem rather small.
Transcending Academic Exercise
That Lux succeeds in transcend dry academic posturing feels nearly miraculous, and full praise going to the artist. Although it's not the first time project to fuse the past and the present, its stakes are far greater on Lux, with the balancing act more dramatic. What really elevates her fourth album, beyond its multilayered tunes, rich arrangements, and inherent theatricality, is an essential spirit of joy. Similar to the legendary artist at her peak, there is a captivating quality to Rosalía's singing which sweeps the listener up in its tornado. Even when she's tearing hearts apart, you still want to be alongside her through the ride.
A Signature Example of Joy
This exuberant energy comes forth brightly on the stirring Italian song about Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Then, everything drops away, to reveal there's a spontaneous laugh followed by a declaration before a hilariously exaggerated orchestral surge crashes in like comedic force. The track then segues to the wild single featuring racing orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a surprise appearance from the artist herself.
"The magic of this album is that you rarely quite know—or even want to predict—what you will go next."
Nearly each track ends in a completely distinct place from where it began. A track examines the transient nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before disintegrating in digital cacophony. Another, a cut that recalls her previous rhythmic work starts out dark and brooding, with prowling vocals, until fluttering traditional rhythms and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough edges.
The Bridge Between Art and Accessibility
Another crucial balancing act on the album involves navigating the line between bold experimentation and mainstream accessibility. It is little coincidence that it has achieved the artist's first work to crack the upper reaches of key markets: at its core a collection of utterly catchy pop songs. One track sung entirely in the English language swells around a refrain that feels to collect more and more infectious melodies as it spirals upward. That feat is repeated by a different expansive track that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies like an intricate weave.
- A dance-infused song seduces with its playful, Disney-adjacent flair and an anthemic hook.
- Lyrically, it shares the cultural impact of other breakup anthems, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a painted-on smile, akin to a storybook figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have won the trophy of letdown."
A Maximalist Feast for the Ears
Lux represents popular music on a grand scale, a hungry grasp for high Art in an era of looming artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of glorious elevation, crafting a dramatic drama that skillfully manages its own built-in excess. It is an abundant well of buried treasure that requires time to fully mine but doesn't feels like hard work. While other major releases of 2025 seemed like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a lavish feast where the guests at it, perhaps intoxicated on sacred wine, flit between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and shared stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a contemporary musical from music's most restlessly creative visionary.
