Rosalía’s latest album, Lux, has achieved remarkable global success, debuting at number one in five countries, breaking Spotify streaming records, and reaching number four in the US and UK charts. The album, described as multilingual and stylistically expansive, features lyrics in 13 languages and is saturated with Catholic iconography, exploring themes of transcendence, suffering, and grace. Despite initial scepticism from some critics due to its lavish promotional campaign and ‘nun-core’ aesthetic, the album has been praised for its depth.
Critic Carlos Delclós, writing for the Guardian, admitted he was initially put off by the album’s rollout, which included social media teasers and a video for the single Berghain. However, after spending time with the record, he found that Lux grapples with complex issues beyond mere spectacle. Delclós argues that the album pushes listeners to think beyond binary notions of good and evil, reflecting a world fraught with permacrisis—a term Collins Dictionary named word of the year in 2022.
Delclós connects the album’s themes to broader societal trends, noting that existential insecurity can push societies toward authoritarianism, as studied by sociologist Ronald Inglehart. He highlights the rise of ultra-conservative groups in Spain, which he calls ‘moral entrepreneurs,’ who frame themselves as defenders of traditional values. Rosalía, however, seeks to transcend such polarisation, as evidenced by the album’s opening line: ‘Quién pudiera vivir entre los dos’ (Who could live between the two).
Lux is not merely a collection of songs but a thoughtful inquiry into living in a world of unravelling assumptions. Rosalía, known for her scholarly approach to songwriting, has created an album that challenges listeners to embrace complexity and contradiction, moving beyond the simplistic narratives of good versus evil that dominate public discourse.
