On the surface, Lux might appear closer to a difficult academic examination than a new popular music record by an artist whose last single was a collaboration with a global pop star. Split into 4 separate parts and sung in 13 languages, this is a dizzying classical-tinged opus exploring female mystique, spiritual ascent, and bodily transformation, often via the lens of various female saints. The end of a romance—a topic handled with grounded honesty on another major 2025 album—is launched heavenward here, supported by the lush presence of a full orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among a vast list of contributors. Its sheer daring by itself makes the work of other pop stars look rather modest.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album succeeds in transcend overly intellectual posturing is almost a miracle, and sole praise belonging to Rosalía. While it's not the first time project to blend the past with the present, its scale feel much greater here, with the balancing act far more precarious. What truly raises this fourth release, beyond its complex tunes, rich compositions, and engrained drama, is an essential sense of joy. Much like the iconic artist at her peak, you find a captivating sense to Rosalía's singing which sweeps you up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing your heart in two, you nevertheless want to be right there through the journey.
A Signature Moment of Exuberance
That exuberant spirit comes forth brightly during a stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a string-drenched melancholy for several minutes. Suddenly, all the music drops away, and there's a gleeful giggle followed by a declaration prior to a hilariously over-the-top string crescendo crashes down with cartoonish impact. The song then segues to the wild track featuring galloping strings, a powerful choral group, and a surprise appearance from none other than herself.
"The magic with Lux lies in the listener rarely quite know—or even wish to know—what it will go to next."
Nearly every song ends in a totally distinct point than how it started. One moment explores the fleeting trappings of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing into digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's earlier rhythmic style starts out dark and brooding, featuring menacing beats, before sudden traditional handclaps and an angelic chorus enter to soften its jagged corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
Another crucial achievement on Lux is navigating the line of radical experimentation and broad appeal. It is little surprise that it has become the artist's first release to break into the Top 5 of major markets: at its core a collection of utterly catchy hits. One track sung primarily in the English language swells on a chorus that feels to gather increasingly nagging hooks as it spins skyward. That trick gets repeated on a different powerful ballad that grows and contracts, weaving multiple melodies as a complex tapestry.
- A waltz-like number charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent drama and a chant-along chorus.
- Lyrically, it aligns with pop culture honesty of contemporary breakup songs, eviscerating a former lover described as an "psychological terrorist".
- Throughout the album, the vocals carry a sharp edge, akin to a fairy-tale figure hiding a blade: "Gold medal in being a scoundrel / You have the podium of disappointment."
A Maximalist Banquet for the Ears
Lux is pop on a maximalist scale, a hungry grasp for high artistry in an era of looming artificial sameness. It rejects self-absorption in favor of sublime elevation, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is a deep well of buried gems that requires time to completely mine but never feels like hard work. Where other major pop albums of 2025 felt like a meager scraps, this record is a lavish banquet where the characters around the table, perhaps intoxicated on holy wine, flutter between discussions about ancient saints, the galvanizing feeling of soul-shattering grief, and shared gossip about useless partners. It is a contemporary musical from pop's most restlessly creative visionary.
