A look back at Rosalia's listening party for her album Lux: light in Latin
"Album of the Year" is no exaggeration; "LUX" is Rosalía's new album, written in close collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra and featuring Björk, the avant-garde musician and singer whose style falls within the realm of independent and electronic music. It's a unique blend of styles, made all the more compelling by the lyrics written in 13 languages: Latin, Catalan, German, English, and more. The album will be released on November 7th and will be preceded by a listening session in an important and intimate cultural setting: the National Art Museum of Catalonia in Barcelona.
Videos were prohibited, but a few images allow us to glimpse Rosalia's creative process, astonishing in its complexity. The first single, "Berghain," already sets the tone for an album marked by purity, excellence, grace, and complicity. "Berghain" is the name of an iconic Berlin club and a symbol of freedom, experimentation, and creativity. The rhythms are varied; Rosalia draws on her Hispanic roots as well as foreign cultures and languages to deliver an intoxicating and surprising musical offering. Her voice touches on pop and operatic styles, ranging from high to low notes, not forgetting the backing vocals, which in the music video surround her to the point of almost overwhelming her.
What if Rosalia were talking about intrusive thoughts, those that impose themselves at any moment of the day? Is Rosalia sending an intimate letter to the music world, revealing the weight of trivialities like anxiety? The word "Berghain" resonates with this state of disarray, the incessant noise, the excess, and the chaos. The club is a highly coveted place because it champions self-confidence; behind the walls of Berghain, visitors can fully embrace their personalities. Isn't it a shame to have to go to a single place to enjoy one's freedoms and express oneself, far from the intrusive noise of society?
At the heart of this museum, a dome entirely draped in white creates a spiritual and angelic setting. Rosalia, lost amidst countless white sheets, faces a silent audience, deprived of videos and photos, resolutely focused on one single thing. The performance begins at 21:30 p.m., a piano accompanying Rosalia's voice, which resonates throughout the space. The lyrics are projected onto a white sheet stretched lengthwise and widthwise across the back of the room. A grand set design for a gentle and simple choreography: Rosalia sits facing the audience at the edge of this platform, opening herself up and revealing her vulnerability. The orchestra intensifies the lyrics, which speak extensively of the "heart"—the human heart, or the passion that animates our relationships? The singer clings to the hope of a world unified by a common language: music.
The contemplative performance responds to the current context while introducing a unique musical experience built on electronic sounds and orchestral music. Is "Lux" the album that will make the world reconsider...
