Madonna applauds Rosalía
Por Miriam Gonzalez ·
With only 48 hours to go before the official release of LUX, Rosalía’s long-awaited fourth studio album, the buzz around the Catalan artist has reached international levels.
The first previews, “Berghain” and “Reliquia”, have already generated intense reactions among critics, fans and colleagues in the music industry. However, one of the most outstanding opinions came from a true pop legend: Madonna, who spared no praise in describing Rosalía’s new work as a display of artistic genius.
Through a story on her official Instagram account, Madonna shared her enthusiasm for the album, accompanying her words with an image of the LUX cover, where Rosalía is seen wrapped in a white cloth reminiscent of a straitjacket, sporting a nun-like coif.
“I can’t stop listening to it. Rosalía is a true visionary,” wrote the Like a Prayer singer, reaffirming her admiration for the Spanish artist.
The Queen of Pop’s message did not go unnoticed. Rosalía responded shortly after, replicating the story on her own account and adding a brief but significant text: “The queen”, in a clear sign of respect and gratitude towards Madonna, one of the most influential figures in modern music.
Madonna and Rosalia: A connection that goes back years
Although this exchange has grabbed headlines, this is not the first time Rosalía and Madonna’s names have crossed paths in the media landscape. In 2018, when the performer of Malamente was just beginning to break through on the international scene, Madonna revealed in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Mundo that she had tried to hire her to perform at her 60th birthday party, held in Morocco.
“A year ago I discovered her and tried every possible way to get her to come to Morocco for my birthday to perform for me. At the time no one knew who she was. I thought I was the only person who knew her,” the American singer recounted.
However, the collaboration did not materialize due to logistical and economic problems. Madonna explained that the costs of Rosalía’s team -which already had more than thirty members- complicated the negotiation.
“A manager showed up, then an agent … and suddenly there were already five people who wanted to collect an extraordinary amount of money. So in the end he didn’t come,” he recalled.
Following the international success of Motomami (2022), LUX represents a new chapter in Rosalía’s artistic evolution. The album, recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra, combines contemporary flamenco, electronic experimentation and classical arrangements in a conceptual proposal divided into four movements.
The album includes collaborations with renowned artists such as Björk, Carminho, Estrella Morente, Silvia Pérez Cruz, as well as the choirs of the Escolanía de Montserrat and L’Orfeó Català, reflecting the fusion between the sacred and the avant-garde that characterizes the work.
In an interview granted to Radio Noia during the Primavera Sound festival, Rosalía explained that this project was conceived from creative freedom and without fear of failure: “It is an album made for the first time without fear. I wanted to explore the feminine mystique, faith, loss and transformation.”
Highlights include Sexo, Violencia y Llantas, Berghain -which already accumulates more than 23 million plays on Spotify-, Reliquia (which was accidentally released prematurely) and De Madrugá, a composition with nods to his flamenco past.
Madonna’s support comes at a crucial moment for Rosalía, cementing her as one of the most influential artists in contemporary music. With more than 400 million records sold, the American singer’s opinion is a symbolic validation within the global industry.
In addition, other artists have added their voice to LUX’s recognition. In Spain, musician Coque Malla highlighted Rosalía’s ability to “reinvent genres” and “break the boundaries between the popular and the experimental”.
With LUX, Rosalía not only reaffirms her position as an artistic reference of the new generation, but also demonstrates, once again, that her work transcends labels and geographies. Her music -as Madonna rightly pointed out- confirms that the Catalan is not only a pop star, but a true visionary of contemporary art.
Find out more at ‘QueOnnda.com’.