Rosalía Doesn’t Want to Take It Easy

On her intense and expansive new album “Lux,” Rosalía challenges the boundaries of pop music. In a time when many artists chase a similar pop aesthetic, she stands apart through originality and mastery.

The State of Modern Pop

Today, it feels as though nearly everyone wants to become a pop icon. Taylor Swift, once identifying with “tortured poets,” now calls herself a “showgirl,” recently releasing a brief collection of sharp pop songs co-produced with Max Martin and Shellback.

Meanwhile, the biggest breakout of the year might be Huntr/x, a fictional girl group from the animated Netflix feature KPop Demon Hunters. Demi Lovato looked back to her roots with Fast, a glossy club track paired with an album titled It’s Not That Deep, signaling its deliberate lightness.

Even MGK, known for transitioning from rap to rock, attempted another transformation with a video titled Cliché, where he performed like a nostalgic boy band singer searching for renewed fame. The playful stunt drew ridicule, prompting him to clarify his intentions.

“It’s a pop song, man,” he said.

Rosalía’s Singular Path

Unlike most of her peers, Rosalía’s identity as an artist remains singular. A classically trained flamenco vocalist from Spain, she reached international acclaim in 2018 with El Mal Querer — an ethereal fusion of flamenco and pop that also served as her thesis project at the prestigious Catalonia College of Music.

Author’s Summary

Rosalía redefines modern pop through her fearless experimentation, merging deep musical roots with boundary-pushing artistry that sets her far apart from today’s streamlined pop scene.

The New Yorker — 2025-11-07