Breaking Down Rosalía's New Album, LUX

Summary

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Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: All Of It with Alison Stewart (WNYC)

Episode Title: Breaking Down Rosalía’s New Album, LUX
Date: November 21, 2025
Featured Guests:

• Nate Sloan (Co-host, Switched On Pop)
• Rihanna Cruz (Producer, Switched On Pop)

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Episode Overview

This episode offers a deep dive into Spanish musician Rosalía’s ambitious and genre-defying album LUX, which recently made chart history with simultaneous number one debuts across five different Billboard charts. Host Alison Stewart, joined by music experts Nate Sloan and Rihanna Cruz, explores the album’s musical complexity, sweeping collaborations, thematic intentions, and the critical and listener reactions that mark LUX as a groundbreaking work at the intersection of classical, pop, and experimental genres.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rosalía's Historic Chart Accomplishments

• [00:39] Alison Stewart opens by highlighting that Rosalía became the first artist to land number one debuts on five different charts simultaneously (Top Latin, Top Latin Pop, World Albums, Classical Crossover, and Classical Albums) and debut in the Billboard Top 10 with LUX.
• The album showcases Rosalía’s expansive approach: 13 languages, collaborations with Björk, Pharrell, Yves Tumor, Patti Smith, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Album Intent and Expansiveness

• [03:49] Nate Sloan explains Rosalía’s goal: “Her goal with this album was to be as expansive as possible. She sings in 13 different languages. She works with collaborators from all over the world, and she merges different genres—classical, pop, reggaeton—in these surprising ways.”
• The diversity is intentional and central to its impact: “That’s not a bug—that’s a feature of this album.” (Nate Sloan, [04:07])

Describing the Album: Adjectives & Mystique

• [04:44] Rihanna Cruz shares her impressions: “Expansive is definitely one of them. ...classical definitely comes to mind. I think mystic...Rosalía has gone on record to say this is an album inspired by feminine mysticism in all of its guises...and I honestly will say elusive; it kind of evades understanding in a way that I find quite beautiful.”
• The team agrees on the album’s “elusive” quality ([05:36]).

Rosalía Primer for New Listeners

• [05:46] Nate Sloan provides context: Rosalía is a Spanish artist “classically trained at conservatory,” who broke out with El Mal (merging hip hop and flamenco), then Moto Mami (her pop/urban breakthrough), before surprising fans by “going in this classical operatic direction.”
• “I think that’s very exciting.” (Nate Sloan, [07:01])

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Musical Analysis: Standout Tracks & Elements

“Divinize”

• [07:04] Rihanna: “It sounded a lot like Björk...it’s kind of a mix between traditional pop...and something so beyond, and classical and operatic.”
• The track features “Jersey club-ish beat, Aphex Twin electronic synthesizers...Rosalía singing in this vocal that is really compelling.” ([07:19])
• Memorable quote: “There’s all these elements that are coalescing together on this song—I find it to be one of the standout tracks from the album.” (Rihanna Cruz, [07:50])

Odd Meter: 5/8 Time Signature

• [10:00] Nate highlights the unusual 5/8 meter: “This is probably a deliberate choice by Rosalía...it maybe indicates she’s trying something a little more avant garde on this album.”
• The off-kilter rhythm “keeps you on your toes as a listener.” ([10:45])

Light, Dark, and Vocal Spectra

• [10:53] Rihanna discusses the blend of “churning, menacing, dark” instrumentals and “very light, spectral” vocals:
  • “I’ve used the word spectral...like a theremin—it has a warbling quality, a little spooky.”
  • “On every song...she’s kind of combining the light with the dark in the instrumental and the way her voice comes across.” ([11:46])

“Porcelaina”

• [12:11] Nate notes orchestral timpani functioning as a hip hop 808: “You’d typically hear like an 808 programmed bass drum, but here you get an orchestral kettle drum.”
• Multilingual lyrics enhance the immersive experience. Rihanna: “You really need to give your full attention to this music, which I love.” ([14:46])

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Cross-Cultural Influences & Listener Participation

The Concept of 'Ida y Vuelta'

• [15:35] Caller Pedro discusses the Spanish music tradition of "ida y vuelta" (round-trip cultural exchange), relating Rosalía’s global influences to artists like Oludara:
  • “There’s something about trying to reach out to listeners across a global diaspora—that is really powerful.” (Nate Sloan, [17:16])

Rejecting AI—Humanity in the Album

• [19:10] From a listener text: Rosalía’s emphasis on human instrumentation and production is “a strong, concerted rejection of AI in art.”
  • Rihanna confirms: “She just flat out says, no, no way [to using software for pronunciation]...You really have to devote your full human attention.”
• Nate adds: LUX is “so intentional...Everything about this record is intentional. Some people like music because it comes from emotion...But when you listen repeatedly, you might find yourself...coming away with your own unique interpretation and relationship to this record. And I think that can be really, really rewarding and validating to put in that work.” ([20:38])

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Lyrical & Thematic Innovations

“Jugular” (feat. Patti Smith)

• [22:53] Rihanna: The lyrics employ comparative, nesting metaphors—“like a country fits in a splinter, a splinter takes up the whole galaxy, and so on...She has these metaphors that really take you aback because they’re so stark and distinct.”
• “I don’t think anybody has used the devices in this way.” (Rihanna Cruz, [23:14])

“Berghain” (feat. Björk & Yves Tumor)

• [24:42] Nate explains the shock value of releasing this as the lead single: “It was meant to shock, honestly...I'm giving you something you didn't see coming.”
  • Title references Berlin's iconic techno club, but song defies expectations with dense, orchestral sound instead of dance beats.

“La Perla” (The Diss Track Waltz)

• [27:01] Rihanna explains: “The diss track is a waltz...very grand, like you’re playing it in a ballroom...It gives a classy atmosphere to lyrics that have lines like ‘emotional terrorist’ and ‘walking red flag.’ ...It’s presented in this environment that—like you should be sipping a cup of tea with your pinky up.”
• Notable for its bold lyrics aimed at ex-fiancé Rauw Alejandro and unusual juxtaposition of anger with waltz form.

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Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• “I think her goal with this album was to be as expansive as possible.”
  — Nate Sloan ([03:49])

• “It kind of evades understanding in a way that I find quite beautiful.”
  — Rihanna Cruz ([05:00])

• “The off-kilter rhythm keeps you on your toes as a listener.”
  — Nate Sloan ([10:45])

• “You really need to give your full attention to this music, which I love.”
  — Rihanna Cruz ([14:46])

• “You really have to devote your full human attention.”
  — Rihanna Cruz ([19:37])

• “Everything about this record is intentional...you might find yourself coming away with your own unique interpretation.”
  — Nate Sloan ([20:38])

• “I don’t think anybody has used the devices in this way.”
  — Rihanna Cruz ([23:14])

• “It gives a classy atmosphere to lyrics that have lines like ‘emotional terrorist’, you know, ‘walking red flag’...”
  — Rihanna Cruz ([27:17])

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Key Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:39] – Intro to Rosalía’s album and chart feat
• [03:49] – Expansive intent & multi-genre ambitions
• [04:46] – Album adjectives: “expansive”, “elusive”, “mystic”
• [05:46] – Rosalía’s musical background & earlier work
• [07:04] – Discussion of “Divinize” & musical analysis
• [10:00] – Unusual time signature; rhythmic innovation
• [10:53] – Light and dark motif in music
• [12:11] – “Porcelaina”, language, and immersive experience
• [15:30] – Listener: Transnational influences (“Ida y Vuelta”)
• [19:10] – Album’s “human-ness” as an anti-AI statement
• [20:38] – Intentionality vs. emotional spontaneity in songwriting
• [22:53] – Lyrical complexity: “Jugular” feat. Patti Smith
• [24:42] – “Berghain” feat. Björk & Yves Tumor; genre-bending as mission statement
• [27:01] – “La Perla”: The diss waltz

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Overall Tone & Takeaway

The conversation is thoughtful, deeply analytical, and enthusiastic, reflecting both admiration and intellectual curiosity about Rosalía’s creative process on LUX. The album is depicted as a work that rejects easy categorization: it’s simultaneously global and intimate, classical and contemporary, deliberate and mysterious. Listeners, whether new to her or long-time fans, are invited to approach LUX as an immersive project that rewards close attention and open ears.

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Transcript

[A]

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[B]

You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. This week, Spanish musician Rosalia became the first artist in history to land number one debuts across five different charts at the same time. She's number one on top Latin albums, top Latin pop albums, world albums and classical crossover and classical albums. And she landed in the Billboard albums chart top 10 for the first time in her career. Her latest album, Lux debuted at number four in the States. The album features 13 languages, collaborations with Bjork and Pharrell and the London Symphony Orchestra. Take a listen. All right, team. All of it. We have been all over this album, so we've invited some professional music explainers to style stop by and break it down with us. Nate Sloan is a co host of the podcast Switched On Pop and Rihanna Cruz is its producer. Welcome back to the show.

[C]

Great to be here.

[B]

Thank you, listeners. We want you to join the conversation. Have you been streaming Rosalia's new album, Lux? Are you a longtime Rosalia fan or is this your intro to her music? What's bringing you to this album? Our phone number is 212433 WNYC 212433, 9692. You can call in, you can join us on the air or you can text to us at that number. Nate, I could. Somebody's going to write like their PhD thesis on this album. There's so much you can discuss. But what I wanted to talk about first of all is sort of the. I wanted to talk about sort of the practical matters, the idea that she could end up on five different charts.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

How does Rosalia's album manage to be all of these things?

[C]

Yeah, I mean, first of all, I totally agree, Alison. I wish I could go back and do my PhD again and write about this album. I think her goal with this album was to be as expansive as possible. She sings in 13 different languages. She works with collaborators from all over the world, and she merges different genres, classical, pop, reggaeton, in these surprising ways. So this, this kind of unprecedented appearance on all these different charts, that's not A bug that's a feature of this album that is part of the goal, and it's important because it's quite unlike anything we've maybe ever heard, like, in the pop landscape.

[B]

All right, Rihanna, I'm going to give you the hard choice. What are some adjectives that come to mind when you talk about Lux, when.

[A]

You listen to Lux?

[D]

I think expansive is definitely one of them. Nate hit the nail on the head there. I think classical definitely comes to mind. I think mystic. You know, Rosalia has gone on record to say this is an album inspired by feminine mysticism in all of its guises. And I think that really comes through operatic. Rosalia is hitting different octaves. She's using these opera tones to deliver these lyrics. And I honestly will say elusive. It's. It's record that's very hard to pin down in its meaning, in its sounds. Like you said, you know, people can spend forever trying to opine on what this album means, and I think it. It. I. I would say elusive. You know, it kind of evades understanding in a way that I find quite beautiful.

[B]

Yeah. Ding, ding, ding on elusive. Nate, for people who are not familiar.

[A]

With Rosalia, could you give us a quick primer on her?

[C]

Yeah. She is a Spanish artist, classically trained at conservatory there. She really broke out into the mainstream with the album El Mal, and that featured this unique blend of contemporary hip hop production and traditional flamenco sound. Both the guitars, the hand claps, her impassioned vocals. From there, she released the album Moto Mommy, which continued her trajectory, but put her more in the sort of conventional pop landscape, I guess landed her some Hot 100 hits, featured collaborations with some of the best known reggaeton artists in the world, and establish her as sort of a household name through a beloved world tour that, sadly, I didn't get to see. But everyone I know reported that it was life changing. So with this new album, I think a lot of people were very curious, what's it gonna be? Is it gonna continue the sort of more sort of mainstream leaning tendencies of Moto Mommy, or will we go somewhere else? And the answer is maybe what no one expected. We've gone in this classical oper direction that Rihanna was describing, and I think that's very exciting.

[B]

Let's get into some music. Rihanna, the first song you wanted to talk about was Divinize. I hope I'm saying that right.

[D]

I think so.

[B]

Okay, that's good for me. Tell me what stands out to you about this song.

[D]

So the first time I heard this, what came to mind is something that she is. And Rosalia has been saying in her interviews where she is heavily inspired by Bjork, the Icelandic musician. And when I first heard the song, what really struck me is that it sounded a lot like Bjork and Bjork records. And it's kind of a mix between traditional pop as we know it. Right. Or traditional pop. I mean, like radio pop and something so beyond and classical and operatic, as we've been talking about. And it kind of bridges together these two worlds and swirls them together. And there's kind of this, like, Jersey Club ish beat. There's like, Aphex Twin electronic synthesizers. Rosalia singing in this vocal that is really compelling. Like, there's all these elements that are coalescing together on this song that I find it to be one of the standout tracks from the album.

[B]

You should see our editor. She's like our engineer. She's like, really? Is that what it sounds like? Let me hear. Let's hear it.

[D]

Dan Sa. This ghost is still alive I'm still alive still miss me Back on my Miss me back of my. Through my body you can see the.

[C]

Light.

[D]

Roost me up A little of my pride.

[B]

All right, Nate, I'm gonna keep this underneath us because you point out this is a 58 time signature. Right. All right, so let's listen. Allison, let's lift it up a little bit. Explain to people what it means to have a song in five, eight.

[C]

Well, it's very unusual. We usually expect a 4.4meter, you know, very symmetrical, neatly divisible. We don't expect a prime number like 5 in. In our sort of pop diet. This is probably a deliberate choice by Rosalia. I think in some ways, this rhythm connects to the flamenco roots of her sound that we talked about, and it maybe indicates that she's trying something a little more innovative and avant garde on this album. Rather than putting you in the expected meter of 4, she's gonna push into this more uncharted territory of 5. 1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3. One, two, three. One, two, one, two, three. One, 2, one, two, three. 1, 2, 1, 2, 3. 1st, 2. It kind of keeps you on your toes a little bit as a listener.

[B]

Rihanna. The album is called Lux. It's a Latin word for light. How does Rosalia use themes of light and dark on that track?

[D]

Yeah, I think this is, like, a really compelling part of the album, and it really comes through on this song. I think you hear this instrumental, right, which is kind of churning, and it's a little bit Menacing. It's very, in my opinion, dark. And then you have her voice, which is very light. I've used the word spectral to describe it. You know, it has a very theremin like quality. This, like, ooh, you know.

[C]

Rihanna.

[D]

Thank you. Thank you.

[B]

I've seen of theremin.

[C]

That was good.

[D]

Thank you. Thank you. But it's very warbling, you know, and I think when I think thereman, I think light, I think a little spooky. And then, you know, that coupled with this, this beat that is very dark and it feels very earthly. It feels like on this song and on every song on this album, she's kind of combining the light with the dark in the instrumental and the way her voice comes across.

[B]

I'm speaking to Switched On Pop co host Nate Sloan and producer Rihanna Cruz about Rosalia's album Lux. We are taking your calls. Let us know what you think about this album. What songs keep coming back. 2124-3396-9221-2433-WNYC. The next track we're going to hear is Porcelaina. Nate, what stands out to you about this track?

[C]

I mean, there's a lot going on in this track. Maybe I'll call out one of my favorite moments, which is the use of an orchestral timpani or kettle drum serving the function that you would typically hear like an 808 programmed bass drum doing in a hip hop track. But maybe, maybe we'll listen and see what else stands out to us. But. But that's definitely one thing that caught my ear.

[B]

Let's list. Rihanna. There are three different languages spoken on that song. I think there's 13 on the album. What does that do to the lyrics? What does it do to have them spoken in so many different languages? Yeah, let's just end there.

[D]

Well, it's very interesting. For one, it kind of turns the album into an immersive experience, something you have to pay attention to. That's something I really like about Luxx. When I first heard the album, it was presented with a note from Rosalia herself that said, please, you know, read the translations to the lyrics. Like, read the lyric sheet.

[B]

Oh, interesting.

[D]

Yeah. Like, like sit there in a dark room listening to the record and reading the lyrics as you're hearing them. Right. It's a very lyric forward presentation and I think, you know, contributing to this immersive atmosphere, all of these languages. But I, I think it serves as kind of like a balm for the easily digestible music that like, you know, clogs up for lack of A better term, the Hot 100. Right. Like, it's like an album that you need to sit and listen to, and all of the different languages contribute to that. Like, you really need to give your full attention to this music, which I love.

[B]

Let's talk to Pedro, who's calling in from Bergen County. Hey, Pedro, thank you for making the time to call. All of it.

[E]

Hey, Allison, how are you? Can you hear me?

[B]

Yeah, you're on the air.

[E]

Yeah, I love Rosalia's music, and I was just thinking, you know, with the variety of influences that her music has and how Spanish music has this concept of Ida y Vuelta, of going and coming back from different parts of the world. I mean, the Caribbean, Cuba, you know, flamenco has a style that is called rumba, and it's actually Cuban rumba influence, you know, of colonial ties and stuff. But specifically, the song you played at the beginning made me think a lot of a song by Oludara. As you well know, Oludara is Nass father, Southern extraordinary trumpet player. And he has this song called Natchez Shopping Blues, where he talks about, you know, going around the south and mentions different towns. Nashville, Tennessee, even Brooklyn. But it's in Natchez where he actually found his love. And I was wondering if the lyrics of Rosalia, because this song talks almost to. I mean, not to the word, but it's a very similar. Talking about different parts of the world, but finding love talks about her eyes and her heart. Just like. I was just wondering if Oludara was a direct influence in her music and specifically this song.

[B]

Do you know, Nate, do you have any idea?

[C]

We haven't found any specific mention to Oludara in our research, but I love Pedro's connection there because, yeah, I'm a big fan of Oludara's music, and he even. He mentioned he's NASA's father, and the two of them have a collaboration together. But whether, you know, Oludara was. Was an active presence in shaping Russellia's concept for this album, I think the connection is. Is really valid there. There's something about trying to. To reach out to listeners across, like, a global diaspora that is really powerful in here. And her commitment in doing that through the collaborators she uses, through all the different languages she sings in to, as Pedro pointed out, like, literally shouting out all these different cities and places that she's been to. It really makes you feel like this is this international, globe trotting experience. And it's really. It's really like takes you on a.

[B]

Ride as a listener we're discussing Rosalia's new album, Lux. We'll have more after a quick break. This is all of It. You're listening to all of it on wnyc. I'm Alison Stewart. I'm speaking with Switched On Pop co host Nate Sloan and producer Rihanna Cruz about Rosalia's new album, Lux. We got this really interesting text. It says, I've never been a fan of Rosalia's earlier albums, but the more I heard about this album, the more I knew I had to listen. Drew me in was her emphasis on human instrumentation and human production of many languages and how this all seems to be a strong, concerted rejection of AI in art at this time. What do you think about that, Rihanna?

[D]

Yeah, I mean, I think they're right on the money there. Rosalia, in an interview, I remember she did a interview with the New York Times, and they asked her, you know, you're singing in 13 languages. Are you using any software? Right? Like, wink, wink, Are you using any tools to refine your pronunciation? And she just flat out says, no, no way. I. And I think, you know, we live in an era right now where just this week, the Billboard had to kick an AI Song off their charts because it would have have topped the Hot 100. You know, I think Rosalia bringing in so many different people, so many different collaborators, so many. So many musicians and roping them in and incorporating them into our artistry. See, I. I could see it as a rejection of A.I. you know, something that's so distinct, and you really have to devote your full human attention to Nate.

[B]

I want to get your. Your take on something. After listening to the record, I thought, this is so intentional. Everything about this record is intentional. Some people like music because it's from. It comes from emotion. It comes from someplace else. It comes from the spirit beyond. How do you feel about a record which is truly intentional? Every element of this has been considered.

[C]

Yeah. I think it's something that can be more challenging for a listener, but maybe more rewarding as well. If you take the time to translate these different lyrics that she's singing in different languages, you might have to go onto a website like genius.com and actually decode all these different lyrics yourself or find Rosalia's translations. And if you take the time to sort of work through your initial reactions to some of these songs, which might be like, what. What just happened? What was that? You know, that was confusing. I didn't understand it. Listen repeatedly, really? Like, you know, Rihanna mentioned maybe sit in a dark room and think About. Okay, what does this song mean to me? What are these. What are these sort of mystical lyrics? How do I interpret them? You might find yourself coming away with your own unique interpretation and relationship to this record. And I think that can be really, really rewarding and really validating to put in that work, so to speak.

[B]

Let's go to a track that actually features Patti Smith. This is that coming. Didn't see that coming. Let's listen. So Patti Smith comes in at the end of this song. Rihanna, you've described this as having lyrical juxtaposition.

[D]

Yeah.

[B]

What do you mean?

[D]

Well, that's the thing Rosalia does on this whole album, but on this song specifically, it translates to the jugular. Right. The title. And she does this thing where the most of the lyrics in the back half of the song are comparative. You know, like kind of like a lyrical nesting doll.

[C]

She.

[D]

She does this device where thing A leads into thing B, thing B leads into thing C. Right. Like she says, like a country fits in a splinter, a splinter takes up the whole galaxy and so on and so forth. You know, it's these comparative juxtapositions. Just that as the song grows and swells and it's on the whole album, you know, she has these metaphors that come in that really take you aback because they're so stark and distinct. Like, I. I don't think anybody has used the devices in this way. Like, I. I don't think anybody has said, like, you know, I fit in a haiku and a haiku takes up a country. Like, that's a belief that, like, I've never heard anything like before. And, you know, it really gets into its core about putting these disparate elements together. Right. Like, we talked earlier about the light in the dark musically and the big and the small lyrically. That's what. That's what I'm hearing come into play on this track.

[B]

The next song we have queued up is Bahrain, which features Bjork and yvestumur. This is the lead single for the album. Nate, we can't play the last 30 seconds. What did you do?

[C]

That's a good teaser for listeners.

[B]

What? Yeah, really? Run.

[D]

Run.

[B]

Listen. What did using this song as the lead single announce about the album?

[C]

I think it was meant to shock, honestly. I think anyone who listened to Rosalia's Moto Mami was expecting something very different. And this was her announcement, like, no, this is going to be a little more experimental, a little bit more avant garde. I'm going to feature Bjork on this track. And Eve Toomer, these more experimental, innovative artists. I'm going to hit you with the sound of a symphony orchestra. And in this way that might have felt like a bait and switch because the title of the song is Berghain, which many people know as like maybe the most famous techno club in the world in Berlin. So you might see that title and be like, oh, this is going to be a kind of track. And instead it's this very dense, orchestral, challenging track. So I think it was very calculated to say, you know, leave your expectations at the door for this album. I'm giving you something that you didn't see coming.

[B]

Let's listen. All right, Rihanna, before we leave, we have to talk about her diss track La Perla.

[D]

Absolutely.

[B]

All right, first of all, it's in three quarter, so what's notable, that her diss track is a waltz.

[D]

Well, so people are thinking about this diss track is towards her ex fiance Raul Alejandro, who's a very famous reggaeton superstar. They've collaborated together in the past. But when you listen to the song La Perla, it is this, this waltz time, you know, it, it's very grand. It feels like you're playing it in a ballroom, right? Like it's like it's coming through the speakers at a wedding, you know, and everybody's on the dance floor, you know, waltzing around and I, I think that's very funny. It gives a classy atmosphere to these lyrics that have lines like emotional terrorists, you know, walking red flag, things of that nature, you know, Very, very hard hitting lyrics for Rosalia, something we don't normally hear from her. And it's presented in this environment that like you should be sipping like a cup of tea with your pinky up, you know.

[B]

I've been speaking with Switched On Pop co host Nate Sloan and producer Rihanna Cruz. We've been talking about Rosalia's album Lux. Thanks a lot.

[C]

Thank you, Alison. That was super fun.

[D]

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