Fashion Neurosis with Bella Freud

Episode: Rosalía (Nov 12, 2025)
Host: Bella Freud
Guest: Rosalía (Spanish musician, songwriter, and innovator)

Episode Overview

This episode of "Fashion Neurosis" welcomes internationally acclaimed musician Rosalía for an intimate, wide-ranging conversation. Bella Freud explores the intersections of fashion and identity, with Rosalía reflecting deeply on clothing as a form of self-expression, her creative process, personal evolution, family influences, body image, and the synergistic energy between style and artistry. Together, they delve into universal themes—creativity, womanhood, confidence, risk, purity, and the meaning of authenticity—always with the light, honest touch typical of the series.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Fashion as Spell and Self-Expression

• Rosalía’s Outfit and Intentional Dressing

  • Today, Rosalía wears a black cardigan she’s had for years, a black skirt, and Alexander McQueen shoes:
    • “Some days I want my clothes to speak for me. And today I wanted to find the words myself. Clothes can be like a spell…they can change the way your day is going to be.” (02:00)
  • For Rosalía, clothing is often about shaping her energy and presence: sometimes using fashion as her loudest language, other times intentionally dressing to quiet that conversation.

• Bella Freud’s Perspective

  • Bella agrees, noting that the right outfit can “facilitate your intelligence because it doesn’t distract you from your thoughts.” (03:20)

• The Power and Possibility of Fashion

  • Clothes “can take you somewhere, or stop you from going somewhere… Shoes have literally taken me back home when I subconsciously didn’t want to go somewhere.” (03:46–04:14)

Creativity, Writing, and the Body’s Wisdom

• Creative Process: The Power of Rest and Ritual
  • Rosalía writes lying down, often with a pillow on her head and her laptop on her belly:
    • “Otherwise…there’s too much anticipation. Laying…it’s like, okay, nothing needs to happen and then maybe something happens.” (05:00)
    • “You need to erase yourself a little bit… I love that state of about to fall asleep. Sometimes when I’m about to fall asleep at night, it’s when ideas come.” (06:20–06:57)
• Physical Exhaustion and Creation
  • “I feel tired also when I write…there’s exhaustion, and I think laying helps me be less exhausted.” (06:58)

Early Ambition, Family Influences, and the Journey to Authenticity

• Courage and the Performer’s Instinct

  • At 15, Rosalía entered a talent contest, driven by a desire “to see and be seen.” She craved both the intimacy of singing for five people and the thrill of thousands:
    • “I enjoy extreme situations…I wanted to open that door, and I didn’t know how that door…how can you do it?” (08:02–08:50)

• Learning from Early Experiences

  • The contest taught her the value of study and self-determination: “I needed to study so much…the more I change, the more I grow, the more that idea changes with me. And I’m grateful for that.” (09:18–10:16)

• The Written Word and Love of Language

  • Her latest album was born “from the love for words.” Rosalía spent a year in isolation, reading and writing:
    • “Albums were the excuse to use words, but in this case it’s the opposite… I dedicated just one year of reading and writing…” (11:14–12:11)
    • “I find pleasure in contrast.” (12:31)

• Childhood Fashion Memories & Role Models

  • “I loved the crazy colors, puffiness, the volume, anything that occupied space.”
  • Influenced by the women in her family: her mother’s vibrant green coat, her sister’s miniskirts and boxer boots, her grandmother’s scarves and jewelry.
    • “The women in my life…they always put me into fashion, the love I have for fashion is probably thanks to them.” (14:19–15:04)

Personal Evolution: Girlhood, Womanhood, and Self-Viewing

• Transitioning to Womanhood
  • “When I was 28, something started to shift…I started to care less about male attention and more about how I actually feel instead of how I’m perceived.” (15:50–16:56)
• On Parental Modeling vs. Self-Rebellion
  • Rosalía admired her mother’s poise but rebelled against its perfection: “Be a little bit like fuck it, I can be amazing even if I don’t straighten my hair…” (18:29–18:58)
• Confidence in the Thirties
  • “My confidence and how I exist in the world is much better now in my 30s.” (20:08–20:50)
  • On society’s obsession with youth: “What is youth? I like that you extend it to 30 years or maybe even more.” (20:50–21:24)

Body Image, Identity & The Rock Star Aesthetic

• Insecurities as Catalysts for Expression
  • “Anything can be a catalyst for expression. Either a strength or weakness can be the start. My body is an instrument…Through the years I’ve learned to use it with more love.” (22:50–24:44)
• Rockstar Inspiration
  • Grew up surrounded by rock music (Janis Joplin, Prince, Freddie Mercury, Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz):
    • “There’s something irreverent in the rockstar look…sometimes when I don’t feel strong enough, a look like that can make me feel strong again.” (25:59–26:42)

Flamenco, Passion, and Risk

• Flamenco as Ultimate Human Expression
  • “There’s so much passion, rage, playfulness, tragedy, fragility, and strength in flamenco…it feels like the most complete human expression that could exist.” (27:28–28:06)
• Intensity in Artistry and Love
  • “In my romantic life…with that passion, it’s a lot of intensity…always very scared to fully show yourself.” (28:57–29:24)
• Risk and Creative Surrender
  • “Risk is when you don’t know what the outcome is going to be…Risk is surrender.” (30:34)
  • “The times that I’ve risked the most are the times that I’ve abandoned myself to the situation.” (30:34–31:00)
  • As an artist, she’s compelled to risk: “That would be my biggest nightmare, to make the same song over and over.” (32:25)

Visual Influence & Collaboration

• Artistic Imagery, Modeling, and Reference
  • Rosalía is inspired by “amazing artists” in photography, painting, and modeling.
    • “Maybe it’s also from studying Naomi and studying Kate and studying the greatest…how they do it in front of the camera.” (36:01–36:54)
    • She admires the physical art of great models: “There’s so much magic in mastering your energy and your corporalities…” (37:30–38:25)
  • On modeling as “mirror/vessel”:
    • “The greatest thing that can happen as an artist is that you erase yourself…become the mirror or vessel…so people can find in you whatever they needed to find.” (39:12–40:17)

Duende, Spanish Artists, and Creative Phases

• Discussing “Duende” (Artistic Soul/Spirit)
  • Found in multiple Spanish artists: Picasso, Dalí, Lorca.
  • “Picasso had something very raw… I admire the commitment in the different phases.” (41:42–42:37)

Managing Grand Concepts & Staying Grounded

• Big Creative Concepts—How to Handle the Overwhelm

  • References to heroic artists: Patti Smith, Marina Abramovic, Kate Bush, David Bowie.
  • “But I just focus on small things…do one thing at a time. If I make a song, I just make a song…if I share it, I just focus on that.” (47:44–48:22)
  • Staying centered with prayer and simple routines:
    • “I try to remember to breathe. I try to pray every night before falling asleep.” (49:41)

• On Envy and Protection

  • “My beliefs can change how I live my life… I truly believe that I’m protected.” (49:54)
  • She looks for signs, like feathers, as reminders that she is safe from others’ negative energy.

Building a Look, Fashion Process, and the Joy of Repetition

• Starting a Look
  • Inspiration can start with any piece: a body part to hide/reveal, nail design, shoes, or makeup.
    • “I have kind of a rule: if you’re creative you cannot repeat an outfit completely; it always has to have a different thing.” (53:29–54:11)
• Makeup as Creative Starting Point
  • Shoutout to Isamaya French’s palettes—“So inviting to build everything around them.” (53:44–54:17)
• Relationship with Nudity
  • “I might be the happiest when I’m completely naked…at home I’m always naked.”
    • Formerly shy but her work (changing in front of strangers) has given her freedom:
      • “I don’t care if somebody is seeing me naked…this is who I am, how God made me.” (54:37–55:52)

Attraction, Authenticity, and Clothing Choices

• What’s Sexy in Others?
  • Effortless leather on men, plain white T-shirts and jeans, messy hair, playful striped T-shirts, and subtle exposure of the midriff.
    • “I love when people don’t have their hair done…I find it so hot.”
    • “When you show this part of the body (indicates lower torso), it's very hot because it's vulnerable.” (58:34–59:47)
• What’s a Turn-Off?
  • Visible feet (on men, not women). Socks are preferred:
    • “Give me socks. I want to see your socks. I don’t want to see your feet.” (60:04–61:23)
• Truth Over Trend
  • “The thing that can kill my attraction the most is if I don’t think what they’re wearing is honest with who they are… But if you’re wearing it with truth, then it’s the hottest thing.” (61:54–62:47)

Purity, Color, and Artistic Influence

• Purity in Fashion and Being
  • “You can find purity in any color… I find a lot of pureness in a dark tone, or a dark outfit.” (64:33–65:52)
• Influence of Patti Smith
  • “Absolutely I love Patti…I wish I could just know everything those eyes know…I just love her—she is a huge reference for me.” (66:09–67:40)
  • “At the end of the day, she just exhumes freedom…irreverence, and I admire that so much.” (69:35–70:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On clothing as incantation:
  “Clothes can be like a spell…they can change the way your day is going to be.” — Rosalía (02:00)
• About creative process:
  “I love that state of about to fall asleep. It’s the most relaxed one. Sometimes when I’m about to fall asleep at night, it’s when ideas come.” — Rosalía (06:20)
• Family’s influence in style:
  “The women in my life…put me into fashion. The love I have for fashion is probably thanks to them.” — Rosalía (14:19)
• On risk and surrender:
  “Risk is so connected to surrender. The times I’ve risked the most is the times I’ve abandoned myself to the situation.” — Rosalía (30:34)
• On creative repetition:
  “My biggest nightmare would be to make the same song, over and over.” — Rosalía (32:25)
• Modeling as mirror:
  “The greatest thing that can happen as an artist is that you erase yourself and you become the mirror or the vessel.” — Rosalía (39:12)
• Truth in style:
  “The hottest thing is if you’re wearing [clothes] with truth. Not enough truth? That’s the most turn-off thing ever.” — Rosalía (61:54)
• Admiration of Patti Smith:
  “She just exhumes freedom and irreverence in her and I admire that so much.” — Rosalía (69:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:36 — Rosalía describes her outfit and dressing intention
• 05:00 — Rosalía on creative process (writing laying down)
• 08:02 — Recounting first big performance and lessons
• 11:14 — Love for language and the writing process
• 14:19 — Childhood/family fashion memories
• 15:50 — Transition from girlhood to womanhood
• 22:50 — Body insecurities as creative catalysts
• 25:59 — Power of the “rock star look”
• 27:28 — Flamenco as total artistic expression
• 30:34 — Risk, surrender, and creative process
• 36:01 — Visual influences; learning from Kate and Naomi
• 41:42 — “Duende” in Spanish art
• 47:44 — Staying grounded amidst grand artistic visions
• 49:54 — Handling envy; sense of being protected
• 53:29 — How Rosalía begins building an outfit
• 54:37 — Relationship with being naked
• 58:34 — What’s sexy or unattractive in style for Rosalía
• 62:47 — Truth in what someone chooses to wear
• 64:33 — Purity, color symbolism, and Patti Smith influence
• 66:09 — Rosalía on Patti Smith’s impact
• 69:35 — Freedom and irreverence as ideals

Episode Tone and Vibe

The conversation radiates intimacy, curiosity, and self-reflection. Rosalía’s openness is matched by Bella’s warmth and genuine interest, peppered with personal anecdotes and observations. The tone balances poetic meditation and grounded honesty. The depth of engagement between host and guest transforms a talk about clothes into an illuminating exploration of creativity, confidence, and self-love.