On the surface, this album might appear closer to a challenging scholarly challenge than the latest pop project from an artist who just had a previous single featured an international K-pop icon. Broken across four different sections and voiced in thirteen languages, this is a breathtaking symphonic work investigating female mystery, spiritual transcendence, and physical transformation, often through the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a relationship—a topic treated with raw honesty elsewhere—soars skyward here, buoyed by the lush sound of a major orchestra and work from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter among an extensive roll call of contributors. The pure ambition by itself renders the work of other pop stars look quite small.
Transcending Academic Pretense
That this album succeeds in transcend dry academic chin-stroking is almost miraculous, and full praise belonging to the artist. Although this is not the first time project to blend the past and modern styles, the scale feel far higher here, and the tightrope walk far more pronounced. What really elevates this fourth album, beyond its complex tunes, dense compositions, and inherent theatricality, proves to be an essential spirit of fun. Much like the iconic Björk at her height, you find a wondrous quality to Rosalía's voice that pulls you into its whirlwind. Even when she is breaking hearts in two, you nevertheless desire to be alongside her for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Joy
That exuberant spirit shines clearly during the stunning Italian song inspired by Saint Clare. It luxuriates in a sorrowful whirlpool over more than four minutes. Then, everything drops away, and there's a gleeful giggle and a declaration before a comically over-the-top string surge crashes down with cartoonish force. The track then segues into the frenetic track featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choral group, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The magic with this album is that you rarely exactly know—nor want to know—what it will go next."
Nearly every track finishes at a completely different place from where it began. A track examines the fleeting nature of fame over a delicate orchestration before collapsing in electronic chaos. Another, a song echoing her previous rhythmic work starts out dark and brooding, featuring menacing beats, until fluttering flamenco handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's jagged edges.
The Balance Of Art and Pop
Another crucial balancing act of the album is navigating the line of radical innovation and broad appeal. This is little surprise that the album has achieved her first work to break into the Top 5 of key markets: at its core a suite of utterly catchy hits. One track performed entirely in the English language builds on a refrain that feels to gather increasingly infectious melodies while it spins skyward. This trick is repeated on another powerful track that grows and constricts, intertwining multiple melodies as an intricate tapestry.
- A waltz-like song charms with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along hook.
- Lyrically, it shares with cultural honesty of other breakup songs, lambasting a former lover labeled an "emotional terrorist".
- Across these tracks, the singing have a painted-on smile, like a fairy-tale figure hiding a knife: "Gold medal in acting like a scoundrel / You've the podium of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a maximalist level, an ambitious grasp for high Art in an era of impending AI-generated sameness. It eschews solipsism in favor of glorious transcendence, creating a dramatic drama that skillfully controls its own built-in ridiculousness. It is an abundant source of buried gems that requires patience to fully explore but never seem like a chore. While some major releases of 2025 seemed like feasting on scraps, this record offers a sumptuous feast at which the guests around it, some intoxicated on holy wine, flutter from conversations about historical saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking sadness, and common stories about useless partners. It is a contemporary theatrical production from music's most endlessly inventive practitioner.
