At a time when, for some, opera and ballet seem to be fading away — or at least drifting outside the radar of contemporary audiences — Rosalía appears ready to prove otherwise. Tonight in Lyon, the LUX Tour begins, marking a new era for the Catalan artist, and all signs point to it being her most ambitious show to date. If El mal querer reinvented flamenco and Motomami shattered pop conventions, Lux seems set on something even bigger. A concert that works almost like a stage production, where symphonic music, ballet, mysticism and, quite possibly, a closing rave can all coexist.
Over the past few days, Rosalía herself has been dropping clues on social media. Darkened spotlights, a huge white canvas on stage, dancers rehearsing and the singer gliding across the arena floor on a scooter. Minimalist… or perhaps deliberately mysterious. Because if there’s one thing Rosalía enjoys, it’s building an artistic labyrinth and letting the audience find their way through it.
A huge album that calls for a huge stage
The challenge is no small one. Lux is a maximalist album. It features a symphony orchestra, several choirs, international collaborations and even 13 languages sung by Rosalía herself. Contributors range from Björk and Pharrell Williams to the London Symphony Orchestra and the Cor de Cambra del Palau de la Música. Translating all of that onto a stage is no simple task. But that’s precisely the point. Rosalía has said she loves the operatic, the dramatic and “getting herself into trouble” when designing a show. Judging by the rehearsal snippets that have surfaced, she seems to have taken that quite literally.
The hints surrounding the LUX Tour point directly to those classical references — ballet, operatic gestures and a staging inspired by figures such as Maria Callas and the modern dance pioneer Ruth St. Denis — mixed with electronic music, flamenco and experimental pop. In other words, opera and ballet inside a pop concert in 2026. Something that might sound unusual to some, but within Rosalía’s universe makes perfect sense.
This artistic shift also arrives with a rather timely cultural nod. Not long ago, Timothée Chalamet remarked in an interview that disciplines like opera or ballet could feel a little boring to modern audiences, as if they belonged to an artistic world too distant from the present.
Between the divine and the spectacle
The universe of Lux revolves around spirituality, human contradictions and the desire to connect the earthly with the divine. The album blends religious references, personal reflections and songs that move from flamenco to electronic music without asking permission. All of this could translate into a stage show with an almost celestial aesthetic.
On social media, glimpses have already appeared: angel wings, ballet tutus and large white structures reminiscent of a modern temple. There is also talk of a multi-level stage layout within the arena floor, allowing Rosalía to move through the audience during the performance. Nothing has been confirmed yet, and it will likely remain that way until the show begins tonight.
A preview at the BRIT Awards
Even before the LUX Tour officially begins, Rosalía had already hinted at what might be coming during her performance at the 2026 BRIT Awards. The artist closed the ceremony with Berghain in a performance that blended rave energy with a highly maximalist and choreographed staging, foreshadowing the experimental tone the new tour could adopt.
She was joined on stage by the Heritage Orchestra, a detail that fuelled speculation about the possible presence of live musicians throughout the tour. If that hint carries over into the concerts, Lux could bring part of its symphonic dimension to the stage without sacrificing its electronic edge.
The Lux era begins live
The real verdict will come when the lights go up tonight at Lyon’s LDLC Arena, the first stop of a tour that will travel through 17 countries and 31 cities before concluding in Puerto Rico in September. From that point on, everything remains uncertain. There may be an orchestra. There may be ballet. Or the concert might end up turning into a monumental rave.
In Spain, fans will have to wait a little longer to see it live, with dates in Madrid and Barcelona arriving during Holy Week — a fitting setting for the spiritual imagery surrounding Lux. With Rosalía, you never quite know what to expect, and that unpredictability is probably part of the appeal.
A launch with an apology
The beginning of this new era has also been accompanied by a brief moment of self-reflection. A few days ago, Rosalía posted a video on TikTok apologising for comments she had made about Pablo Picasso during an interview. The artist admitted she had not been aware of the documented cases of abuse associated with the painter and acknowledged she had spoken without having the full context. She also reaffirmed her respect for feminism after some of her recent remarks sparked debate online.
Who are (La)Horde? The choreographers behind Rosalía’s LUX Tour.
Sigue toda la información de HIGHXTAR desde Facebook, Twitter o Instagram
You may also like...
