Rosalía
Who is Rosalía?
Rosalía Vila Tobella (Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Barcelona, September 25, 1992) is a singer, songwriter, and producer. Trained at the Liceu Conservatory in Barcelona, where she studied flamenco academically under maestro José Miguel Vizcaya “El Chiqui de la Línea,” she combines a deep knowledge of cante jondo with a thoroughly contemporary sensibility close to pop, trap, and R&B.
Her classical training in flamenco, unusual among artists of her generation, gave her a technical foundation that she has since taken apart and recombined with total freedom, something that has marked her entire career since.
Career
She debuted in 2017 with “Los Ángeles,” an almost acoustic flamenco album produced together with Raül Refree. Her leap to international fame came in 2018 with “El Mal Querer,” her degree thesis project turned into a concept album about a controlling, abusive relationship, structured in chapters inspired by a medieval Occitan novel. The album was a critical and commercial phenomenon that established her as one of the most original voices in Spanish-language music.
In the years that followed she has alternated collaborations with global artists such as Billie Eilish, Travis Scott, and J Balvin with her own projects such as “Motomami” (2022), an album that reaffirmed her commitment to sonic experimentation and a carefully crafted visual aesthetic, and which earned numerous international awards.
Notable discography
Besides “Los Ángeles” and “El Mal Querer,” singles such as “Malamente,” “Con Altura,” and “Despechá” achieved massive success in both Spain and Latin America. Her album “Motomami” includes tracks such as “Saoko” and “Bizcochito,” which cemented her own distinct sound.
Legacy
Rosalía has been instrumental in renewing the international image of flamenco and Spanish music in general, paving the way for a new generation of artists who blend tradition and avant-garde without hesitation. Her influence can be felt both in Spanish-language urban music and in how Spanish cultural exports are understood today.