Why Juanes Says Rosalía’s Cultural Impact Isn’t ‘Just About Her Music, But Everything Surrounding It’

Rosalía has spent the last decade redrawing the boundaries of global pop, and now, with Lux — her fourth studio album — the Spanish superstar demonstrates that there are no limits to her artistry. After fusing flamenco tradition with innovative pop architectures on 2017’s Los Ángeles and El Mal Querer the following year, and breaking ground with the audacious experimentalism of Motomami (2022), the Barcelona iconoclast delivers her most ambitious project yet: a heartfelt opus of avant-garde classical pop that explores the intersections of romance, religion and genre. 

Cementing her status as one of the most fearless creators of her generation, Lux has shattered records, debuting at No. 1 across five Billboard charts, including Top Latin Albums and Classical Albums. Rosalía is now the first Spanish-born woman to achieve this milestone in the modern era. And while the accolades are historic, it’s the album’s artful depth — sung in 13 languages and arranged in sweeping orchestral movements — that firmly establishes Rosalía as Billboard’s 2026 Latin Woman of the Year. 

Juanes, one of Rosalía’s earliest champions, shares a heartfelt reflection on his first encounter with the multihyphenate artist, his admiration for her creative evolution and her transformative impact on the world of music.

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The first time I saw Rosalía was in Madrid. I had flown in for some promotional work of my own, and I ran into Bebe, an incredible singer as well. She said to me, “Let’s go see Rosalía at this theater where she’s performing today in the Suma Flamenca Joven,” a festival where young artists perform flamenco. 
 
I sat down in my seat, and next to me was the dancer Joaquín Cortés on one side and Bebe on the other. Then I started watching this woman, sitting on a stool, singing songs from Los Ángeles. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. To me, it was the most beautiful thing. Joaquín looked like a madman, completely losing it, saying, “I can’t believe this! What is this?” He was totally mesmerized. Bebe was crying, and I was just in shock, completely blown away by watching — but more than anything, listening to — this woman sing. 

Listening to her was what struck me the most. It was such a beautiful revelation: a woman singing like Edith Piaf or [Carlos] Gardel, those kinds of timeless artists who only come around once in a lifetime.

I immediately called Rebeca León, who was my management partner at the time. Rebeca went to Barcelona, met with Rosalía, and that’s where it all began. [León was Rosalía’s manager between 2017 and 2023.]

The first time she performed in the United States was in Los Angeles. I had a concert at the Hollywood Bowl that night, and Rosalía also performed there — I mean, I don’t want to call her the “opening act” because that feels embarrassing for me; I should’ve been her opening act (Laughs.) — but yeah, she sang before us at the Hollywood Bowl. And of course, the audience went crazy. Crazy, just like all of us were from the moment we first saw her.

As a Colombian and a Latin American, for me, flamenco feels incredibly exotic. It has always fascinated me — from Camarón de la Isla to Paco de Lucía and everything in between. It’s just totally mesmerizing. 

When I see a woman like Rosalía singing, coming from Barcelona — which has a completely different vibe — but bringing something modern into the way she sings, while still staying connected to flamenco, it’s impactful. Most flamenco singers, especially women, sing with so much force, with this kind of raw intensity. But Rosalía sings differently. Her voice feels soft, like she’s singing right into your ear, almost like a whisper. That blend of qualities was something completely new for me. 

Then came her album El Mal Querer, and wow, I was blown away. I couldn’t believe it at first; it felt so strange initially, but then I understood it. It was truly beautiful, what she created there. And then she released Motomami, which was completely different — bolder in many ways, but still incredible.

I vividly remember her Motomami world tour. I saw so many clips and performances with punk influences, distorted basslines and this daring energy. And then she released Lux, which was something else entirely. She keeps you guessing — you never know where she’s going next. And to me, that’s the most beautiful thing an artist can do: create something as bold and stunning as this album. It’s just incredible.

I’d highlight Lux because of the daring artistic decisions behind it. Incorporating classical music, opera and a variety of languages from different parts of the world — on one hand, you could call it ambitious. But on the other hand, you just have to stop and say, “Wait, this is incredible. Look at what she’s doing.”

I’ve seen some clips from her new tour — she’s dancing, acting, singing beautifully … I don’t know how to put it, but for me, she’s a truly, truly special artist. And I think whatever she does, no matter the direction, it will always have this impeccable quality because that’s just who she is.

In fact, I’ve even shown my daughters videos of Rosalía from when she was just starting out [at talent competitions]. She would sing off-key, it was awful, she would get mad at the judges. The transformation from that moment to where she is now is absolutely mind-blowing to me. I melt every time I hear her sing. I don’t even need to watch her perform; I’ll just put on headphones and let her music play, and it feels like my soul is crying with joy and emotion. Her voice is so beautiful, so unique … Honestly, very few people are blessed with that kind of gift.

I think her cultural impact has been massive. It’s not just about her music, but everything surrounding it — the fashion, the music videos, the lyrics. Everything matters. I see so many young people, especially girls, who follow her and are inspired by how music can have so many possibilities.

If Rosalía ever doubts anything, it will only be about where her limits are, because I don’t think she has any. She approaches art as a whole, and I find that amazing and so difficult to achieve. But she’s done it, and she’s paid attention to every single detail. I think that’s what truly makes her a singular artist in our time.