Known for her unusual yet distinctive, memorable, and almost intriguing musical style, Rosalía has been tearing up Spanish, European, and global charts with record-breaking numbers, reaching over 1,000 million streams at her peak over the last five years. Her song ‘Despechá’ hit 1,236 million streams on Spotify in 2022, while her “lowest” popular track, ‘TKN’ (feat. Travis Scott), still climbed to 495 million in 2020.
This year, beginning in early November, she delighted the audience with her fresh album LUX, which includes 15 digital tracks and 18 on the CD and vinyl editions. The Rosalía’s LUX albumadvert campaign was loud, sharp, and straight to the point.
Album cover in Times Square, orchestras on Madrid’s billboards, and songs in 13 languages, it blew up the internet and won new fans worldwide in just hours. The hype for the upcoming album went through the roof. Social media was buzzing, dropping the playful hint: “Album of the Year?” Considering all this excitement, it’s clear this release is something you definitely don’t want to miss.
Here, at Honey POP, we picked five non-cliché reasons proving why LUX truly belongs on your Spotify list.
Catalonian DNA Fuses With Eclectic Rave
Born near Barcelona, in Spain’s Catalonia region with its own Catalan language and free-spirited identity, Rosalía grew up surrounded by flamenco rhythms from childhood. Blending those traditional melodies with Latin touches like reggaeton, she shaped a recognisable sound and performance style that feels entirely her own.
In LUX, Rosalía virtuously places the orchestra at the core of most tracks, adding to each a different mix of pop, rave, and electronic notes, together with striking, loud cues and screams that cut through the sounds of violin and organ.
The paradox of LUX’s success lies in its screaming infusion of spiritual music and Spanish baroque archaism. The sound itself becomes both the artwork and the instrument to convey the stories, carrying the ideas even without words.
Unbeatable & Unexpected Collabs
Yves Tumor, Björk, and even the child choir Escolanía de Montserrat are not the whole list of collaborations LUX offers to the discerning listener.
Notably, while separate artists like Björk, the Spanish artists Estrella Morente and Sílvia Pérez Cruz performing each in one song, the Escolanía de Montserrat accompanied a full seven tracks, including‘Magnolias’ and ‘Reliquia‘, highlighting the divine sense of the last tracks and the whole album’s core, referring to the divine topic as the roots of the world’s birth and natural processes like love, soul tortures and the rebirth theme.
The most explosive track, ‘Berghain‘, drew the most attention out of all the others.
The London orchestra, operatic singing, Björk’s deep, enchanting voice, the use of German, Spanish and English, the visual interplay of violence and love combining into a single whole, highlighted by Mike Tyson’s violent quote, “I’ll f*** you ’til you love me” allures strongly, almost forcing the space around the listener to convey the emotional background of the track itself. In the context of LUX, collaboration is not only about performers.
It masterfully weaves contemporary musical techniques with timeless classical traditions, where the divine choir gives way to words of cruelty and violence that coexist with love and tenderness, equally forming an inseparable part of the human life cycle.
Rebirth Of History And Spirituality
The Palau de la Música Chamber Choir, the London Orchestra, Escolanía de Montserrat, and the sounds of the organ are not simply Rosalía’s whims or carefully staged hype to promote LUX.
Like the album itself, the presence of these different choirs, alongside operatic and baroque elements, points to the central idea of LUX — the question of divinity, where religion is reimagined as much as the human role within it. The Escolanía de Montserrat, a boy’s Catalonian choir, flows with precision and innocence, later replaced in some passages by the adult Palau de la Música Chamber Choir and the London Orchestra.
This progression embodies the musical art of LUX, illustrating the natural life cycle: as youth move into adulthood, they remain angelic and almost pure. In ‘Berghain‘, the London Orchestra plays brisk, ascending motifs that capture the essence of the song — love and hatred intertwined as part of the adult world.
By contrast, in ‘Magnolias’ and ‘Reliquia,’ the parts performed by Escolanía de Montserrat convey tender self-love, untouched by violence or suffering. Here, the children’s choir remains present on the spot, highlighting innocence, purity, and the gentle side of human experience.
Femininity In Its Strength
In her interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Rosalía mentioned the powerful women in history who inspired her while creating LUX. Among them were Joan of Arc, Saint Olga of Kyiv, Saint Rosalia of Palermo, and Saint Teresa of Ávila.
However, what is particularly noteworthy is that, unlike how they are usually portrayed in history, these figures are, if not for the first time, presented to the audience not as martyrs but as women whose sanity, forged through suffering, is a source of strength rather than weakness.
Their resilience resists passive submission to the inevitable course of events. Fighting against a Catholic Church dominated by men, like Saint Teresa of Ávila. Standing up to her husband’s murderers in the name of justice, like Saint Olga of Kyiv. Striving for a kingdom’s unity only to be betrayed by men, like Joan of Arc.
The strength of these women went far beyond resilience, defying violence and centuries of patriarchal pressure. Nearly 500 years later, LUX pays tribute to their memory, weaving their courage and spirit into its tracks.
A Multilingual Hymn to Global Cultures
LUX is the first album ever with 13 tracks, with a couple of them having three or more languages in one.
Beyond her love for diverse cultures and their histories, Rosalía, fluent in Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese, revealed that creating a multilingual album reflects her long-standing passion for learning new languages.
This daring blend of languages, from Japanese and Ukrainian to French and more, struck a chord with listeners, propelling the album’s popularity to unprecedented heights, even by Rosalía’s already global-star standards. Let us know what is your favorite track from LUX? Don’t keep it to yourself—tweet us your thoughts at @thehoneypop or on Facebook and Instagram.
August will always be one of the busiest months of the year for us. And the same goes for K-Pop groups! When we say everybody was in the studio this month, we mean everybody. But we’ll let you be the judge of that in our newest K-POP HOTSPOT!
We have SO many August K-Pop comebacks to cover, so let’s go over everything you may have missed!
THIS MONTH’S NEWS
You thought we would bombard you with music already, didn’t you? Before we get into the best part of the roundup though let us tell you some other exciting news! Do you miss BTS as much as we do? Then fear not Jungkook’s solo documentary JUNG KOOK: I AM STILL is hitting theatres on September 18th worldwide and you can find more ticket info right here. We are so excited to spend more time with our favorite maknae!
Speaking of fun things to watch did you know EPEX just released their new and fun YouTube reality series The EPEX3? If you need some laughter and sunshine don’t be shy and follow this link. We are ready to binge this one at the beach with a cool drink to be honest.
Well, we are almost done but we just wanted to let you know some news about our favorite boys from Omega X! Musically it has been a more quiet when it comes to the group but that doesn’t mean they aren’t booked and busy! Jaehan has put out an amazing OST, Yechan is booked and busy in not just one drama (Your Honor) but also a movie (Mad Dance Office) and our boy Hangyeom has been thriving with his fellow Jazz For You cast members during fan meetings. We are obsessed with seeing these boys thrive in their different career paths and can’t wait for more group activities either.
With that being said let’s get into the music now shall we?
RED VELVET
We’re kicking off our August hotspot with a special single we’ll always hold in our hearts! Red Velvet celebrate their 10th anniversary (yes, 10th!) with ‘Sweet Dreams.’ Their special video compiles behind-the-scenes clips of Red Velvet recording the track, along with a collage of music video shots. It’s crazy to see just how far they’ve come in the last 10 years, and we’re emotional knowing we got to grow up with them.
Next up, we’re highlighting ONF‘s instrumental album, Infuse! While there aren’t any new songs in this comeback, we also wanted to celebrate their seventh anniversary with them. This 51-minute-long album features 15 instrumental versions of all their hits from 2017 to now. Our favorites are ‘Your Song,’ ‘Fly Me To The Moon,’ and ‘New World!’ It’s truly a masterpiece, and we hope to see this with more groups when they do compilations or best-of albums!
If your summer playlist did not have JEON SOMI‘s ‘Ice Cream,’ was it even a summer playlist? “I’m like ice cream, Ah yeah, Ah yeah” has been ringing in our heads all month. Randomly singing and dancing? That was definitely us. Many of us have been melting over the summer from the heat, but this song cooled us down with its addictive tunes and lyrics.
Any time we get a release from our favorite INFINITE, be it group, unit, or solo, we’re there to hype it up. Member L dropped a solo album, one we’ve been needing for a while. Really, ‘What’s Not To Love’ about this release? The sweet, distinctive vocals carry us on a musical trip, from fun to emotional, and we are going along. If you ask us about our current favorite B-side pick, we’ll tell you it’s ‘Blue Summer.’ Maybe it’s because it matches the season with its fun atmosphere. Still, we definitely recommend you take a listen to the whole 24/7 tracklist.
DOYOUNG of NCT really knows how to set off our nostalgia because his new single ’17’ made us feel all the feels. DOYOUNG sings about the simpler times when we were 17 years old, and they really were so good. We’re also in love with the instrumental version, and it’s a song we can play sitting outside and basking in the sun. If you need a feel-good song to clear all your troubles, ’17’ is it!
UNIS has just released their first-ever comeback since their debut in March! Their new single, Curious, features three songs we added to our playlists on the first listen. The title track, ‘Curious,’ is a pop rock banger about getting out of your comfort zone to be the best version of yourself. The electric guitar instrumentals are so satisfying. And the two B-side tracks are just as incredible, from the empowering ‘Datin’ Myself’ to the catchy ‘Poppin!’
Another new K-Pop single we’ve been replaying nonstop is MIRAE‘s Son Dong Pyo’s ‘Wave (2024)’ and his remake of the 2001 track. Truly the perfect song to bid summer goodbye, ‘Wave’ is an addictive track that sounds refreshing with Dong Pyo’s vocals and beautiful instrumentals. Plus, the music video visuals are everything! He killed all the high notes, and we can’t wait to hear more songs from him.
LIGHTSUM is back again, and we have our eyes on them. The girls keep visiting our playlists with new songs, and, of course, we have already added ‘POSE!’ as well. Warning: This song is so fun; it will get you falling for them, and their sound will be even better if you haven’t already. Hear us out: new karaoke fave, perhaps? It is the perfect choice to sing and jump along with your besties.
Okay, we are absolutely jaw-dropped, mind-blown with BamBam‘s ‘LAST PARADE.’ That’s it; that’s our review. Just kidding, but really, are words enough to describe this banger? BamBam is tapping into a new, unexpected concept, and we’re eating it up. Our new location: 𝘉𝘈𝘔𝘌𝘚𝘐𝘚. Favorite side stops: ‘Mi Último Deseo’ and ‘Ball Like That’ having that tight grip on us.
In case you didn’t know, we at THP have been fans of CATCH THE YOUNG since their debut! They’re back with their first single album, Dream It, and it’s been on repeat for weeks. The two tracks, ‘Dream It’ and ‘Wanna Be With You,’ make us feel like we can handle anything life throws at us. From the electric guitar and bass to drums, everyone gets a solo in ‘Dream It.’ And it’s so healing. Catch The Young slayed this comeback, and what more can we say?
ICYMI, WayV has made their Japanese debut this month with The Highest, a six-track mini-album with no skips in sight! They’re proving even more that they sound good in any language. Honestly, we respect the hustle. WayV showed us a more edgy side with ‘Go Higher’ and ‘Tempo.’ But the vibey ‘Deep Ocean’ and anime soundtrack-esque ‘Bandage’ stole our hearts at first listen. Any day is a good day with The Highest playing in the background!
Mother is back to save the summer! Queen HYOLYN is back with an iconic summer single called ‘Wait.’ We’ve been obsessing over the groovy island vibes of this track. The choreography is killer, but we already knew Hyolyn would eat it up. What’s even more iconic about this song is that Hyolyn filmed it in the Philippines, which has officially moved up our bucket list! Have y’all seen the visuals?!
Next on our August K-Pop hotspot is fromis_9‘s third single album, Supersonic! If you’ve been sleeping on them, then this is your chance to stan! The title track, ‘Supersonic,’ is one of our favorite summer songs by far. Catch us singing the chorus at random times throughout the day. ‘Beat The Heat’ and ‘Take A Chance’ are such high-quality B-side tracks, too! These girls have really come into their own sound with this comeback, and we didn’t skip a single song.
Did someone say collab of the summer? Because HUI and Kwon Eunbi‘s new song, ‘Easy Dance,’ is here to steal the show! We weren’t expecting such an iconic pairing, but their voices make so much sense together. As the title suggests, it’s an incredibly easy song for us to dance to and vibe along with. Their Waterbomb performance is one for the record books, and we can only imagine how hyped it would’ve been to see this song live!
While we’re on the topic of iconic, KARD has returned after more than a year since their last comeback! Only weeks after celebrating their seventh anniversary, KARD starts a new era with their seventh mini-album, Where To Now? (Part.1 : Yellow Light). We’re SO here for it! ‘Tell My Momma’ as their title track is a brilliant move, and it’s a refreshing and romantic song about falling in love with someone so quickly and wanting to tell your mom about them. Our favorite B-sides are ‘Waste My Time’ and ‘SHIMMY SHIMMY,’ but the whole EP is worth a listen. Or 1092923838 listens. It’s up to you.
LUN8 also whipped up some good tunes for us this August with 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘒𝘌𝘕𝘐𝘕𝘎. You know we love the boys in this house. How would we skip on ushering you to check out their new album and the title track ‘WHIP.’ You need one listen to be hooked, test it out, and tell us if we’re right. Listening to the title makes us take a step back and feel free from our daily worries. And if a title isn’t enough and you don’t know where to start with the B-sides, we highly recommend you check out ‘DELULU.’
We love it when K-POP meets Latin Pop, and we’ve been truly blessed with ‘New Woman!’ K-POP queen Lisa and Latin Pop princess Rosalía truly soundtracked the end of our summer with this iconic collab. Intertwining electropop and EDM topped with metallic sounds, the song is super captivating. Rosalía’s verse truly brings in that twist that keeps us on our toes, yet it just works. We love it!
Our talented flowers, MIMIIROSE, dropped new music, and if you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the nudge you need. We live for the vocals in that chorus of ‘The flowers swayed.’ A refreshing song about the worries we all experience at one point in life and the uplifting, encouraging message that everything will be alright because no flower blooms without being swayed a little bit. So, if you need that push to keep going and not give up, this is the release for you.
We’re getting fed all of August with these K-Pop comebacks! SF9‘s 14th mini-album, Fantasy, blew our every expectation out of the water. The title track, ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy,’ has taken over our brains with its addictive chorus and positive message. Don’t miss out on their B-side tracks, like ‘Just’ and ‘Melodrama.’ We really can’t stop listening to this EP.
The ultimate weekend anthem: DRIPPIN‘s ‘Weekend.’ We feel energized listening to this release. It’s giving us the bright, contagious DRIPPIN vibe and is perfect for that downtime we get after a busy week. Or even to prepare us for it. This comeback may be a single album of only three songs, but it has our hearts locked. We’re grooving to ‘Fly High’ any chance we get and are particularly obsessed with ‘TIME.’
Can you smell this too? Yeah, that’s ‘Sexy In The Air’ You read that right; no other than our favorite boy, Taemin, graced us with his groovy and recognizable music this past month. We knew from the moment Eternal was announced that this one would be one for the books. Taemin proved yet again how he knows what suits him best, and even under a new company, he kept his signature sound. Songs you should check out from the album are definitely ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Horizon!’
August is for the girl groups! We said what we said. ILY:1 delivers another stellar comeback with their third mini-album, illang:Firework! These girls are so underrated, and we’d love nothing more than to put everyone we know onto ILY:1. ‘illang (Firework)’ is a summer bop at its core, and their vocals never disappoint. ‘Ocean View’ and ‘I MY ME MINE’ are our favorite B-side tracks, and we’re blessed to get the instrumental versions for all four new songs.
Y’all don’t know Gyeongree’s new single album, Eternal Bloom, like we do. We’ve been waiting for 9MUSES’ Gyeongree to comeback for years, and she’s finally here! ‘Cherry’ is everything we’ve been missing in K-Pop, and it’s such a sweet and infectious song. The music video is absolutely adorable (and relatable). Gyeongree’s dreamy vocals also shine through in the B-side’ Butterflies,’ and we could listen to Eternal Bloom all day.
YOUNG POSSE has proven time after time just how they’re bringing the fun and silliness back to K-Pop! With a GTA-inspired concept for their third mini-album, ATE THAT, we get four new songs that all hooked us during our first listen. The title track, ‘ATE THAT,’ and its music video had us crying laughing. And yes, they definitely ‘ATE THAT.’ We want to be in the room where they come up with ideas because everything is genius. YOUNG POSSE absolutely slayed their B-sides, but we expected nothing less from these girls.
Moonbyul has blessed us with another comeback after a successful FULL album in February and a concert tour this year! But we aren’t complaining! Starlit of Twinkle : Repackage has three brand new songs and the English version of ‘TOUCHIN&MOVIN.’ Her title track, ‘Is This Love?’ is a cute song about her “friend’s friend” who may be in love with a guy. And this song is not about Moonbyul, as she’s already made that clear. (*wink wink*) She’s such a meme, and we love her for it.
Next on our K-Pop Hotspot is Ryu Sujeong‘s new English single, ‘White Dress!’ We can never get tired of Sujeong’s angelic voice; it’s just so soothing. In the music video for ‘White Dress,’ we see her strutting around the city in a wedding dress, shadowboxing, and playing guitar in the park. We now fully believe she’s an angel, and we’re expeditiously adding ‘White Dress’ to our wedding playlist.
This next K-Pop comeback may be a little different from what you’re used to hearing, but we love it! Super Junior’s Sungmin is back with a solo release: a trot song called ‘YO.YO.YO.’ And we definitely enjoyed it more than we expected. Sungmin’s voice is so well-suited for trot, and we were brought back to the early 2000s with this song! He contrasts the upbeat title track with the beautiful ballad, ‘Brilliant Days,’ and we’re beyond obsessed.
VIXX‘s Ken, you never fail to bring us to tears with your voice. His gift mini-album, Consolation & Love, hits us right in the feels. The title track, ‘너에게,’ shows us why Ken is the reigning king of ballads. He hits high notes so effortlessly, and we’re truly honored that we can keep listening to his music. The simple music video for ‘너에게’ showcasing his live vocals speaks for itself. Ken even gave us a music video for his B-side, ‘Love Day,’ which was much more than we could ask of him.
How is ‘Rains in Heaven’ NCT DREAM‘s first English single? Because we need more of these heartfelt songs! This healing track is a huge comfort to us, and we’re officially making it the highlight of our summer soundtrack. As long as the sun’s still out, we’ll play this song on our drives to nowhere with all the windows down. And we’re so jealous of everyone who’ll get to hear this song live on their tour.
A Jun.K solo single wasn’t on our 2024 bingo, but we are here for it! ‘Paint This Love’ is a groovy R&B track about how love can ease your past troubles and create something beautiful from something painful. Jun.K sings as if our hearts and souls are canvases. His song is literally a work of art, and we’re so excited to hear his voice again. Now we’re off to find more metaphors for how at home ‘Paint This Love’ makes us feel.
Just over a year after their last comeback, OH MY GIRL, AKA our summer queens, are back with their 10th mini-album, Dreamy Resonance! First off, the album art is absolutely magical. And second, the title track, ‘Classified,’ is exactly the type of dreamy fairy concept we’ve been missing. But the best part of this EP is the subunit B-sides. These duets are as lovely as can be, and we can’t pick our favorites even if we want to!
Guess who’s finally made their official solo debut? The one and only Jaehyun of NCT with his new album, J! And if his pre-release songs ‘Dandelions’ and ‘Roses’ were any indication, they’d tell us how high-quality and versatile this album is from start to finish. The music video for his title track, ‘Smoke,’ looks like it came straight from a movie. It warms our hearts to see Jaehyun going all out for this release, especially since it’s been such a long time.
Our August hotspot has been a month for so many single albums, and we can’t stop listening! NOWADAYS has just released their second single, NOWHERE, and it’s banger after banger. The title track, ‘Why Not?’ is an upbeat dance track about how having a massive crush on someone feels. The music video has the best kind of energy, and we’re impressed by their charisma.
Everyone say, “Thank you, Woosung” for making us cry! His new single, ‘Day That I Died,’ is a hauntingly beautiful song about losing the most important person in your life. And all you can do is replay the last moments you two had together. We want to know how Woosung captures so much raw emotion in his vocals. He sings with his soul, and we’ll keep this song in our heartbreak playlist forever.
Our solo queen CHUNG HA is back with a brand new single! Who else is as hyped as us? ‘Algorithm’ reminds us so much of her ‘Roller Coaster’ era, IYKYK. The iconic cameos in the music video are everything, from Uhm Junghwa to Gabee! The chorus and choreography are too addictive. We need every club around us to blast this song immediately, and we’ll be throwing our own dance party with ‘Algorithm’ on repeat!
DOHANSE shows us a new color of his music in his second solo EP, BLUESSOM. We already knew how versatile he is as an artist, but this mini-album only cements it. His signature punk rock sound still shines through. And the double title tracks, ‘Blue Night’ and ‘Milky Way,’ contrast each other incredibly. ‘Blue Night’ feels like a breezy summer night, while ‘Milky Way’ belongs in a morning motivation playlist.
Our 2024 is now complete with Bang Yedam‘s comeback! He’s back with his second mini-album, GOOD ViBES, and we’ve already broken our replay button for this release. Not only did he write lyrics for all six songs, but he also contributed to composing and arranging each B-side track. His rapping in ‘We Good’ had our jaws on the floor because how can one man be so talented at everything? There’s nothing but good vibes in the EP!
It feels like the summer isn’t over with WEi’s ‘LOVE2YOU.’ This lovely single, filled with refreshing tunes and a music video with cool summery vibes, is the perfect end for the hot August days. But while it has a rather bright vibe, the song is about the feeling of missing someone special. The intense longing delivered by the boys makes this our new favorite single, no doubt. Just like summer, despite it sometimes being a bit too much with its scorching hot days, we will surely miss it once it’s gone. While it may not be the same feeling, ‘LOVE2YOU’ will give us some sentimental emotions over the warm season, as well.
AleXa continues her journey through 2000s pop-punk nostalgia with her latest single, ‘Joy Of Missing Out,’ and this time, she’s preaching to introverts. In this edgy-sounding song, AleXa sings about the preference of skipping out on big events and busy crowds and why having a party for one is more fun. And honestly? It’s a complete mood!
Yves is back with a new digital single only a few months after her solo debut! ‘Tik Tok’ is a chill, lowkey song about taking your time. The music video looks like a travel vlog, and we love seeing Yves having fun and enjoying her time as a tourist. (Yves travel channel next?) Yves’ voice is so comforting, and we already can’t wait for her next comeback!
There is no better way to end our August hotspot than this. We couldn’t believe we got a FIESTAR reunion and comeback in 2024! We’re getting emotional listening to the 2024 version of their hit ‘You’re Pitiful.’ It hits even harder knowing the lengths Cao Lu went through to buy the copyrights of this song so they could remake it in time for their 12th anniversary. ‘You’re Pitiful’ is truly a timeless song!
August K-Pop comebacks never fail to amaze us! And we sure had a stacked month for this K-POP HOTSPOT!
What was your favorite August comeback? Which ones are you most excited about for next month? Let us know in the comments below, or tweet us @TheHoneyPOP!
In many ways, a collaboration between Björk and Rosalía feels obvious, even overdue. A no-brainer. In others, the two artists seem so musically divergent that a collaboration might come across as “impossible”—or at least as a bad idea. With “Oral,” these iconoclastic, unique singers prove it’s quite the opposite. And sure, maybe one would have thought that if any charity song was to be released right at this moment in time, it might have to do with supporting Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas “conflict” (or war, whatever the news is billing it as these days). But they would be mistaken. For Björk and Rosalía have chosen to pursue the only issue more evergreen than Israelis and Palestinians being diametrically opposed: the environment’s well-being. But it’s more specific than that. That’s right, it’s a song to benefit Icelandic salmon.
And yet, in keeping with the “wonderful weirdness” of both artists, the single actually makes no mention of the environment or the opposition to industrial salmon farming that it seeks to highlight. While Rosalía is from Spain, she can appreciate the cause that Björk—known as much for being Icelandic as she is for being experimental—is urgently calling attention to. In fact, Rosalía can appreciate it so much that she’s agreed to join Björk in donating all (not just “a portion of”) income made from the song to AEGIS. Per the title card statement that appears before the video:
Björk and Rosalía are donating all their rights to income generated by this song to the AEGIS non-profit organisation to combat open pen fish farming in Iceland. Their record companies have agreed to do the same. All funds raised will support legal fees for protesters, taking action to stop the development of intensive farms that harm wildlife, deform fish and pose risks to salmon’s DNA and survival. Immediate action is crucial.
Yes, yes it is. On so many environmental fronts. And though some might not see the environmental “big value” of salmon, these fish are a benchmark/health barometer of so many other things occurring in nature. Or, as the National Environmental Education Foundation puts it, “[Salmon] are nature’s gauges for detecting the health of the environment.”
If salmon are suffering, it’s not just because of the conditions they’re subjected to in open pen fish farming, but also because of the water quality around them. If there’s high levels of pollution (human-generated, of course) the salmon can’t thrive. But open pen farming does more than exploit salmon and other natural resources, it assists in destroying entire ecosystems. Not to mention obliterating genetic diversity due to the inbreeding that goes on inside those nets (with escaped farmed salmon also breeding with wild salmon to alter their DNA…for the worse). And that is what an “open pen” amounts to: nylon nets. Ones that are fixed to the ocean floor with anchors and kept afloat by buoys. The “floating cages,” as it were, can hold hundreds of thousands of fish at one time—in addition to any other waste that enters the fray of that net. This extends to fecal matter, pesticides used to kill parasites, unconsumed fish feed and the rotting corpses of the salmon that didn’t survive. All of this coagulates and accumulates at the bottom of the pens, with the waste eventually releasing into other parts of the ocean where unsuspecting ecosystems await their contamination from this senseless farming practice.
So yes, Björk and Rosalía’s cause is urgent. And yet, the song itself came about over the course of decades, with Björk writing it between the Homogenic and Vespertine eras. Alas, she never felt that it fit in with the sonic motifs of those albums and decided to “put in on salt” until the right circumstances arose to finish creating it. Evidently, destiny wanted her to wait long enough for Rosalía to come into musical existence. Because this was the musical partnering that could shepherd the track to its final form.
The video, directed by Carlota Guerrero, mostly reads like a visual reinterpretation of Madonna’s 2002 video for “Die Another Day,” with Björk and Rosalía serving as one another’s adversarial opponents against the backdrop of a white room. What’s more, there definitely appears to be some deepfaking at play (another trend recently promoted by Sevdaliza and Grimes for the “Nothing Lasts Forever” video). As their choreographed “fight-dance” initially finds them battling one another MMA-style, by the end of the video, they decide to join forces and fight the common enemy that appears to be observing both of them as they then brandish their swords/kick at the camera. In many respects, this feels like a poignant metaphor for the ways in which humans find needless sources of contempt for one another, when the real problem is their shared oppressor. The ones “in charge,” Big Brother, etc. Whatever name one wants to give to “The Man” keeping us all down, and ensuring we’re distracted by our petty rivalries and competitions with one another.
While the song itself doesn’t call out fish directly, something about the word “oral,” therefore the frequent mention of mouths, feels evocative of a fish, with their constantly open mouths sucking up whatever happens to come into them while swimming. Per Björk, however, this is a love song. As she herself remarked, “My interpretation of the lyrics are that you’re wondering about revealing your feelings to a man, maybe crossing over from a dream state… It’s totally that moment when you’ve met someone, and you don’t know if it’s friendship or something more. So you become, I guess, aroused. And you become very aware of your lips. That’s maybe why I called the song ‘Oral’. You don’t know what the consequences are if you act. Sometimes fantasy can be amazing, and that’s enough; you don’t have to also do things.” In truth, sometimes the fantasy is what makes you lust after a person in the first place. When cold, sobering reality gets involved, things tend not to be as alluring.
Painting a surreal picture from the outset, Björk opens the song with the lines, “Your mouth floats above my bed at night/My own private moon.” Rosalía then joins in on the first verse to soothe, “Just because the mind can make up whatever it wants/Doesn’t mean that it’ll never come true/Won’t ever happen.” Here, too, there is a double meaning that can be inferred. Beyond talking about making a relationship dream come true, there’s the idea that, since this is a “charity song,” the lyrics are also intended to promote the belief in possibility…for a brighter future. And the key to any such bright future is environmental well-being.
Joining in on the chorus together, the duo sings, “Is that the right thing to do? (oh, oh)/Oh, I just don’t know/I just don’t know/Is that the right thing to do? (oh, oh)/Oh, I just don’t know/I just don’t know.” Whether one wants to see this as a girl talking about if she should confess her feelings to the object of her affection or as being from the perspective of a miraculously morally-aware industrialist, well, that depends on one’s mood.
More dual meaning is found in a lyric like, “Let me introduce one to the other/The dream and the real, get them acquainted.” In other words, there can be a place where the “dream” of a non-capitalistic, non-rapaciously industrial world can merge, if only vaguely, with reality. Or, yeah, a girl can make her dream of kissing the boy she likes (“a mouth to a mouth,” for more fishy visuals) come true.
Another repeated line throughout the song is, “Just because she can/There’s a line there, I can’t cross it.” This, too, seems applicable to how more corporate entities should be thinking. Knowing when they’ve crossed the line from garden-variety assholes to outright monsters. So monstrous, in fact, that it takes a powerful duo like Björk and Rosalía to come at them with their swords.
Sources told the mag that “despite the love and respect the singers have for one another, they have both agreed to end their engagement.”
The former lovebirds were first romantically linked in August 2021, before they went public with their romance on social media the following month.
Billboard claimed earlier this year that they’d met at a Las Vegas hotel lounge during the 2019 Latin Grammys after months of messaging each other on Instagram.
Alejandro told the publication of his other half in March, “Rosi has a more solid music base than I do in the sense that I’m more extroverted in my music, but she’s far more disciplined.
“But she’s a freak-crazy workaholic. Piano lessons, dance lessons, voice lessons; what else can you learn when no one sings like you? At the beginning, I didn’t really get it, but after some time, I said, ‘OK, let me try to follow her lead and see.’ And the difference is huge.”
What I love about Fridays isn’t that I get to log off work early (well, maybe a little) or that I have an excuse to attend happy hour…it’s that I’m guaranteed new music. And now that we are fully in June, artists are churning out albums and singles to get us through the summer months. This week, especially, is a hot spot for new bangers for your playlists.
We have releases like “TUYA” by ROSALÍA, “Who Told You (feat. Drake)” by J His, “VULGAR (with Madonna)” by Sam Smith and Madonna, and “WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DYING FOR?” by Shawn Mendes, who wrote the track in 24 hours after New York City was covered in smoke from the Canadian wildfires. But that’s not all, not even close.
EDM extraordinaire Chris Lake came out with his remix of “In The Yuma (feat. AATIG) (Four Tet Remix)”, which is sure to be a club banger. City Girls released “Piñata”, and Youngboy Never Broke Again dropped the first single from his new album, “Realize (feat. Lil Dump, Rojay MLP, NBA Big B)”.
Since this week was filled with new music, here are a few of my picks to put on your weekend playlist:
1. Noah Kahan – Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)
Rapidly rising indie folk artist Noah Kahan has been stealing the hearts of listeners. It’s not hard to love his music, which feels like the perfect blend of The Lumineers, Mumford & Sons, and Hozier. His new album, Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever), contains 21 songs that are purely Noah. The Vermont-born singer has a raw way of storytelling, with country-inspired backing from symphonies of banjos and string instruments. It’s worth the listen from top to bottom.
2. Niall Horan – The Show
In his first album since 2020, Niall Horan releases The Show…and wow, does this feel like the moment Horan skyrockets into superstardom alongside former band member, Harry Styles. Dare I say it’s his best? Throughout 10 songs, Niall takes you through a journey of love and positivity, it’s an album that you can already imagine bringing fans of all walks of life together. It’s a body of work that Horan has been working on for years, and it’s a special album that should be rewarded.
3. Carter Rubin – “last time”
Carter Rubin may only be 17, but his voice already has a timeless quality that is beautifully exhibited in his new single, “last time.” It’s an honest track that captures how it feels to fall in love at such a young age, and perfectly shows off Carter’s strong vocal abilities that will make him a star. With qualities of a go-to summer anthem, “last time” is Carter Rubin’s submission for your Song Of The Summer.
4. Will Linley – “Tough (The Girls Song)”
Fans love Will Linley because he can create a track that fully encompasses what it’s like to as a member of Gen Z, perfectly summing up how we’re all feeling constantly. The musical embodiment of “I do my own stunts,” Linley is a singer, songwriter, and can play multiple instruments…fully showcasing his impeccable talent at all times. With “Tough (The Girls Song)”, we are given an 80’s vibe that never gets old and a fun single about a long-distance relationship ending.
5. Arctic Lake – “My Weakness”
Arctic Lake, the duo compiled of Emma Foster and Paul Holliman, are gearing up to release their new EP, How Do You Make It Look So Easy, with their new single, “My Weakness.” It’s traditional Arctic Lake, an open-hearted single about how, when you’re in love, it can be your greatest strength and weakness. Alongside the single, the duo dropped a video racing us down a neon-lit highway jamming along to the song.
6. Baby Queen – “Dream Girl”
Proclaimed London’s biggest “anti-pop” star, Baby Queen is here with “Dream Girl”…a pop-punk fusion talking about these two polar opposite sides of her meeting as one. It’s a song about how Baby Queen fell in love with a woman who was already in a relationship with a man, and wanting something you can’t have. It’s punchy, fun, and exciting, which is the perfect ending to this New Music Friday roundup!
Uruguay’s Jorge Drexler was nominated for seven Latin Grammys and on Thursday he took home six, surprising those who took Bad Bunny’s triumph for granted. The second surprise was Rosalía winning album of the year for “Motomami (Digital Album).”
“You have no idea how unexpected all this is for me,” said Drexler as he received the song of the year award for “Tocarte” (Touch you) from his album “Tinta y tiempo” (Ink and Time) that he performs with Spanish urban musician C. Tangana.
The Uruguayan musician performed “Tocarte” live with British singer Elvis Costello during the ceremony at the Mandalay Bay Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas. Drexler dedicated his award “to all those who make urban music in Spanish.”
Bad Bunny, who was not present at the ceremony, was the biggest nominee with 10 mentions.
In the end, he won all the prizes in the urban music section: best fusion/urban performance for “Titi me preguntó” (Titi asked me); best reggaeton performance for “Lo siento BB:/” (I’m sorry BB:/) which he sings with Tainy and Julieta Venegas; best rap/hip hop song for “De museo” (Of museum), best urban song for “Titi me preguntó” (Titi asked me); and best urban music album for “Un verano sin ti” (A summer without you), which was also nominated for a Grammy in the album of the year category, the first album sung in Spanish to achieve this.
Visibly surprised at winning album of the year at the Latin Grammys, Rosalía said ”‘Motomami’ was the album that she had to fight the most to make, but which “has given me the most joy.”
Rosalía thanked Latin America, Spain, her team and “the love of my life,” she said looking at the Puerto Rican urban artist Rauw Alejandro, who was in the front row.
Rosalía, who also won the Latin Grammy for best alternative music album for “Motomami,” performed “Hentai”, “La Fama” and her summer hit “Despechá.”
Drexler also won Latin Grammys for best pop song for “La guerrilla de la concordia” (Guerrilla of harmony), best alternative song for “El día que estrenaste el mundo” (The day you premiered the world), best singer-songwriter album for “Tinta y tiempo” (Ink and Time) and best song in the Portuguese language for “Vento sardo” with Marisa Monte.
“This is insane, this is a wonderful exaggeration,” Drexler said.
For the first in the history of the Latin Grammys a tie was announced in the category of best new artist, with 95-year-old Cuban singer-songwriter Ángela Álvarez sharing the award with 25-year-old Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada.
In an emotional moment, the young Mexican singer said the award for best new artist “was already ours” because most of the candidates this year were women and “even more so because I have here this wonderful woman who has brought tears to my eyes ever since I saw her.”
“What exists is to represent for the girls to come for the generations to know that it is worthwhile dreaming, fighting and working,” she said.
Álvarez took the stage accompanied by her grandson Carlos Álvarez, who produced her self-titled debut album.
Christina Aguilera joined Mexico’s Christian Nodal in a powerful interpretation their ranchera song “Cuando me dé la gana” (When I want to) from her album “Aguilera”, which took the award for best traditional pop vocal album.
The American singer of Ecuadorian origins, whose previous album in Spanish was “Mi reflejo” in 2000, said she had longed to make another album in Spanish since then.
After tying Drexler for best pop song, Colombian star Sebastián Yatra won the second Latin Grammy of his career for “Dharma” in the category of best pop vocal album.
“I want to continue inviting composers, young people, all the people who make music to make the music that is always a reflection of their heart,” said Yatra.
Yatra was recognized in the pop song category for his anthem “Tacones rojo” (Red Heels) whose Spanish and English version he performed with John Legend.
Mexican singer Angela Aguilar performed “En realidad” (In Reality) while Chiquis won the Latin Grammy for best band music album for “Abeja Reina” (Queen Bee).
