5 Ways Pop Queen Rosalía Has Set The Bar For What It Means To Make A Positive Impact In 2020

Rosalia

It’s about time you get well-acquainted with Rosalía.

The 27-year old R’n’B-pop-flamenco chameleon has been making tsunami-sized waves in the music biz for the last couple of years, bringing her symbolism-drenched artistic vision to the mainstream with a slew of banger records and collabs under her sleeve. She’s worked with the likes of Travis Scott, James Blake, Pharrell Williams and more, nabbed herself a Grammy and stunned punters at festivals like Coachella, Primavera Sound and Glastonbury.

On top of that, when she’s not hustling to break ground for non-English speakers in mainstream pop, she’s constantly using her platform to discuss feminist issues, support the LGBTQIA+ community and advocate for human rights (like she is in her new M·A·C VIVA GLAM campaign). I am convinced there is not a more perfectly wholesome and talented human who walks this earth.

In short, she’s a beacon of positivity, strength and diversity which to put it straight, is simply the kind of stuff we require from the artists we love in 2020.

She Aligns Herself With Positive Forces

Where most pop stars would probably slap their face on any big brand, it’s clear that Rosalía makes an effort to align herself with institutions that are also doing their best to help others.

She’s currently the face of M·A·C‘s VIVA GLAM campaign, in which 100% of the funds made will be donated to local charities, including the Sydney Children’s Hospital, The Kirby Institute, the Bobby Goldsmith Foundation, QLD AIDS council and more to support those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. The campaign has raised $500 million USD since its inception in 1994 and has funded more than 1,800 organisations around the globe, a huge history that she’s currently become part of.

As part of the campaign, she’s the face of a fiery-red matte shade of M·A·C lippy, that you can cop to feel as fierce as Rosalía herself, and give back in the process.

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Her Music Is All About Breaking Down Gender Roles

Rosalía has been honing her chops in the historical art of flamenco music since she was 13, unfortunately, like most things in life, the age-old genre is historically a bit of a boys club. Her seriously critically acclaimed 2018 album El Mar Querer, flipped the flamenco tradition on its head.

Stylistically, it fuses gooey trap beats, and modern electronic soundscapes with traditional Spanish sounds, while the lyrics focus on the narrative of a woman becoming liberated and empowered in the aftermath of a toxic relationship. It all culminates together in a powerful feast and literally has the power to make anyone feel like a complete boss.

She also discussed the lack of female representation in music after being acknowledged at the 2019 Billboard Women in Music gala, saying, “I was fifteen when I entered a recording studio for the first time having all these women as references. I was so shocked by the fact that there were only men in that session that, since that moment, I’ve been fighting for having the same number of men and women in the studio.”

She Embraces Her Cultural Heritage In Her Music And Is Bringing It To The Forefront Of Pop

The type of music Rosalía is most often linked with, combines various folklore traditions from Andalusia, in southern Spain, and is closely associated with the Romani people – and exciting and seriously cultural immersion to bring to the western Pop world. Latin-focused pop is having a serious moment right now, with the likes of J Balvin, Bad Bunny and more all storming up the charts, and our girl is clearly leading the pack.

She’s been nominated for two Grammys, including one for Best New Artist which marked her as the first non-English speaking woman to receive the nod. She also made a historical Grammys performance in 2018 that proved the hype was real.

She’s An Independent Force To Be Reckoned With

Watching anyone carry out their complete artistic vision is enthralling to watch, and with Rosalía, everything you see is 100% her doing.

“I compose, produce, arrange—I don’t just perform. I’m playing keyboards, playing bass, doing everything. At the end of the day, I’m the one working my fingers to the bone,” she said in an interview with Pitchfork, explaining how she masters every nitty-gritty detail of her work.

Rosalía has also stated that all of her shows, album artwork and productions have been worked on by a team that involves herself, her mum and her sister, who she refers to as her ‘stylistic director’. Adorable.

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She Voices Her Support For LGBTQIA+ Rights

To add to the list of MANY incredible, giving acts Rosalía has performed, she’s also a well-known supporter of the LGBTQIA+ community.

“There are a lot of ways to love and none is better than the other. Raise your glass for love and freedom to love,” she said whilst performing at Primavera Sound’s Pride Day celebration in 2019.

This was also a huge part of why she chose to be an ambassador for M·A·C VIVA GLAM, saying that she’s, “deeply committed to improving the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS around the globe, especially those most vulnerable, including women, girls and the LGBTQIA+ community.”

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Her TikToks Are Literally The Reason I Wake Up In The Morning

If you’re yet to follow her on TikTok, I implore you to do so. In a world of banal ‘what I eat in a day’ vlogs and Hype Houses, it’s a breath of fresh air we need, much like literally everything else she does. Just watch, please.

@rosaliaKonichiwa♬ sonido original – La Rosalia

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