Rosalía facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rosalía
Rosalía in 2023
Born	Rosalia Vila Tobella (1992-09-25) 25 September 1992 (age 32) Sant Cugat del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain
Alma mater	Catalonia College of Music
Occupation	Singer songwriter actress record producer
Years active	2013–present
Works	Discography songs live performances
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Origin	Sant Esteve Sesrovires, Baix Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain
Genres	Flamenco flamenco pop urbano reggaeton alternative art-pop avant-garde Latin pop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Columbia Universal Spain
Signature

Rosalia Vila Tobella (born September 25, 1992), known as Rosalía, is a famous Spanish singer. She is known for mixing traditional Spanish flamenco music with modern pop and urbano styles. People often call her an "atypical pop star" because her music is so unique and creative.

When she was 14, Rosalía fell in love with Spanish folk music. She decided to study music at the Catalonia College of Music. While studying, she also performed at small music clubs and weddings.

Her first two albums, Los Ángeles (2017) and El mal querer (2018), brought her a lot of attention. El mal querer won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year. It was even listed as one of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine. This album helped her become famous around the world.

Rosalía continued to explore new sounds. Her third album, Motomami (2022), mixed reggaeton with experimental sounds. It was a huge success and became the best-reviewed album of the year on the website Metacritic.

Throughout her career, Rosalía has had eleven number-one songs in Spain. She has won many awards, including two Grammy Awards and twelve Latin Grammy Awards. She was the first Spanish-speaking artist ever to be nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy. Many consider her one of the most important Spanish singers of all time.

Life and Career

1992–2016: A Young Star Begins

Rosalía was born in Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. She grew up in a family that was not involved in the arts. Her mother is a businesswoman, and her father has roots in different parts of Spain. She has an older sister, Pili, who works as her stylist.

From a young age, Rosalía loved performing. She was especially inspired by the flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla. She studied music for six years at a special school called Taller de Músics. She also sang at weddings and in music bars to practice her skills.

At 15, she appeared on a TV talent show called Tú Sí Que Vales, but she was not chosen. When she was 17, she had to have surgery on her vocal cords and couldn't sing for a year. After recovering, she continued to work with many different artists.

In 2016, Rosalía worked with the Spanish rapper C. Tangana on the song "Antes de morirme". The song became a surprise hit in Spain two years later, after Rosalía became more famous.

2016–2017: The Album Los Ángeles

Rosalía and Raül Refree performing during their Los Ángeles Tour in 2017.

In 2016, Rosalía performed at a flamenco club in Barcelona. A musician and producer named Raül Refree was in the audience. He was so impressed that they decided to work together.

They created the album Los Ángeles, which was released in 2017. The album is about death and features Rosalía's powerful voice with Refree's guitar. It was a new take on classic flamenco songs.

The album was a big success with critics and fans. It was nominated for a Latin Grammy for Best New Artist. Rosalía and Refree went on a tour called the Los Ángeles Tour to perform the songs from the album live.

2018–2020: El mal querer and Global Fame

Rosalía's second album, El mal querer, started as a project for her college degree. She worked with the producer el Guincho. They recorded most of the album in his apartment with a computer and a microphone. The album tells the story of a bad relationship, inspired by a 13th-century book.

The first single, "Malamente", became a huge hit. Its music video was very popular on social media. The next single, "Pienso en tu mirá", was also praised for its artistic video. With the song "Di mi nombre", Rosalía had her first number-one single in Spain.

El mal querer was released in November 2018. Critics loved it, with some calling it a masterpiece. The album won four Latin Grammy Awards, including the award for Album of the Year. It also won a Grammy Award.

Rosalía performing at the Primavera Sound festival in 2019.

In 2019, Rosalía went on her first world tour, the El Mal Querer Tour. She also released new music, including the song "Con altura" with J Balvin. The song was a massive hit around the world. Its music video won two MTV Video Music Awards.

She continued to release popular songs like "Aute Cuture" and "Yo x ti, tú x mí". In 2020, she performed at the Grammy Awards and was nominated for Best New Artist. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she released "TKN" with Travis Scott, which became her first song to enter the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart.

2020–2023: The Motomami Era

Rosalía began working on her third album in 2019. She moved to Miami during the pandemic to continue her work. She also collaborated with other big artists, including Bad Bunny on the song "La Noche de Anoche" and The Weeknd on a remix of his song "Blinding Lights".

In 2022, she released her album Motomami. The album was very experimental, mixing reggaeton with many other sounds. The lead single, "La Fama", featured The Weeknd and was a hit in many countries. Other popular songs from the album included "Saoko" and "Chicken Teriyaki".

Rosalía performing on her Motomami World Tour in 2022.

Motomami received amazing reviews from critics. Many called it one of the best albums of the year. It won four Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year. This made Rosalía the first woman to win this award twice for her own albums.

In the summer of 2022, she started the Motomami World Tour. During the tour, she released the song "Despechá", which became a global success.

Rosalía and her dancers performing in Mexico City in 2023.

In 2023, Rosalía released an EP called RR with her then-boyfriend, singer Rauw Alejandro. She also performed a free concert in Mexico City for over 160,000 people. In November 2023, she released the song "Oral" with the singer Björk to raise money for charity.

2024–Present: New Music and Projects

In August 2024, Rosalía was featured on the song "New Woman" by Thai rapper Lisa. The song was a global hit. The next month, she released a new song of her own called "Omega".

In February 2025, Rosalía appeared in the third season of the popular TV show Euphoria.

What Makes Her Music Special?

Musical Style

Rosalía is known for mixing different types of music. She started as a traditional flamenco singer. Her first album, Los Ángeles, was a modern take on old flamenco folk songs.

With her album El mal querer, she began to mix flamenco with pop and urban music. Critics praised her for being so creative. Her voice has been described as "soft liquid velvet."

Her third album, Motomami, was even more experimental. She used reggaeton as the main sound but blended it with many other styles, like industrial music and jazz. Rosalía has said she listens to all kinds of music to get new ideas.

Influences

Rosalía has said that James Blake (left) and Björk (right) are two of her biggest musical influences.

Rosalía's biggest influences are the flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla, the Icelandic artist Björk, and the British musician James Blake. She says Camarón introduced her to the world of flamenco when she was 13.

She admires Björk for being a strong female producer who creates her own path. She loves James Blake's music for its creativity and freedom.

She is also inspired by many other artists, including Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Queen, Kanye West, and Shakira. For her fashion style, she is influenced by Spanish artists like Lola Flores.

Cultural Impact

The "Rosalía Polemic"

Rosalía's music has started a discussion about cultural appropriation. This is when someone from one culture uses styles from another culture. Some people feel that flamenco belongs to the Romani people of Andalusia, a region in southern Spain. Because Rosalía is from Catalonia and not Romani, some critics say she shouldn't be using their style.

However, others defend her. They say that music is for everyone and that she is helping to share flamenco with the world. The history of flamenco is complex, and it likely came from a mix of Moorish, Jewish, and Romani cultures.

Rosalía has responded to this by saying that music is universal. She also said that the debate is more about who gets opportunities to study and create music.

A Global Star

Rosalía has become one of the most famous Spanish artists in the world. She has been praised for bringing flamenco sounds to a global audience. Many other artists, like Christina Aguilera and Camila Cabello, have said she is an influence on them.

Magazines like Forbes have named her one of the most influential women in Spain. Her success has helped open doors for other new artists from Spain to be heard around the world.

Personal Life

Rosalía is proud of her family's background, which is a mix of Catalan, Galician, and Andalusian heritage. She can speak Catalan, Spanish, and English.

She identifies as a feminist and supports women's rights and the LGBT community. She has often spoken about the importance of having more women working behind the scenes in the music industry.

Rosalía was in a relationship with Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro. They got engaged in 2022 but announced their breakup in July 2023. She was also in a relationship with American actor Jeremy Allen White from late 2023 to the summer of 2024.

Discography

• Los Ángeles (2017)
• El mal querer (2018)
• Motomami (2022)

Filmography

Film

Television

Key

Denotes works that have not yet been released

Tours

• Los Ángeles Tour (2017–2018)
• El Mal Querer Tour (2019)
• Motomami World Tour (2022)

See also

In Spanish: Rosalía (cantante) para niños