Things to celebrate

This Saturday, the editorial of this newspaper She proposes we celebrate Rosalía. I celebrate her with conviction. Convinced means that, first, I had to convince myself, to repel my primal instinct. There are arguments galore. First and foremost, justice: Rosalía's success is a reward for talent, effort, and audacity. And then comes the rest: that a girl from here, musically trained in Barcelona, ​​becomes a global star is good news. That she includes Catalan in her repertoire allows our language, small and mistreated, to take flight on a universal level, even if fleetingly. It doesn't happen to us every day, and of course, it doesn't happen to other minority languages. And even if it did, we'd be foolish to see it any other way: Catalonia has been built on incorporation, not expulsion. Incorporation doesn't mean adulteration, but rather celebrating that what we consider our own blends well with a global product. That there are traces of Rusalia (which is how its name is pronounced) within the product Rosalía.

I admit that to approach Rosalía's universe without prejudice, I had to take a long journey because, due to my age, I've been raised on flamenco by decree, because it was the soundtrack of the Franco regime. When she appeared Motomami It took me even longer to get into it. I thought: this girl has dressed up as a Latina, she's sold out to us on this disastrous trend of... reggaeton and the most vulgar sexualization. And now, with this album that champions spirituality popI also wrinkle my nose so that they boomers We had to endure the tutelage of the clergy and all the Vatican hypocrisy, and when they talk to me about mysticism, even if it's wrapped in such a pretty package..., I think about sects and false prophets.

But anyway, having said and discussed it, I've done what I had to do, which is to listen. Lux From the first song to the last, and without understanding much about music, I would say that we are facing an exciting, risky and inspired work, with a lot of work behind it, uneven lyrics, and an infinite curiosity that says a lot about the author and the flight of her creative horizon.

And of course I think, with a touch of sadness: how wonderful it would be if Rosalía created a masterpiece in Catalan, one that would enrich our cultural legacy and make it available to all of humanity. How beautiful it would be if she realized the enormous favor she could do for a language so battered and besieged. But then I shrug and think that Rosalía isn't Joan of Arc, or even María del Mar Bonet, and that, after all, ABBA became famous singing in English despite being Swedish. And like any good Catalan, I accept reality and take it for granted that she wanted to sing at least one song in her language, knowing that on the international stage this doesn't help her, and in the Spanish-speaking world it detracts even more. And, therefore, I celebrate her. With all my heart. And I wish her continued success, and I propose (should I perhaps pray to her?) that she help us make Catalonia a breeding ground for new musical talent.

But to truly do justice, after celebrating Rosalía, I celebrate even more the artists who make Catalan a vehicle for culture and celebration. Some of them are artists like Rosalía, but they can't show it because the system (the industry, the press, Spain) ignores them as if they were a nuisance or, on the contrary, a threat. The musicians, writers, and actors who have chosen to work in their language against all odds, having to hear themselves called "provincial" or "nationalist." I celebrate them, and I celebrate them again, with extra passion, because they need it much more than Rosalía, something I'm sure she understands perfectly.

Not everyone will understand it
And she's not expecting it.
They think it's the end
But it's only just beginning.

Excerpt from Divinize, from the album Lux by Rosalía.