Rosalia returns to Barcelona as global star

Spanish singer Rosalía spent her early years training in classrooms, rehearsal spaces and small venues across Barcelona as she developed the voice and style that would define her career.
She has now returned to the city where she honed her craft as a global star with her 'Lux' tour, marking a full-circle moment in her artistic journey.
'Barcelona, I love you madly', she said in Catalan on Monday night, opening the first of four sold-out shows at Barcelona's Palau Sant Jordi arena.
The concerts are part of the rollout of her fourth album, 'Lux', a sweeping work that retains flamenco rhythms from her earlier records while also exploring more experimental and spiritual themes.
'Thanks for carrying me', the 33-year-old added before breaking into tears as the audience erupted into applause, highlighting the emotional connection she maintains with her hometown crowd.
The tour, which began last month in France, will also take her to the United States and Latin America, underlining her status as an international performer with a wide and devoted fan base.
Fans packed the arena to see Rosalía, who grew up in the nearby commuter town of Sant Esteve Sesrovires, perform in the city where she first began attracting attention as a student and emerging artist.
'There was already an intention there, a very flamenco way of moving through life', said Luis Cabrera, founder of Taller de Musics, where Rosalía enrolled in 2010.
Rosalía, hailed for her genre-defying versatility, studied flamenco singing with mentor Chiqui de la Linea, who early on recognised her ability to blend traditional styles with a modern sound.
Hard-working and deeply engaged, she had a clear sense of direction and ambition even at a young age.
'She used to ask a lot of questions, always restless. And when she said 'I want my music to reach millions of people' I was shocked', Cabrera said.
That same determination was noted by music journalist Luis Troquel, who followed her early years in Barcelona's music scene.
'She told me she wanted to be a diva... an artist who sings, dances and pays close attention to image', he said.
'And she achieved that, even better than expected'.
Her 2018 breakthrough album El mal querer began taking shape during her time at Barcelona's ESMUC conservatory, where she completed a degree in flamenco singing.
Her final project, inspired by the medieval novel 'Flamenca', later became the basis of the album, which would go on to define a new phase in contemporary Spanish music.
'Everyone still remembers that concert', said ESMUC director Nuria Sempere, describing Rosalía as focused and self-assured.
Rosalía now funds a scholarship at the school and has returned to give a masterclass on creativity, continuing to support the next generation of artists.
'It doesn't matter, just go for it. You'll fix it later, but you have to jump in', Sempere recalled her telling students.
With two Grammy awards, 11 Latin Grammys and millions of followers, Rosalía has become one of the most influential figures in modern Spanish music, with an impact that extends far beyond Spain. — AFP