In a stunning announcement that is shaking the Spanish music business to its core, global pop icon Rosalía announced plans for a surprise album launch and accompanying world tour. This morning in Madrid, the Grammy winning artist famous for her flamenco inspired pop made the surprise reveal.
Following Rosalía’s first few singles from the album, “Fuego y Hielo” (Fire and Ice) is set to hit streaming next Friday, marking her first full-length studio release since 2017. The 28-year-old singer-songwriter described the album as a bold exploration of contrasts; contrast in sound and detail, contrast in how we feel when we are pain-free or when our souls bleed. Rosalía said of this album: ‘This is the duality in all of us.’ It’s a passion that gets us going and a cool calculation that brings us back. This is something I wanted to create, where it speaks to the complexity of human emotions.”
Industry insiders who are already buzzing about the album, having already had access to it, already have their tongues wagging. El País’ Carlos Fernández said that it was a perfect fusion between traditional Spanish sound and cutting edge production. ‘Rosalía has once again redefined what it is to be a global artist rooted in Spanish culture,’ he added.
Rosalía’s impulsive choice to follow suit with the surprise release strategy popularised by top-tier artists in recent years has sent the Spanish music scene in the shivers. It’s a bold statement of confidence in the material and her own ability to… draw an audience on a global scale.
Rosalía announced plans for an extensive world tour, hitting Barcelona’s Palau Sant Jordi next month, accompanying the album announcement. A ‘The Fire and Ice World Tour,’ the artist will perform in over 50 cities across Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. Tickets will go on sale next week and the industry is expecting record breaking sales.
Rosalía promises the tour will be a visual and auditory one, describing elaborate stage designs that will bring the album themes to life. The artist revealed that ‘We’re building an immersive experience that will take the audience from one world of fiery passion to the next of icy precision.’
Rosalía’s announcement has already caused ripples through the world of Spanish entertainment. Other artists are reportedly already renaming their 2023 release dates so they won’t have to compete with her tour dates.
The announcement has also received a tonne of backlash on social media, and the hashtag #FuegoyHielo even has a national trend on the matter, within minutes of the announcement. Fans have also been sharing their excitement and going nuts with speculation on Twitter about which international stars and songwriters could potentially feature on the album, be it Bad Bunny, Billie Eilish, Coldplay, Jay Z or The Weeknd.
Spanish Culture Minister Miquel Iceta was among those who welcomed the announcement, praising Rosalía’s ongoing role in making Spain’s cultural exports. She’s the best of Spanish creativity and innovation, said Iceta. ‘But her success on the global stage is a source of national pride and a powerful ambassador to our rich musical heritage.’
With a new generation of artists finding success in the Spanish music industry around the globe, the album and tour announcement arrives at a time of renaissance for the Spanish music industry. This movement is being kindled by the continued success of Rosalía, promoting young musicians to step outside of the box and leverage their roots while playing for the world.
Music industry analysts are all anticipating Rosalía’s new album and tour kickoff and predicting that “Fuego y Hielo” could be her most successful project ever. Having had critical acclaim and commercial success in her wake, expectations are sky-high for what some are already calling the musical event of the year in Spain.
Fans and critics alike are in for a treat of steeled speculation and sheer excitement in the coming weeks as fans wonder just what Rosalía has in store for them with the next chapter of her artistic career. One thing is certain: The world tour of “Fuego y Hielo” and its name-sake album, alongside Rosalía, is on deck to pull in more fans and solidify her as Spain’s leading cultural export.