Mio Cristo Piange Diamante

Rosalía

Rosalía’s latest album Lux has hit the market, and it is worth taking note. Who is Rosalía, you may ask, if you are not plugged into the pop music world. Rosalía Vila Tobella is one of the current pop superstars, and Lux is her fourth album. Born in Barcelona, Rosalía enjoyed a full musicology education at the Catalonia College of Music. Her songs showcase elements from numerous modern and classical traditions, ranging from flamenco to fado, classical opera to hip-hop, and reggae to Asian hyperpop.

With Lux, critics say, she is out to change the definition of pop music itself. The motif is one of spirituality and feminine mysticism entangled with the material side of life and the chaos of this world. Female saints from the East and the West, both ecclesiastical and mundane, are central to the themes of the songs. The CD—produced in collaboration with the London Symphony Orchestra—has no less than 18 tracks and contains lyrics in 12 languages. Rosalía emphasizes that no AI was used in her composing.

Our pick for Music of the Week, “Mio Cristo Piange Diamante,” is an experimental aria about the special friendship between Saint Claire and Saint Francis of Assisi—their soul relationship and spiritual union—captured beautifully in a subtle transcendence of both music and voice.

Switch on the subtitles. If that’s not possible, here are the lyrics in English:

You are the most beautiful hurricane
That I have ever seen
The finest of dolmens
Would stand up for you
You make the earth tremble
And it rises at your side
But when the one who cannot rise, is you?
Is you?

Imperfect, agents of chaos
We dismantle ourselves like myths
My king of anarchy
My favorite reckless star
When you cry, gather your tears
And wet your forehead
Whatever the crime may be

My Christ cries in diamonds
Cries, cries in diamonds
My Christ in diamonds
I carry you, I carry you always
Always, I carry you always
I carry you, I carry you always
Always
Always

The truth is that
We both have stains
And neither of us can escape the other
There's always something of you that I still don't know
Like the dark side of the moon
Once revealed, I know I won't forget it
How many punches were given to you
That should have been hugs?
And how many hugs
Have you given that could have been punches?
My dear friend
Love that cannot be chosen and cannot be let fall
My dear friend
With you gravity is graceful and grace is grave

My Christ cries in diamonds
Cries, cries in diamonds
My Christ in diamonds
I carry you, I carry you always
Always, I carry you always
I carry you, I carry you always
Always

That's gonna be the energy
And then… (Tum)