April 15, 2025, 2:11 pm | Read time: 4 minutes

This article shouldn’t even exist. One might assume that singer Rosalía would be well-known, especially after her major performance at the Coachella music festival in 2023. However, the 32-year-old is now making headlines in German-speaking media due to a rumored date with German actor Emilio Sakraya and is being compared to Shakira. Here’s why that comparison is far off the mark.

Rosalía Revolutionized Flamenco

Before we delve into the singer’s love life, it’s worth considering her cultural significance: Rosalía is known as one of the most innovative artists of recent years due to her great willingness to experiment—both musically and fashionably. She was named one of the most important musicians of the last 25 years by Pitchfork magazine. The trained singer has given Spanish folklore a new, modern face by combining flamenco, which originates from Andalusia, with elements of urban music.

In terms of fashion, Rosalía also draws from flamenco culture. This often draws criticism from flamenco purists, as she is not from the genre’s birthplace. Others, however, celebrate her courage and are grateful for her refreshing take on Andalusian aesthetics and music.

Winner of Numerous Music Awards

For her three released albums “Los Ángeles” (2017), “El mal querer” (2018), and “Motomami” (2022), she won numerous awards, including a Grammy Award and a total of twelve Latin Grammy Awards. With her latest album, Rosalía also made it into the German charts despite comprising predominantly Spanish-language songs.

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This means she has built an empire around her persona, experimenting with Spanish, English, and Catalan, as well as various music genres like bachata, rock, reggaeton, and more. Billie Eilish has also collaborated with Rosalía on “Lo Vas A Olvidar” (2021). There have also been collaborations with The Weeknd and James Blake.

Latin Music Finally Has Female Voices

For a long time, male voices dictated how Latin sound should be—emotional, sexy, dangerous. Women appeared as objects, rarely as narrators. Rosalía’s lyrics reflect a feminist stance; she addresses female desire, speaks of toxic masculinity, and creates a completely new aesthetic with the “Motomami” movement. A “Motomami” doesn’t sit on the back of the motorcycle; she drives. It is the embodiment of female power and self-determination.

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Today, there are countless Latin American and Spanish-speaking female artists with the same message—thankfully. Colombian Karol G, Young Miko from Puerto Rico, Tokisha from the Dominican Republic, and Argentine rapper Nathy Peluso are just a few names playing a significant cultural role in a large part of our world.

Fun fact: After Mandarin, Spanish is the language spoken by most native speakers worldwide. Eurocentrism, the assumption that Europe is the standard for everything, often leads to the misconception that the Global South is less advanced and, therefore, less significant. Without proper information, a Spanish-speaking singer is automatically compared to Shakira.

Room for Only One Woman in the Spanish-Speaking Music World?

Sure, one could start to uncover similarities: Shakira and Rosalía are confident performers and sing in Spanish, among other languages. But that’s about it. Shakira was born in Barranquilla, Colombia, while Rosalía was born in Sant Cugat del Vallès, Catalonia, Spain.

It has become tiresome to compare women and pit them against each other. Would the same be done so crudely with men? It seems there is a quota for women who can represent their gender in a field. All others in the industry are just a detached “version of.”

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Rosalía Doesn’t Keep Her Love Life Secret and Maintains Her Autonomy

The narrative around women in the entertainment industry needs to change. And Rosalía is working on it herself. She doesn’t keep her love life secret but goes public with it. With her ex-fiancé, Puerto Rican singer Rauw Alejandro, she even released the EP “R&R.” It includes three songs in which the two musically reflect on their romantic relationship in a touching and stylish way. She is also rumored to have had an affair with U.S. model and LGBTQIA activist Hunter Schafer. Most recently, actor Jeremy Allen White was seen by her side before photos with German actor Emilio Sakraya emerged.

She doesn’t shy away from giving private insights on her Instagram account, with 27 million followers (as of April 15, 2025). Her romantic relationships are not overshadowed by any effort to hold back. She addresses romantic feelings as well as heartbreak and turns them into great music—a third and final similarity with Shakira.