On the surface, Lux might appear more like an arduous scholarly examination than the latest pop record by a musician whose previous hit was a collaboration with an international pop icon. Split across 4 different parts and performed in thirteen tongues, this is a head-spinning orchestral-influenced work investigating female mystique, spiritual transcendence, and bodily change, frequently by way of the lens of various women saints. The dissolution of a romance—a topic handled with grounded honesty on another major 2025 album—is shot heavenward here, buoyed by the constant presence of a major orchestra and contributions from a Pulitzer-winning songwriter within a vast roll call of contributors. Its sheer daring alone makes the efforts of other pop stars look rather modest.
Rising Above Academic Pretense
That Lux manages to transcend overly academic chin-stroking is nearly miraculous, with sole praise belonging to the artist. Although this is not the first time album to blend historical sounds and modern styles, its ambitions are far higher on Lux, and the tightrope walk more dramatic. The element that truly elevates her fourth album, outside of its multilayered tunes, rich compositions, and engrained drama, proves to be a core spirit of joy. Much like the legendary artist during her height, there is a captivating quality to the vocalist's singing which sweeps the listener up in its whirlwind. When she's tearing hearts in two, the listener still want to be right there for the ride.
A Prime Moment of Exuberance
This playful spirit shines brightly on a stirring Italian ballad inspired by a saint. It bathes in a sorrowful whirlpool over several moments. Suddenly, all the music falls silent, and there's a gleeful laugh followed by a comment before a comically over-the-top orchestral crescendo thuds down with comedic force. The song then shifts to the frenetic single featuring galloping orchestration, an imposing choir, and a cameo role from none other than herself.
"The charm with Lux lies in you never exactly understand—nor want to predict—where it is going next."
Nearly each song concludes in a completely different point from how it began. A track explores the fleeting nature of celebrity with a featherlight orchestration only to collapsing in digital cacophony. Elsewhere, a song echoing the artist's earlier trap-infused work begins off dark and sinister, with prowling vocals, before sudden traditional handclaps and a heavenly chorus arrive to soften the song's rough corners.
The Bridge Of Art & Pop
A key balancing act on the album is navigating the line of radical innovation and mainstream appeal. This is no coincidence that it has become the artist's highest-charting work to crack the Top 5 of major markets: its heart contains a suite of utterly undeniable hits. A song sung entirely in English swells around a refrain that seems to gather more and more nagging melodies while it spins skyward. That trick is repeated by a different powerful ballad that expands and contracts, intertwining layered tunes as an intricate weave.
- A waltz-like number seduces with its jaunty, Disney-adjacent flair and a chant-along chorus.
- In its words, it shares the cultural impact of contemporary heartbreak songs, eviscerating a former lover labeled an "psychological terrorist".
- Across the album, the vocals carry a sharp smile, akin to a fairy-tale character hiding a knife: "Gold medal in being a motherfucker / You've won the trophy of disappointment."
An Opulent Feast for the Soul
This album is popular music on a grand level, an ambitious grasp for capital-A Art in an era of looming AI-generated blankness. It rejects self-absorption for sublime transcendence, crafting an over-the-top drama that masterfully controls its built-in excess. This is an abundant source of hidden gems that requires patience to fully explore but doesn't seem like a chore. Where some major pop albums of 2025 felt like feasting on scraps, Lux offers a sumptuous banquet at which the characters around the table, some tipsy on holy drink, flit between conversations about ancient saints, the profound sensation of heartbreaking grief, and shared stories about hopeless partners. In essence, it's a modern-day theatrical production from music's most restlessly creative visionary.
