Rosalía Brutally Calls Out an Ex in Her Lux Song ‘La Perla’

Rosalía has some choice words for her ex (or, perhaps, exes). On her new album, Lux, the Spanish singer includes a track that’s laden with insults about a former partner.

Titled “La Perla,” which translates to “The Pearl,” the song appears sweet and charming at first with its cheery melody, but the lyrics tell a different story. Throughout the song, Rosalía drags a nameless former partner, beginning with the very first line, in which she calls this ex a “peace thief” (or “ladrón de paz” in her original Spanish lyrics).

The criticisms only grow harsher as the song progresses. She calls this person a “local fiasco, national heartbreaker, emotional terrorist, world-class fuck up” and later describes him as a “walking red flag” and “absolute drag.”

On top of that, she implies this man cheated on her, calling him a “playboy” and claiming he kept a “bra collection.” She even adds, “Loyalty and fidelity, that’s a language he’ll never get.” Whew!

Rosalía briefly touched upon the song during her interview with Joe Coscarelli and Jon Caramanica on The New York Times Popcast. While discussing “La Perla,” the singer said, “There’s always a villain. There’s too many villains. The faith in masculinity is lost. That’s all I will say.”

When they joked that she’s now “surrounding [herself] with female saints,” referencing the religious themes of the album, Rosalía quipped, “Oh yes. Celibacy.”

She was similarly tight-lipped about her love life—though far more generous—when she spoke to ELLE for our September 2025 cover story. “I feel grateful to each person with whom life has made me find myself,” she said.

Rosalía doesn’t name names in “La Perla,” but the song is bound to spark speculation among fans. Who could it possibly be about? Is she pointing a finger at her ex-fiancé Rauw Alejandro? They were together for three years before they called off their engagement in 2023, and when cheating rumors surfaced, Alejandro put out a statement denying the claims.

He wrote at the time, per Billboard, “There are thousands of problems that can cause a breakup but, in our case, it was not because of infidelity or a third person. During this time that I’m taking to assimilate everything, there have been false public allegations, and because of the respect I have for her, our families and all we ever lived, I couldn’t stay quiet and continue to see how they try to destroy the most real love story God has ever allowed me to live. With nothing more to add, to my fans that I love so much, thank you for being there.”

Or, perhaps, “La Perla” could be about Rosalía’s more recent ex-flame, actor Jeremy Allen White, who later moved on with his The Bear co-star Molly Gordon? (They were reportedly seen kissing on Rosalía’s birthday.) Or maybe it’s a mix of all the above and a few other partners? Listen to the song below and read the full lyrics, in both Spanish and English, to decide for yourself.

Spanish:

Hola, ladrón de paz
campo de minas
para mi sensibilidad

Playboy,
un campeón
gasta el dinero que tiene
y también el que no

Él es tan encantador
estrella de la sinrazón
un espejismo
medalla olímpica de oro al más cabrón
tienes el podio
de la gran desilusión

La decepción local
rompecorazones nacional
un terrorista emocional
el mayor desastre mundial

Es una perla
nadie se fía
es una perla
una de mucho cuidado

El rey de la 13 14
no sabe lo que es cotizar
él es el centro del mundo
y ya después ¿lo demás qué más dará?

Por fin vas a terapia
vas al psicólogo y también psiquiatra
pero de qué te sirve
si siempre mientes más que hablas
te harán un monumento
a la deshonestidad

No me das pena
quien queda contigo se drena
siempre se autoinvita
si puede vive en casa ajena

Red flag andante
tremendo desastre
dirá que no fue él
que fue su doppelgänger

Bueno es que claro…
no referirse a él como icono
sería para él una narrativa reduccionista ¿me entiendes?

Nunca le prestes na’
no lo devolverá
Ser bala perdida
Es su especialidad

La lealtad
y la fidelidad
es un idioma
que nunca entenderá

Su masterpiece
su colección de bras
si le pides ayuda
desaparecerá

La decepción local
rompecorazones nacional
un terrorista emocional
eI mayor desastre mundial

Es una perla
nadie se fía
es una perla
una de mucho cuidao

English translation:

Hey, peace thief
Minefield
for my sensitivity

Playboy,
a champion
spending the money he has
spending the money he doesn’t

He’s so charming
star of senselessness
a mirage
gold medal in being a motherfucker
you’ve got the podium
of disappointment

Local fiasco
national heartbreaker
emotional terrorist
world-class fuck up

He’s a pearl
he can’t be trusted
he’s a pearl
a nasty piece of work

The rip-off king
he sells himself short
he’s the center of the world
and anyways, who cares about the rest?

You’re finally in therapy
going to a psychologist and a psychiatrist
but what’s it worth
if you lie more than you talk
they’ll build a monument
to your dishonesty

I don’t feel sorry for you
whoever hangs out with you ends up drained
being a tagalong is what you do
you’ll move in and forget about rent

Walking red flag
absolute drag
he’ll say it wasn’t him
it was his evil twin

Well the thing is…
to say he’s anything but an icon
would be a reductionist narrative in his eye, understand?

Don’t lend him nothin’
he won’t give it back
being a loose cannon
is his special knack

Loyalty
and fidelity
that’s a language
he’ll never get

His masterpiece
is his bra collection
if you ask him for help
he’ll just leave with the keys

Local fiasco
national heartbreaker
emotional terrorist
world-class fuck up

He’s a pearl
he can’t be trusted
he’s a pearl
a nasty piece of work