Through the Looking Glass: Why U2 Wrote a Song About Rosalía

On “The Mirror Maker (Rosalía)”, a band that usually writes about dead heroes and political prisoners pens a fan letter to a 34-year-old pop star. Bono explains why — and the backstory runs through Patti Smith, Lorca, Penélope Cruz and the Mirror Ball Man.

When U2 posted the tracklist for Carnaval De Luz last Thursday, track four started an argument before anyone had heard a note. Billboard's first write-up said Rosalía featured on “The Mirror Maker (Rosalía)”. Its story now carries an editor's note: a band spokesperson confirmed the song was inspired by her but doesn't feature her vocals.

The clue was on the tracklist all along. The closer is billed “Torn (Feat. Dolly Parton)”; track four carries no “feat.” at all. Still, on Friday Spanish news agency EFE reported that even the band's record company, Universal Music, couldn't say whether the title meant that Rosalía.

On Monday, Bono settled it in a Rolling Stone digital cover story. It's her. “We normally just write songs about people in jail or dead people,” he said. “You know, dead heroes, or trying to get them out of jail. This is just celebrating somebody just because they're an extraordinary artist.”

The back catalogue bears him out. “Pride (In the Name of Love)” and “MLK” were written for Martin Luther King Jr. “Walk On” was dedicated to Aung San Suu Kyi, then under house arrest in Burma. “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)” put a punk hero's name in brackets 13 years after his death. “The Mirror Maker (Rosalía)” uses the same template — except its subject is 34, just off a near-60-date world tour and, by Bono's account, texting him back.

He even made the comparison himself: “It's just a little embarrassing that she became so popular before we put out the song. But that doesn't matter to me. Everyone knew about Martin Luther King too.”