Rosalía inspiring the next generation in classical music

The day before Rosalía announced her fourth studio album, Lux, she posted a video of herself on Instagram with classical music playing in the background.

It was a teaser for how her new album was going to sound. In the opening seconds of lead single Berghain, violins are followed by a choir singing.

The popular Spanish singer, who is classically trained herself, collaborated with the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) on the project.

It's also sparked suggestions that it could switch a new generation of young listeners on to classical music.

But, as BBC Newsbeat's been finding out, many of them were already well aware of it.

"I think a lot of people are always like: 'Oh, classical music is so boring'," says 15-year-old Si.

"But when I'm playing classical music... I feel like I want to continue because it's just really fun."

Si is speaking to BBC Newsbeat at the LSO East London Academy, which aims to give 11 to 18-year-olds a chance to learn an instrument.

It's a free programme, with coaching delivered by professional musicians.

Si says hearing Rosalía's album has left her feeling "really inspired".

"It's really cool to see modern music turn more creative and different to what we normally think of as pop music," she says.

"So, having these classical instruments in modern music is a lot more fun."

Although Rosalía's album has fuelled a mainstream conversation about classical music, with younger listeners getting involved, she's not the first pop artist to employ orchestral sounds in her work.

Hattie Butterworth, a cellist and editor of Choir & Organ and Opera Now magazines, believes that more pop stars are taking an interest in classical music.

"I think there's something about artists being more inherently connected to their musicality that audiences really respond to," she says.

Authenticity is important to modern audiences, and Hattie says this could help to explain the appeal.

"If you know an artist has that background in singing, or in clarinet, or in a orchestral instrument, it feels like there's a bit more validity to it."

According to TikTok, Rosalía's Lux has driven a wave of new videos on the platform, with top tracks La Perla and Berghain being used in 600,000 posts that have generated three billion views.

But there's evidence to suggest that some parts of the audience were already acquainted with classical music.

TikTok told Newsbeat use of the ClassicalMusic hashtag had increased by 60% over the past 12 months.

And certain creators, such as organist Anna Lapwood, who shares videos of her performing to her 1.4m followers, are social media stars in their own right.

But research conducted for TikTok this September, based on a small survey of 1,001 UK respondents aged 16 to 25, reported that 35% felt classical music could be "exclusive and unwelcoming".