Pop music’s favorite dark angel Isabel LaRosa is finally spreading her wings.
After months of teasing (and a whole lot of buzz), the Cuban-American alt-pop starlet officially dropped her debut album Raven today (April 18) — and trust us when we say it was worth the wait. With raw emotion, haunting honesty, and tracks that feel like sonic diary entries, Raven is LaRosa at her most vulnerable, most powerful, and most herself.
“It’s definitely a big representation of me and a lot of the things that I’ve been through,” Isabel told Celeb Secrets in our exclusive interview. “What’s fun about it is that it shows both kind of the light and the dark of things.”
And that duality — the push and pull of beauty and heartbreak, growth and grief — is the beating heart of Raven, a 14-track journey through Isabel’s transition from teenage girl to grown woman, one brutally honest lyric at a time.
Crafted with longtime collaborator and real-life brother Thomas LaRosa (yes, sibling goals), the album includes fan-favorite singles like “Pretty Boy,” “Favorite,” “Muse,” and the cinematic “Home,” plus brand new songs that cut deep — like the heartbreak-laced “Cry For You,” and the boundary-pushing opening track “Famous.”
“I’m just so nervous,” she confessed about releasing her first full-length project. “I’ve never dropped anything like this before. But I’ve wanted this for so long, so it’s exciting. I’m just trying to process it all.”
Raven also sees Isabel stretching her wings in new ways — collaborating with GRAMMY-winning songwriter Amy Allen, and working with industry heavyweights like Delacey, Monsters & Strangerz, and Ian Kirkpatrick.
“I don’t think I could ever sing something I didn’t help write,” she shared. “Maybe it’s just pride, but I need to be in the room. These songs are real — they’re mine.”
Her single “Cry For You” dropped on March 21 and feels like the emotional center of the entire record.
“That one was cathartic,” she said. “It was a release of anger I’ve been holding onto for years. It’s all real. And that’s what makes it one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written.”
The track blends acoustic simplicity with LaRosa’s signature ethereal edge — stripped-back vocals, soft guitar strums, and lyrics that hurt so good.
With Raven now out in the wild, Isabel’s just getting started. She’s heading out on her headlining Psychopomp Tour TONIGHT — bringing her hypnotic sound and moody visuals to cities across North America — including Los Angeles, Toronto, Nashville, and more — all culminating in her set at Governor’s Ball NYC this June and Lollapalooza Chicago in August.
“We’re trying to up everything — the production, the storytelling, the whole vibe,” she teased. “I want the show to feel like the album… like a full experience.”
And yes, there will be choreo. Well, Isabel-style choreo. “I’m not Tate McRae,” she laughed, “but I’ll have my little moments. Movement that fits my vibe.”
While every track on Raven feels like a moment, Isabel has her personal standouts.
“I’m really excited for people to hear ‘Famous’ — it’s the opening track and it’s going to be so fun live,” she told us. “And ‘Burning’ is super special to me. I hope fans connect with that one too.”
Still, predicting what fans will latch onto is anyone’s guess. “I’m always wrong!” she joked. “But I can’t wait to see what they gravitate toward.”
Isabel’s rise has been nothing short of cinematic. Born and raised in Maryland, homeschooled most of her life (she once wrote “cryptic stories in trees” — we’re obsessed), she took a leap of faith to pursue music in L.A. Fast forward: 2 billion global streams, sold-out international tours, and being named a “one to watch” by many tastemakers in the industry.
And while she’s had major pinch-me moments — like seeing a fan with her name tattooed or selling out venues she once opened in — Isabel stays grounded.
“Sometimes I think back and I’m like, wow, my younger self would think I’m so cool now,” she said. “But I wouldn’t tell her anything. She needed to go through it all to get here.”
If Isabel’s music were an animal (besides a raven, obviously), she says it’d be a black cat.
“Mysterious, a little ominous, but actually really sweet once you get to know them,” she explained. “Kind of standoffish at first — but they’ve got a lot of love to give.”
Same goes for her vibe: moody, stylish, tender, and ever so slightly chaotic in the best way. From fangirling over Cigarettes After Sex (“They don’t do collabs… but if they ever did, hit me up”) to dreaming of sharing the stage with Melanie Martinez or Deftones, LaRosa is dreaming big — and making it happen.
She’s also building a fanbase that’s just as passionate. “Someone literally got my signature tattooed,” she said, still in shock. “Like… my handwriting! It’s crazy.”
Isabel La Rosa’s Raven is everything a debut album should be: personal, cinematic, emotionally layered, and so Gen-Z. Whether you’re blasting “Pretty Boy” post-breakup or crying to “Cry For You” on a rainy Tuesday, there’s something for everyone on this record.
As Isabel puts it, “I hope it resonates with people — however they need it to.”
Let us know what you think of Raven by either leaving a reaction at the bottom of the post or by sliding into our DMs on Instagram at @celebsecrets.
With reporting by Kennia Cardenas.
