Instagram’s New Font Is So Bad, It’s Being Called the “Next Pandemic”

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Synopsis

Rosalía’s messy handwriting is now a font—and Instagram users are not having it.

Key takeaways

• The Rosalía font on Instagram Stories is drawing widespread user backlash.
• Designed to inspire “risk-taking,” it instead sparked irritation and memes.
• Its chaotic style is being likened to punk rebellion—or a bad tattoo quote.
• The backlash highlights just how emotionally loaded typography can be.

Introducing Rosalía: Instagram’s newest font

Meta recently unveiled a new handwritten font named Rosalía, inspired by the handwriting of the Spanish pop star of the same name.

It has taken over Instagram Stories and Reels, much to the dismay of users across the platform. While Meta frames the rollout as a move to “inspire creativity and risk-taking,” many users are responding with fury, confusion, and memes.

In Meta’s own words:

“We know people value lightweight ways to be creative with features like Close Friends, Stories, Notes and more,” the company said. “So we’re partnering with Rosalía on a new font in Stories and Reels, inspired by her handwriting, to make things more fun.”

But fun isn’t the word people are using. One TikTok video mocking the font has already crossed 2 million views, asking plainly,

“What is this hideous new font you’re all using on Instagram?”

Another user took it further, declaring on Instagram that the font’s sudden popularity is akin to “the next pandemic.”

Why the font feels so offensive (and personal)

So what is it about this font that’s driving everyone mad?

It’s the faux-messy aesthetic—a chaotic, scribbly style that feels like it wants to be both edgy and cute but ends up in a confusing space between “punk rock rebellion” and “Live, Laugh, Love” wall art. It doesn’t help that users didn’t exactly ask for it—and suddenly, it’s everywhere.

There’s no major design flaw in terms of usability. It’s legible. It’s bold. But fonts aren’t always about function. They’re about feeling. And the Rosalía font, apparently, feels like a misstep.

Typography is an emotional trigger

If there’s one takeaway from this chaos, it’s this: typography is emotional design. Fonts don’t just carry words—they carry vibes. When they feel forced, or unauthentic, or overly branded, audiences push back hard.

And this backlash is a classic example. Fonts, unlike layout or color, tap directly into cultural associations and personal taste. A bad font can ruin a brand—or in this case, an entire user experience.

As we’ve seen time and again in the design world, typography isn’t neutral. It’s loaded. It’s expressive. And if you get it wrong, people won’t just scroll past—they’ll fight back.