Cyborg Cumbia Queen: A Three Movement Composition Informed By Feminist Cumbia and Technology-Mediated Composer-Performer Cultural Expression

This research explores technology-mediated composer-performer practices situated within the context of feminist cumbia and the idealized vision of a socio-technical imaginary cumbia. The work built upon this research is titled Cyborg Cumbia Queen(CCQ), a three movement electro-acoustic fixed media work that braids live vocal improvisation and electronics. Both contemporary music and traditional Latin cumbia forms were influential in the creation of this work as well as personal experiences as a recording artist of the 1990s grupera movement. CCQ synthesizes a post apocalyptic soundscape where the protagonist, an imagined cyborgian feminist Latina existing post singularity, creates a new futuristic feminist cumbia genre from many sound remnants of various genres. The work utilizes a palette of sound manipulation technologies and software that augment, facilitate, and deepen musical and cultural expression.