One day in Buenos Aires, six musicians from Argentina and Mexico who were bored of the punk rock scene at the time, decided to do something completely different: Cumbia. What started out as something just for fun, eventually led to the formation of Kumbia Queers in the summer of 2007 – even though they weren’t yet quite sure how to actually play the old music of the ghetto (“Cumbia Villera”). But – according to leadsinger Ali – everyone has a bit of Cumbia rhythm in their blood…
They describe their style as 1000% Tropi Punk – a wild mixture of Afro-Cuban and Latin American Cumbia influences, queerness and punk spirit. At a time when the electronic and world music scenes from New York to Europe are in the process of discovering Cumbia music, the chicas are reinterpreting Latin American heart-aching macho posturings, bringing fun and politics together in their own wild style.
Singer Ali Gua Gua about the band’s concept: “When we started, we said that we wanted to make songs by girls for girls, now we’re making songs by girls for men… No, just kidding! But if punk rock groups normally take the eternally angry youth as a model, we’re going for just the opposite: for us, it’s all about the joy, the fun, the sensuality.”
Their mixture of punk, Cumbia and queerness is pretty unique in Latin America – and all around the world. In Argentina, Chile and Mexico, they already have a solid fan club base.
In 2010 and 2012, Kumbia Queers toured Mexico and played at Vive Latino, the biggest festival in Mexico City. Their clever mix has already gotten these six women pretty far. No two concerts are the same – whether it’s at the central Platz Zócalo in Mexico City, a home for the elderly in Chile or a prison for woman in Buenos Aires.
Over the last few years, they have also managed to infect Europe with the Tropi Punk virus.
From Fusion-Festival in Lärz, to Colours of Ostrava in Czeck Republic to the Festival Chico Tropico in Madrid, to Södra Teatern in Stockholm and Festival Mundial in the Netherlands: Kumbia Queers rocked every stage in their four European Tours.
In the late summer of 2014, the band will be back to shake up the streets and stages of Europe.
Info:
Band: www.kumbiaqueers.com.ar
European Booking: alex@malavidamusic.net
Label: www.comfortzonemusic.com
