Its been a long climb for acceptance for artists who do not follow the prescribed patterns of our society yet are often the catalyst for change. Dominican DJ, Rita Indiana, one can guess, as a woman in a male dominated music business, and a lesbian artist with a woman partner she intends to marry at that, is a prime example as she has had to overcome her share of barriers at home while making the world take notice of her talent.
“She has almost a cult following in the Caribbean,” says Garsd in a past interview. “She is an openly lesbian woman who plays a lot with her sexuality, and you think of, kind of like a Caribbean Lady Gaga – although she hates being called that.”
As a writer Rita, is as versatile, on the one hand quick to challenge racist overtones in government actions, where she is both loved by fans and silently hated by politicans. She has penned articles on topics such as Haitian denationalization yet on the other hand has published a couple of works which includes a sci-fi book citing herself a a Philip K. Dick fan. And she is revolutionizing a music genre to boot.
As the pioneering force behind a rapid style electronic version of merengue. Its called “Techo Merengue” and Rita is the point of reference for this refreshing style of music that has rocked clubs and festivals where ever she has passed.
She has created a buzz with her brand of music which takes merengue and plays it at a more faster tempo. But its her words in another arena that continues to make news. She recently challenged through another article for “El Dia” denouncing the Central Election Board which is forcing citizens to cut their afros or use certain products to “conk” them to soften their hair and make them more presentable before allowing them to renew their identification cards.
Rita has pointed out the underlying racism for darker skinned people in the island through her music and the pen. Look for more on Rita Indiana in Latin Trends Magazine in the near future.
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