Jul 18, 2023
For this episode of Pass the Mic, we talked to Knoxville-based musician Andrea Kukuly Uriarte (they/them). Andrea performed with their band Rica Chicha at the 2023 Big Ears Festival, which was described by Oxford American as “one of the most quietly earth-shattering, subtly luminous festivals the world over. Rica Chicha’s sound is inspired by psychedelic Peruvian cumbia groups of the 1960s, and by Argentinian and Peruvian folk, punk, rock, and ska from the 1980s and 1990s.
Andrea was born in Peru, immigrated to Argentina during childhood, and then later to East Tennessee in their early teens. Each of these moves was driven by a need to escape unsafe circumstances arising from tumultuous political events. Andrea’s musical identity is a culmination of many cultural influences and explorations. For this particular episode, Andrea crafted and recorded stories and reflections of their life, and thoughtfully paired these stories with pieces of music representative of the corresponding geography and cultures. Andrea is a non-binary, Latinx immigrant and survivor of generational trauma. They are also an artist, activist, and a bridge between cultures. Andrea’s story is entirely unique, yet also captures the struggles, joy, and resilience common to the immigrant experience and queer experience in America.
Song Credits (in order of appearance):
Los Incas "El Condo Pasa" - Seleccion Oro
Rafo Ráez "Chica Canela" - Mueranse
Charly García "No Bombardeen Buenos Aires" - Pubis Angelical/Yendo De La Cama Al Living
Django Reinhardt "Minor Swing" - Djangologie vol.6
Ken Zuckerman "Kirwani Raga" - Salon de Musique
Puerto Candelaria "Porro Lateral" - Llego la Banda
Rica Chicha "Conquistador"
Follow Andrea on social media:
Rica Chicha on Instagram
Rica Chicha on Facebook