Vida
Starz/Lionsgate
2020
I wrote two pieces for Vida, an award-winning television series produced by Starz/Lionsgate. The series focused on gentrification in a historic Latinx neighborhood in Los Angeles and was groundbreaking in its portrayal of intraracial class differences and queer genders and sexualities. See the series website for additional details.
My original song “Mama Machismo” (lyrics: Taylor Orci) was performed in Episode 305 by a fictional drag king troupe, offering a satirical take on Latinx masculinities. Starz submitted this song for Emmy consideration.
The other piece, an original instrumental titled “Pumpkin Spice," served as the opening title of the series finale (306), using an electronic/hip hop palette to explore confrontations of Latinx anti-gentrification activists and the military-industrial complex.