MUSIC, FILM AND REIMAGINING QUEER EXPERIENCES WITH ADI GUERRERX
Cover Art Illustration by Alexa Taveras (@obscuredpunk)
It's no wonder that popular sci-fi media, such as Dune or the reemergence of the Star Wars saga, has found its heyday in the 21st century, where continual political strife, inadequate healthcare systems and an ever-changing workforce afflict the realities of many. In a world where individuals often question their present reality, the proper next step is to ponder what may lie beyond.
Richmond-based musician and producer Adi GuerrerX lays out their answer in their latest release, "Queer Sci Fi Fantasy," an otherworldly track that reimagines how queer love and partnership may be expressed if given a world of its own.
"Anything can happen in a science fiction world or a fantasy world, like, make whatever up, you know?" Adi said, adding, "that freedom, that liberty can't be achieved in nonfiction or a period piece. It's escapism into another world that you'd rather be in."
Ironically, and arguably in a full-circle procession, Adi's introduction to songwriting and music production began in the film industry nearly seven years ago. During one of their first job positions in film production, Adi's boss gave them an old MacBook Pro equipped with Garageband. Initially, Adi's output was primarily experimental; however, the process soon transitioned from a learning experience in their pastime to something tangible, attached to their innermost thoughts and emotions.
"Making music back then just became this extremely private thing, similar to writing a diary because I was like, 'Wait, what? I can do this. It's coming from me,'" Adi said.
The Miami native describes their progression as a musician since then as a ground-up movement, allowing themselves time to make sense of their music, its sound, the technology necessary to produce it and their voice. Before moving to Richmond, VA, Adi spent five years in New York City, where they continued their work in film production while also performing in bands like Mons Vi and Big Girl. Eventually, Adi signed to Weird Sister Records, an independent record label and collective based in Brooklyn, NY.
"I was like, oh, cool. They're like a baby record label. I'm like a baby musician. This is cool. This is good. I feel like we'll be peers," Adi said. "That's what I really value right now – just working with peers and growing as peers. So I thought about that and what they're about, and it feels like a safe space to be in."
Adi, who identifies as non-binary, notes that working with Weird Sister Records and other musicians, producers and creatives who are willing and capable to look beyond the gender binary is an important aspect of their process and crucial to their growth. Without that understanding, even minor decisions such as the accessories worn for a photoshoot feel inhibitive.
"Honestly, it's challenging. Working with some people has always been a very binary experience. I know people like when I sound more femme, singing at the top of my register more, but I want to have cooler productions where I mess up my vocals completely," Adi said. "So in that regard, it's been difficult when working with other producers to be received in the way that I want to be, musically, as an artist."
Despite these pressures and Adi's overall sense of being in their "pubescent era of music," their sound is markedly distinct and reminiscent of James Blake or early 070 Shake. It's a developed, carefully curated sound marked by stacked vocals, revealing Adi's regal voice in tracks like "Bloom" or its futuristic twin in "Queer Sci Fi Fantasy." Ascending processions of arranged strings and sequenced drums often culminate to a climax — or better yet, the final step atop a peak in the sonic landscape that Adi's created.
Adi says they're currently working on several projects to be released in the new year, and if "Queer Sci Fi Fantasy" is any indicator, fans can anticipate even more trips to other worlds where Adi's imagination reigns over all.