Today we’d like to introduce you to Cusi Coyllur.
Can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today. You can include as little or as much detail as you’d like.
I was five years old
Classical piano keys
Dreamt of melodies
Music was my happy place.
A gift to me, from mi mamá y mi papá.
I lived the life she dreamed of in Perú.
I was 13
I learned to write the melodies of my dreams
They were all I had
When my body began to crack.
I was 24
One year free of panic attacks
More than one year free of verbal abuse
Music is not life or death anymore
It is simply there, an old friend.
We work together well, when we can, knowing that
Bills come first now
Health comes first now
Music comes second now, but never last.
Has it been a smooth road?
Definitely not and still isn’t.
The road is never clear
on ground level
nor sky
with pot holes
broken glass
and fog so thick, I wonder if my next foot step will be a soft pad of grass or the pit where the pendulum awaits me.
I’ve faced verbal abuse,
panic disorder,
and so much more.
though the historian in me
will never let me forget my past,
I am present, here, today, and ups and downs never last.
I face the truth of the world
Broke today, maybe not tomorrow,
Hope today, and community to remind me when I have none.
Tell us about your business/company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?
I specialize in the strange
known for twisting cords
bending wires
fusing metal
to make it beautiful
I am known for
my many identities
those who don’t have to hustle
don’t understand
I am most proud of
my mistakes
and mi voz
not for singing pero for
saying what needs to be said at all times.
What sets me a part from others is what sets you a part from me.
What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
The future is female
The future is queer
The future is of color
The future is here
I plan to water this future and plant strange seeds
As a friend named yumi once told me
Big changes? the stars will tell
for now I wait
in the present hell
the future is here?
or is it near?
I hope to see you all
November, to make the future clear.
Pricing:
- $15 for two zines, one button and the EP (“Bipolar Lovers in Love”) – cusicoyllurmusic.com
- $10 for one zine, one button and the EP (“Bipolar Lovers in Love”) – cusicoyllurmusic.com
- $3 or more donation on Bandcamp for “Our DNA is Resiliency” – Donations go to Immigrant Defenders Law Center
- $15 for The Strange is Beautiful Alternative Self-Help Guide (thestrangeisbeautiful.com/store)
Contact Info:
- Website: cusicoyllurmusic.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/1Vpi2jXD93klUuFfmbrdzI
Bandcamp “Our DNA is Resiliency” comes out 9/28: https://cusicoyllur.bandcamp.com/
Image Credit:
Daisy Noemi, Poem zine opened up – Photography by Sara Corona, Black and white cover of zine – Artwork by Thanialucina Delgado, Bipolar Lovers in Love photo – Daisy Noemi, DNA is Resiliency – Shannen Roberts
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
