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Amantes del Futuro
In 2005, Ima Felini founded the collective LA SUPER CUMBIA FUTURISTA, encouraging various musician friends and producers from Mexico City and other parts of the country who were interested in Cumbia experimentation to create new original songs in this genre, as at that time there weren’t many people exploring this rhythm with experimental interests. The collective included groups and pro- jects such as Sonido Changorama, Sonido Desconocido II, Los Wendys, Lovers of the Future, Sonido Trucha, Kongatrón, Las Rockolas Caníbales, Grupo Chambelán, Sonido Laguna Verde, Sonidero Trave- sura, and Sonido Espectral. Over time, this electro-Cumbia collective from Mexico City gained popularity worldwide, inspiring future musicians and collectives that emerged in other countries, such as
ZZK in Argentina, Caballito in Granada Spain, and Cumbia Massive in Australia, generating an interesting feedback loop among producers from different latitudes in the years before Facebook existed. Currently, ADF is part of the Kumbia Net collective, which brings together various experimental projects and producers from Mexico and the United States such as Turbo Sonidero, Grupo Jejeje, Orihuela
MSS, Plastic Toy Sounds, Ato 05, Arrabalero, Space Primo, Cifickzer, and others, and is dedicated to promote new subversive trends in Cumbia. Over the years, ADF has participated in several compila- tions released in physical and digital formats in Japan, Spain, the USA, and Mexico, and has also been featured in various Mexican and international films and series with his classic Cumbiambero style from Mexico City. In recent years, the project has moved beyond the experimental realm and become part of the Sonidero movement, the popular niche of Cumbia in Mexico, where several important Soundsystems from Puebla, Guanajuato, CDMX, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, and other places, such as Sonido Fantasma, Sonido Famoso, Sonido Cóndor, and Sonido Pirata, among others, have spread his music, turning some tracks into Sonidero hits, such as No Puedo Olvidarte, Cumbia Azul, Vuelve mi Amor, and Cumbia Verde. In turn, with this new rise of the project in the Sonidero scene, several groups have made versions of some of these tracks, for example, the renowned Grupo Soñador, Grupo Quintana, and Los Pipopes.
Since its inception, ADF has performed Live Shows and DJ Sets at various types of events, such as venues, parties, weddings, birthdays, museums, and festivals, both nationally in CDMX, Morelia, Monte- rrey, Mérida, Oaxaca, Puebla, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Pachuca, San Miguel Allende, Guadalajara, Querétaro, and Xalapa, and internationally in Medellín, Bogotá, Bucaramanga, Quito, Madrid, Barcelo- na, San Sebastián, Bilbao, Sevilla, Bordeaux, London, Brighton, Torino, Warsaw, Cologne, Lisbon, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, San Diego, San Antonio, Austin, San Francisco, New Jersey, and Beijing. -
Renace la Cumbia
Renace la Cumbia is a dance group led by Saúl Renovato, a native of Mexico, residing in Texas whose story became viral by inspiring thousands to dance on the iconic Margaret Hunt bridge in Dallas, Texas. Originally from San Luis Potosi and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, all band members share a genuine love for cumbia and a particular virtuosity for choreographic coordination on different stages. The cumbia street scene in Nuevo Leon has been well documented. However, in Texas, USA this movement has literally reborn the interest of kids to learn cumbia dance styles such as: Colombian, Rebajada, Wepa and Sonidero.
The blend of original moves and their natural charisma has observers and media identifying a story of redemption for Hispanic young kids eager to share their music inspiration through an original body expression. Renace la Cumbia is a tangible proof of how this Cumbia wave continues to splash across urban America neighborhoods. Saul and all members have embraced the dance symbol as a positive way for Mexican-Americans to rise above their street reality. Instead, Saul decides to channel stereotypes and embrace its cumbia roots heritage as an art form to repurpose life.
Recently invited to participate in a National Geographic cumbia documentary, as well as presentations in multiple festivals and stadiums, Renace La Cumbia started a movement by dancing himself in public spaces. People noticed the artistic intention, and in 2024 a mercurial popularity grew to the point of generating media coverage with news stations in cities with a large Hispanic population. The band continued coordinating mass cumbia dance events and currently, the demand for cumbia musical performances imply dancing. So, Saul and his band members have well embraced a cumbia identity as a flag of redemption.
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Omar Montoya
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DJ Dolorosa