Hopefully you caught a glimpse of the dramatic flair of Madame UR y Sus Hombres at the San Diego County Fair on June 30.
Performing on the Coors Light Rock-On Stage, she performed songs that echoed modern feminism with a soulful cabaret jazz sound. It was a reminder that she has the discipline and faith to forge her own path in music, especially in Tijuana, where EDM reigns supreme in the indie scene. She doesn't shy away from writing songs in Spanish or en Inglés.
“The fair is a special space," Madame UR said after the show. "A place for summer love, new adventures -- and it's a magical place for us to play there. And it's an opportunity for new audiences. We love to play, and we put a lot of passion into it. The Coors Rock-On Stage was surreal; it was designed with a bar surrounded by games, lights and gigantic stuffed animals.”
Her name, Madame UR (pronounced oooooooRRRRRR), is in itself provocative and evokes a superwoman strength that defines the sound of Madame UR. By day, she's Azzul Monraz: all mom, all wifey with a bookworm spirit. By night, she transforms into a soulful cabaret jazz chanteuse dressed in haute-couture ensembles.
The fair audience sang along to her best-known song, “Venada.” Watching Madame UR perform the song was a special treat to watch because she impressed with her powerful range and the ability to tranform her vocals into an ersatz trumpet. Madame UR performed nine songs and made a visceral connection with her audience with “Venada” and with a cover of José Alfredo Jiménez's ranchera classic, “Mundo Raro.”
“He was a wonderful songwriter,” Madame UR said of Jiménez. “During that song, two girls from the audience danced along with gigantic stuffed pink monkeys. That was incredible!”
Madame UR performs Aug. 24 @ UCSD's Institute of the Americas and Oct. 5 @ Harris Park (Chicago) For more info. Follow Madame UR.
Dita Quiñones is a multimedia journalist born in Tijuana with a passion for Latin alternative and hip-hop music news. Her main goal is to uplift and inform so that the Latino and Hip-Hop community get knitted into the fabric of American history. In addition to SoundDiego, she contributes to Latina, FOX News Latino, Poder, VidaVibrante, and HipHopDx. She is also the founder of the infamous music and politrix blog GN$F! Follow Dita on Twitter.
