By Kieran Webber
Xenia Rubinos lyric video offers a spirited visual homage to Judy Garland’s dance routin from the 1950 film Summer Stock and the “Queen of Latin Soul”, La Lupe’ with Rubinos dancing defiantly before a vivid background as her propulsive funk song details the immense contributions and systemic devaluation of the many laborers of color in America.
Talking about the video and song Rubinos explains “In making the lyric video for “Mexican Chef” I took inspiration from two of my all time favorite performers Judy Garland and La Lupe. The set we created is my take on Judy Garland’s performance of “Get Happy” from the 1950 film “Summer Stock”. In that song she’s essentially singing about dying, but she does it in such a joyful over the top song and dance type of way that you might miss it. Known to many as the “Queen of Latin Soul”, La Lupe’s performance style carried a lot the same exuberance and tragedy but unlike Judy, she wasn’t choreographed or measured. She was a master freestyler who fell into her own flow and let it all go, she was raw magic. Some of my moves in this video are a nod to La Lupe who while performing would often pretend to be washing her clothes, throw off her jewelry, and pull at her shirt collar. There’s something wildly joyful and tragic about both of their performances, they transmit so much soul power.”
Rubinos’ video and track is an extremely powerful message in a time and country that is awakening to its bigotry, hypocrisy and social injustices towards people of color. This important message is delivered through her soulful and sassy attitude backed by the ever expected level of funk and groove.
Listen/watch here: