“The advent of the internet in 2000 – when I was in my early 20s – changed everything. That experience gave me a perspective that made me question things that were supposed to be ‘normal’ around me.” Do it yourself “I came out late aged 22 to my family – and to myself. I realised I was different when I was 14 and it was so scary that I hid that part of myself without realising – because I didn’t want to deal with it.

“But I was listening to metal, hanging out with skaters and kind of passing for a boy – I got involved in the local DIY scene and had gay friends, who were important in shaping my political thinking at a young age. “I grew up in the Dominican Republic in the ’80s, when it was really conservative: they shaved the heads of kids with dreadlocks, if you were wearing a black t-shirt they would take it off you and give you a white one. “My failures haven’t altered my path but rather shaped it.”Ī few days after she flew back to her home country to take part in anti-government protests, Rita sat down to reflect on her journey so far, sharing what she’s picked up along the way. “Since I was a teenager, I’ve always known that my path was to become an artist and a writer,” she says. Its follow up, Made In Saturn – a story about a Caribbean artist coming off heroin – looks set to increase Rita’s stock even further.

In 2018, Tentacle – a queer dystopian sci fi, her first novel to be published into English – announced her to the wider world as a literary talent to be reckoned with. While she had been writing books since the early 2000s, the change in direction allowed her to put her entire focus into a career as an author. But the increased exposure led to feelings of discontent: soon, Rita was so disillusioned with the music industry that she abruptly quit altogether. It was there that she became one of the stars of the Caribbean music scene. Rita was born in Santo Domingo – the Dominican Republic’s largest city – before moving to Puerto Rico as a young woman at the turn of the millennium. While, today, the year bristles at the label of ‘activist’, she has never been scared to share her politics either, constantly advocating for democracy, queer rights, and a fairer world. While the title was partly due to her height (she stands at around six-foot), it was also a nod to her unapologetic bravery – one which manifested through her ability to pair rapid-fire political lyrics with a fearless new take on merengue electro beat s. When Rita Indiana’s music career first began to take off, fans christened her ‘La Monstra’. Get your copy of Huck 73 now, or subscribe to make sure you never miss another issue.

Get your copy now, or subscribe to make sure you never miss another issue. A version of this story appears in Huck 73: The Sanctuary Issue.

Tentacle by Rita Indiana