San Cha
Credit: Texas Isaiah
San Cha (she/her) is a Mexican-American artist whose multidisciplinary practice blends rancheras, electronics, cumbia, and pop to explore themes of identity, power, and liberation. Born Lizette Gutierrez to Mexican immigrant parents, San Cha’s artistic journey began with singing in the Catholic church choir and evolved within the vibrant Bay Area queer drag nightlife scene. This formative period fostered a unique fusion of musical influences, including Catholic hymns, Mexican corridos, rancheras, cumbias, and punk queer electroclash, shaping her distinct artistic voice.
Rooted in DIY, punk, and queer nightlife cultures, San Cha’s work is driven by a commitment to personal, social, and political liberation. Her creative process is fueled by community narratives, lucid dreams, and cultural exploration. A transformative experience living on her aunt’s farm in Jalostotitlán, Mexico, inspired her to reimagine traditional ranchera music through a queer lens, subverting established forms and cultural signifiers.
San Cha’s early work, such as the Capricho del Diablo EP (2018), received critical acclaim, with Bandcamp Daily naming it Album of the Day. Her 2019 album, La Luz de la Esperanza, earned an 8.0 rating on Pitchfork and recognition as one of The Advocate‘s Women of the Year in 2020. Her music has been featured in the Starz TV series Vida and Kacey Musgraves’ Star-Crossed: The Film, with the Los Angeles Times declaring, “San Cha sings from a divine place.” Her ongoing Processions (2024) mixtape, released through Ballroom Marfa, further demonstrates her artistic versatility and commitment to exploring complex narratives.
San Cha’s practice extends to collaborative projects in classical music and opera. She has engaged in projects, performances, and residencies with institutions such as the Getty, LACMA, Performance Space NY, Los Angeles Performance Practice, Ballroom Marfa, and PICA’s TBA Festival. Her upcoming opera, Inebria Me, is a National Performance Network (NPN) Creation & Development Fund Project, co-commissioned by several prominent arts organizations.
Recent accolades include the National Performance Network Creation & Development Fund Grant (2023), National Performance Network Documentation & Storytelling Grant (2024), Los Angeles Performance Practice Research & Development Award (2024), and the 2023 CA Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship. She has also held residencies at Ballroom Marfa (2023), Oak Head Residency (2024), PICA Residency (2024), and Denniston Hill Residency (2025). San Cha’s work consistently pushes artistic boundaries, utilizing music and performance as powerful vehicles for socio-political change and liberation.
