Every week, La Alternativa sponsored by Sparkly Clean Co. delivers the very best from the Latin alternative scene by curating a blend of emerging and established artists within the Latin diaspora, while providing a platform to champion our growing local music scene. Listen on demand here and on 88Nine from 10-11 p.m. every Wednesday.
Jeanette Martin (who performs under the name Cozmiika) is originally from Milwaukee, with ties to the South Side and grassroots efforts like Ayuda Mutua during the COVID-19 pandemic. She currently resides in Chicago but was recently back in the city for Cactus Club’s Beet Street Festival — the perfect excuse to sit down with the queer community-based artist and music selector to talk about her DJ roots and how she crafts the sound for an event.
We also explored the importance of parties as gathering places — like Golosa, a Queer Day party she co-founded with DJ Mala Vida — and got into some cumbia cuts from the Midwest and beyond. Martin capped our time together with a track from Karennoid’s La Reguetonera de Chicago, the perfect way to wrap up a great conversation about music and passing the torch to those around us.
Episode playlist
- AMANTES DEL FUTURO, “Suena La Cumbia”
- Maldita Vecindad y Los Hijos del Quinto Patio, “Mojado”
- Son Rompe Pera, “El Reencuentro”
- Orquesta Akokan, “No me voy”
- Oby Onyioha, “Enjoy Your Life”
- Alleh & Yorghaki, “capaz (merengueton)”
- Villano Antillano, “Cáscara de Coco”
- Nitty Scott, “La Diaspora”
- RIXXIA, “super girl!”
- DJ Mr. Genio & Alquimia La Sonora Del XXI, “Pa’ La Paloma 2K26”
- Rosa Pistola, “Flauta Nahua”
- Karennoid, “LA DiGiTONA”
