Since Jenni’s death, her fans have continued to embrace her through the consumption of her music, tripling her record sales and, more recently, through the consumption of her brand of tequila. Her songs were about love, breakups, disillusion, body image, divorce, single motherhood, partying, drug dealing, survival, and being a tequilera “tequila girl.” According to ethnic studies scholar Deborah Vargas, Jenni sang “testimonios of gender nonconformity” and the reason that fans played Jenni’s music is that it allowed them to “transmit undisciplined desires, endorse immigrant civil rights, and protest women’s abuse” (“Un Desmadre Positivo” 286). Rivera sold over 20 million albums worldwide and was awarded various gold and platinum records. Attending the tequila release party inspired me to ask, how has Jenni intoxicated her fans both before and after her death? What is the cultural meaning of this particular sort of intoxication-one resulting from consuming a woman and her tequila-to the women who have attended this memorial celebration? And what is the cultural meaning of this socio-emotional state I am calling “intoxicated by Jenni,” which I consider a form of intoxicating feminist pleasure?īorn to immigrant parents Rosa and Pedro, Jenni Rivera was born in Long Beach, California on Jshe was a Chicana singer, songwriter, actress, television producer, and entrepreneur known internationally for her work in Mexican regional music. This time, their cries also had feelings of sadness. Their piercing cries reminded me of her past concerts, when Jenni’s fans celebrated Latina empowerment by drinking, dancing, and un-dressing for and with her. Clearly, for these fans, Jenni was still alive. Everyone knew that the La Gran Señora bottle referred to Jenni Rivera, and, in her absence, it stood in for her this party offered an opportunity to celebrate Jenni Rivera’s legacy by also supporting her brother the Mexican musician Juan Rivera and his CD Oveja Negra “Black Sheep.” The party took place eight months after Jenni Rivera’s unexpected death in a plane crash on December 9, 2012. What I have begun to describe here is the moment of anticipation from fans who were excited to be part of the “CD and Tequila Release Party” of La Gran Señora brand of tequila. Another fan joined her by shouting, “Jenni! Jenni! Jenni!” “¡Que Viva Jenni!” “¡Jenni Vive!” Their chants were so vivid that, for one minute, I forgot that Jenni Rivera was dead. Suddenly, one fan started shouting, “Open the door already!” Her loud, deep voice grabbed everyone’s attention and inspired others to also demand entrance. People in line looked confused and impatient. It was 8:45 pm on Augand the doors of El Rodeo nightclub in Pico Rivera, California were still closed. Jenni Rivera (Chuper Amigos, Staples Center, Los Angeles 2011) Intoxicated and Naked! What a beautiful life! Cheers to all those Drunken Ladies! “Borracha, Y encuerada, que bonita vida me cai! ¡Y arriba las Viejas Borrachas!” Intoxication as Feminist Pleasure: Drinking, Dancing, and Un-Dressing with/for Jenni Rivera
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