Dani Umpi

Writing

1974-11-01 · Tacuarembó, Uruguay

Daniel Umpiérrez was born in Tacuarembó, Uruguay, on November 1, 1974. He is one of the most unique and provocative multidisciplinary artists in the contemporary Río de la Plata scene, moving seamlessly between literature, pop music, visual arts, and performance. Holding a degree in Communication Sciences from the University of the Republic in Montevideo, Umpi burst onto the cultural scene in the early 2000s. In literature, he established himself as a fresh and uninhibited voice with novels such as Aún soltera (2003), Miss Tacuarembó (2004)—which was adapted into a film in 2010 by Martín Sastre, starring Natalia Oreiro—, Sólo te quiero como amigo (2006), and Un poquito de amor verdadero (2012). His style blends pop culture, telenovela melodrama, kitsch aesthetics, and queer autofiction with a light yet sharp tone. In parallel, he developed a prolific musical career in electropop and dance music, debuting with the album Perfecto (2005) and later releasing works like Dramática (with Adrián Soiza, 2009), Mormazo (2011), and Lechiguanas (2017), all characterized by confessional lyrics, irony, and danceable beats. As a visual artist, he has exhibited collages, textile works, and performance art in galleries and museums across Latin America, the United States, and Europe, consistently exploring the tensions between fame, identity, religion, and mass consumption. Radically authentic, he remains an essential figure in the region's queer art and pop avant-garde.