About lily

Lily Shababi (she/her) is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Musicology at UCLA. She received a master’s degree in musicology from UCLA and a bachelor’s degree in violin performance and music composition from Cornish College of the Arts.

Her research examines vocal processing practices that are cultivated by hyperpop musicians. Situating an ethnographic study of queer and trans electronic pop music subcultures amongst trans studies and technology studies frameworks, Lily traces an alternate genealogy of electronic music. Studying the cultural histories and musical practices associated with technologies such as music software, electronic instruments, and artificial intelligence vocal models, she illustrates how technology can be harnessed as a tool for transgressive experiences of gender and selfhood.

Lily has presented her work at the American Musicological Society, the Society for Ethnomusicology, Pop Con, and the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the American Musicological Society, where she received the Ingolf Dahl Award in May 2023. Lily is also a performer of experimental electroacoustic music and she teaches courses in music production.