Genell Zuciya

Genell Zuciya is a multidisciplinary designer and emerging banjoist. She approaches the banjo as both an instrument and a bridge connecting her African and American lineages through sound, story, evolution, and experimentation. Also, as a trained biomimicry professional, Genell studies how nature’s systems can inspire regenerative design and storytelling.

Originally from Maryland, Genell’s musical journey began in childhood, listening to her grandfather practice for his DJ gigs and singing in gospel choirs for several years before exploring global string and rhythm traditions. She has studied the tzouras in Crete, the erhu in Shanghai, and West African percussion in Guinea. These experiences deepened her respect for rhythm and sound as a universal language. Genell’s artistry also extends into themed entertainment and immersive design. Her professional background includes work with Walt Disney Imagineering, Meow Wolf, Netflix Experiences, and the National Civil Rights Museum. Through these experiences, she’s had the opportunity to create fantastical, future-forward environments and design exhibits that make complex histories emotionally resonant and accessible.

In 2024, she began formal banjo study through Queen Bee Music in Santa Fe, NM. Since then, she has become an active member of the regional old-time community by participating in jams and serving on the board of the Santa Fe TradFest. Online, she shares her banjo journey, spreading curiosity, jo,y and inviting others to rediscover the instrument’s African roots and the deep sense of celebration it carries.

Through the Black Banjo & Fiddle Fellowship, she will deepen her practice through mentorship, research, and community engagement. Her vision is one of sonic futurism where ancestral rhythms, the sounds of her upbringing in the DMV, her travels around the world, emerging technology, and immersive design converge to create cultural revival, communal dreaming, and life-centered futures.