Pamela Z Award for Innovation, Diversity and Inclusion

Pamela Z is a composer, performer and media artist whose innovative work with voice and electronics combines elements of operatic singing with live electronic manipulation of sound. With Pamela’s blessing the Pamela Z Award for Innovation was created in 2018 with the intent of recognising researchers who are positively contributing to bringing more diversity to the NIME community.

This paper presents Noisy Flesh, an e-textile musical interface designed to control sound through body movement in performance. Unlike traditional wearable interfaces that function as garments, this work reimagines the textile interface as a prosthetic extension that augments the performer’s body. The paper discusses both the design of the interface and its sonification method, emphasising how the flexibility of e-textiles can transform bodily movement and shape interactive experiences. This work explores the potential of e-textile interfaces to challenge conventional notions of wearability and embodiment in performance.