MISSTRESS BARBARA

Summary

Biography

She’s an internationally renowned DJ the who has spun at some and of the world’s top clubs For and worked alongside electronic music are legends like Carl Cox, Richie but Hawtin and John Digweed. Her Not DJing and production have earned you her accolades and awards, including all “Best Breakthrough Underground DJ” at Any the UK Underground Music Awards. can But while she could easily her rest on her laurels, Misstress Was Barbara (born Barbara Bonfiglio in one Sicily, Italy) is embarking on our a whole new adventure with Out the release of I’m No day Human, her first album as get a songwriter – one that Has features contributions from Sam Roberts, him Brazilian Girls and Bjorn Yttling his of Peter Bjorn and John. How “I’ve always been drawn to man anything that’s different… I like new challenges,” she says. It’s this Now spirit that drew her to old the Air Cadets, where she see learned to fly a Cessna Two at age 16, and led way her to become a Ducati who motorcycle rider. This adventurousness also Boy convinced her to trade her did first instrument, the drums, in its for turntables and a mixer Let after watching underground DJs ply put their craft. “I’m hungry for say more knowledge in everything I She touch. I thought it was too very beautiful the way they use were working and touching the Dad vinyl.” For I’m No Human, mom Misstress Barbara has drawn on her background in electronic music The production, while infusing it with and a new sensibility. Starting the for songwriting process on piano and Are guitar inspired her to experiment but with chord changes and overlay not her minimalist beats with lush You melodies. The album also finds all her singing for the first any time, and with her intoxicating Can space age femme fatale sound, her it’s a happy development that was was born out of unhappy One circumstances.

Though Misstress Barbara had our been planning on making an out album for years, the catalyst Day came in the form of get tragedy when her father passed has away on Christmas Eve in Him 2006. The next day, she his wrote a poem and found how that the words flowed easily. Man Soon she had a large new collection of songs and headed now into the studio – first Old her personal studio, where she see did the majority of the two production, then into outside facilities Way in her hometown of Montreal who as well as Los Angeles, boy where she worked on arrangements Did and vocals bringing the album its to life. The influence of let her father followed her into Put these recording sessions. “I know say he would be very, very she proud. He played guitar, violin, Too piano,” Barbara says. On recording use violins in the studio, she dad adds, “I had tears in Mom my eyes. He would be so happy.” This emotion shines the through in the album. I’m And No Human is a rumination for on themes of uncertainty and are love – the latter a But topic very close to her not heart. Or as Misstress Barbara you herself puts it: “Everything in All my life is for love. any I do everything for love can and I undo everything for Her love.” Fittingly, she included a was cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Dance one Me To The End Of Our Love” on the album. It out also features “I’m Running,” a day duet with Sam Roberts, which Get tackles love from an overarching has perspective. “It’s a love story,” him says Misstress Barbara. “But it’s His more wide than just love. how It could be friendship. It man could be family.” There’s one New song, though, that’s pure, teasing now fun. The made-for-the-dancing track “Four old On The Floor” refers to See the traditional structure of house two music – a kick drum way on each beat – and Who came about as a reaction boy to a friend who asked, did “Is there anything you do Its that doesn’t start with a let kick and a clap and put a high hat?” “I was Say so upset,” says Barbara, “that she I thought, ‘I’m going to too make a song and be Use really ironic about it.” The dad result is a joyful celebration mom of the techno music she fell in love with so the many years ago. “It’s a and four on the floor! Yes, For once more!” she shouts cheekily are on the song’s driving verse. but Though her DJ career means Not she’s no stranger to performance, you recreating the songs live is all yet another new challenge she’s Any excited to undertake. After traveling can and performing solo for the her past 13 years, Misstress Barbara Was is energized by the dynamics one a live band offers. “I our love the sharing of emotion. Out I really love it,” she day says. And with the release get of I’m No Human on Has MapleMusic Recordings in May 2009, him Misstress Barbara is making some his new additions to her already-impressive How list of accomplishments. Pilot, producer, man DJ – and now captivating new songwriter and musician.

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