Misstress Barbara
Encyclopedia
Barbara Bonfiglio, better known as Misstress Barbara (the misspelling is an intentional portmanteau [i.e. "miss" and "stress"]), is an Italian-born, Canadian electronica
disc jockey
. Born in 1975, she moved from Sicily
to Montreal, Quebec at the age of eight, and has resided in the city ever since. She has also produced and DJ'd house music under the alias Barbara Brown, and has used the alias My Prada Heels.
in Communications from the Université du Québec à Montréal
. After drumming in bands since the age of twelve, she began DJing in 1995 and established Relentless Records
in 1999. In 2001 she released the mix album Relentless Beats (EQ Recordings), with a second volume the following year, along with two mix albums for Trust the DJ. In 2003, to avoid legal issues with a UK company of the same name, she established ITURNEM. Early success includes her song "Never Could Have Your Heart" being licensed in Rockstar Games
' arcade racing video game Midnight Club II
. In 2006, she reelased the mix album Come with Me....
In 2009 she released the debut artist album as a singer, I'm No Human, which was nominated for a 2010 Juno Award for Best Dance Recording Of The Year, and included the single "I'm Running", featuring fellow Montreal musician Sam Roberts
. The album also features collaborations with Brazilian Girls
and Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John
. "I'm No Human" was born out of unhappy circumstances, sparked by the tragic passing of a close family member features Misstress Barbara step from behind the turntables in front of the microphone and was recorded in her home town of Montreal. To perform songs from the album, she has recently created a new live band entitled Misstress Barbara With Girls On A Ducati and draws from her experience in electronic music infusing it with live instruments. The live show debuted at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal 2009, to a sold out crowd at Montreal's Club Soda.
In July 2010, Misstress Barbara will perform for the second year in at row at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.
Mix albums:
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
. Born in 1975, she moved from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
to Montreal, Quebec at the age of eight, and has resided in the city ever since. She has also produced and DJ'd house music under the alias Barbara Brown, and has used the alias My Prada Heels.
Career
She holds a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Communications from the Université du Québec à Montréal
Université du Québec à Montréal
The Université du Québec à Montréal is one of four universities in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.-Basic facts:The UQAM is the largest constituent element of the Université du Québec , a public university system with other branches in Gatineau , Rimouski, Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec City, Chicoutimi, and...
. After drumming in bands since the age of twelve, she began DJing in 1995 and established Relentless Records
Relentless Records
Relentless Records, founded by Shabs Jobanputra and Paul Franklyn in 1999 is now a part of Sony Music based in London, UK. Having achieved large scale successes with Joss Stone, KT Tunstall and several urban artists such as Artful Dodger and So Solid Crew, the label is now building a small focused...
in 1999. In 2001 she released the mix album Relentless Beats (EQ Recordings), with a second volume the following year, along with two mix albums for Trust the DJ. In 2003, to avoid legal issues with a UK company of the same name, she established ITURNEM. Early success includes her song "Never Could Have Your Heart" being licensed in Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games
Rockstar Games is a major video game developer and publisher based in New York City, owned by Take-Two Interactive following its purchase of UK video game publisher BMG Interactive. The brand is mostly known for Grand Theft Auto, Max Payne, L.A...
' arcade racing video game Midnight Club II
Midnight Club II
Midnight Club II is the first sequel to Midnight Club: Street Racing, published for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Microsoft Windows. Players race through cities inspired by Los Angeles, Paris, and Tokyo...
. In 2006, she reelased the mix album Come with Me....
In 2009 she released the debut artist album as a singer, I'm No Human, which was nominated for a 2010 Juno Award for Best Dance Recording Of The Year, and included the single "I'm Running", featuring fellow Montreal musician Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rock singer-songwriter, whose 2001 debut release, The Inhuman Condition, became one of the bestselling independent releases in Quebec and Canadian music history.-Life and career:...
. The album also features collaborations with Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls
Brazilian Girls was a band from New York City known for their eclectic blend of electronic dance music with musical styles as diverse as tango, chanson, house, reggae and lounge. None of the members are actually from Brazil and the only female in the band is Sabina Sciubba. Other members include...
and Bjorn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John
Peter Bjorn and John
Peter Bjorn and John are a Swedish indie rock band, formed in Stockholm in 1999 and named after the first names of the band's members: Peter Morén , Björn Yttling and John Eriksson .They are best known for the 2006 single "Young Folks", which...
. "I'm No Human" was born out of unhappy circumstances, sparked by the tragic passing of a close family member features Misstress Barbara step from behind the turntables in front of the microphone and was recorded in her home town of Montreal. To perform songs from the album, she has recently created a new live band entitled Misstress Barbara With Girls On A Ducati and draws from her experience in electronic music infusing it with live instruments. The live show debuted at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal 2009, to a sold out crowd at Montreal's Club Soda.
In July 2010, Misstress Barbara will perform for the second year in at row at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal.
Albums
- I'm No Human (2009), EQ
Mix albums:
- Relentless Beats (2001), Moonshine
- "Relentless Beats Vol 2" (2002), Moonshine
- Trust the DJ: MB01 (2002), Trust the DJ
- Trust the DJ: MB02 (2002), Trust the DJ
- Come with Me... (2006), Uncivilized World
Singles
- "I'm Running" ft. Sam RobertsSam RobertsSam Roberts is a Juno Award-winning Canadian rock singer-songwriter, whose 2001 debut release, The Inhuman Condition, became one of the bestselling independent releases in Quebec and Canadian music history.-Life and career:...
– #67 Canada - "Four On The Floor"
- "Dance Me to the End of LoveDance Me to the End of Love"Dance Me to the End of Love" is a 1984 song by Leonard Cohen. It was first performed by Cohen, on his 1984 album Various Positions. It has since been recorded by various artists, and has been described as "trembling on the brink of becoming a standard"....
" - "Don't Leave/ Come BacK"
- "Barcelona"
- "K-10/ Azzurri"
- "Come With Me"
- "On Fire" (Misstress Barbara & Carl Cox)
- "Gloria Grande"
- "In Da Moda Da Nite"
- "Misstress Barbara vs. Barbara Brown Vol 2"
- "Misstress Barbara vs. Barbara Brown Vol 1"
- "Growing Pains"
- "Effect Karma"
- "666 FVW"
- "Emotions On Plastic EP"
- "Naked Thought EP"
- "Barbara Brown Presents: Il Minestrone"
- "Zero ID3"
- "Relentless Desire EP"
- "Barbara Brown Presents: Dammelo, Mi Piace EP"
- "Royal Comfort (By Foreign Textures - Misstress Barbara & Christian Smith)
- "Cry And Dry"
- "First Reality EP"
- "Never Could Have Your Heart"
- "Endless Passion"
- "Sagittarius"
- "International Artists EP"
- "Steps Towards Comprehension EP"
Awards and Nominations
| Year | Presenter | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Juno Awards | "I'm No Human" - Best Dance Recording Of The Year | Nomination |
| 2009 | GAMIQ Awards (Quebec Indie Music Awards) | "I'm No Human" - Best Electro Album Of The Year | Nomination |
| 2002 | UK Underground Dance Music Awards | "Best Breakthrough DJ" | Won |
| 2002 | MIMI Awards | SODRAC Prize | Won |
See also
- List of Quebec musicians
- List of Quebec record labels
- Music of QuebecMusic of QuebecBeing a modern cosmopolitan society, today, all types of music can be found in the Canadian province of Quebec. What is specific to Quebec though are traditional songs, a unique variety of Celtic music, legions of excellent jazz musicians, a culture of classical music, and a love of foreign rhythms...
- Culture of QuebecCulture of QuebecThe Culture of Quebec emerged over the last few hundred years, resulting from the shared history of the French-speaking majority in Quebec. It is unique to the Western World; Quebec is the only region in North America with a French-speaking majority, as well as one of only two provinces in Canada...
- Disc jockeyDisc jockeyA disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
- list of Italian Canadians
External links
- Profile on The DJ List
- Fazer Magazine article November 2009