Essential Mix BBC Radio 1 - 2002-01-27

Established in the 90s, Misstress Barbara (word play between Miss and Stress) is a pioneering DJ/Producer and one of the first female superstar DJs who helped inspire future generations with her explosive Techno sets. Whilst headlining major festivals and events globally, there was a period in the ’00s when she was consistently voted inside of DJ Mag’s Top 100 DJs.

Born in Italy, she moved to Canada at age 8. Curious and passionate by nature, she loves exploring new fields and reaching new goals. To name a few, she is a drummer, she has a glider and private pilot license, she graduated University in Communications/Cinema, she is a boat captain and sailing instructor, and she also launched her own bean-to-bar chocolate brand Barbon Chocolate, crafting everything by hand herself. A woman of many talents indeed.

But among all of her passions, music was always her main focus since the start of her remarkable career, which has earned her multiple accolades (2001 Best Montreal International Music Initiative Award / 2002 UK Underground Music Awards’ Best Breakthrough DJ / 2009 GAMIQ’s Best Electronic Album of the Year Awards and 2010 Canada’s JUNO Awards’ Best Dance Album of the Year nomination for “I’m No Human” / 2014 MTL Awards’ Best Montreal DJ, to name a few). Her extensive discography is found among the world’s best Techno labels, including her own, launched in 1999 under the name Relentless, which became Iturnem in 2003. Barbara Brown used to be her alter-ego used for her softer productions, but she now releases all her music under her main name, regardless of the style, as she did for her albums I’m No Human and Many Shades of Grey. This might confuse her most loyal techno fans, although they should rest assured that she will never stray away from her first true love: Techno.