Image courtesy of Miss Bashful.
Miss Bashful always knew she was going to be a star. Long before her rise to fame, the 25 year old techno artist was born in Mexico City and moved as a little kid to Houston, Texas. Miss B grew up in the suburbs, listening to Britney Spears, Miss Kitten, and Peaches. At just 19, the young musician moved to Berlin alone, quickly finding her way in the city and having a good time along the way. Living with Tinder dates, doing cam work, and learning burlesque and pole dancing, Miss Bashful worked into the intersecting scenes of performers, sex workers, and artists in the music world. In 2022 she released her first single with electronic DJ and producer DBBD, “Mini skirts on men” which quickly rose to half a million streams.
The artist describes her style as “sexy talking” more than rapping— she writes down lyrics whenever they come to her and then works them into techno beats with her producers. Her music is playful, pouty, and panders to the absurd, with Miss Bashful’s laughter often punctuating the tracks: “Mini skirts on men/Short shorts/ Deodorant on men/Wash your face, boy/4-in-1 body wash/(Hahahaha)”. Her songs have become the hot girl anthems of Berlin’s techno scene, but they’ve caught on in Europe and internationally, spurring the artist’s current tour through Paris, Amsterdam, Stockholm, and Madrid.
While her music so far has been flirty, sexy, and at all costs unserious, Miss Bashful is interested in branching into other genres— like sad girl music. In our interview, she shared about her expat experiences, the possibility of moving back stateside, and her favourite parts of the production process. She also dropped a hint about her next album with DBBD this spring— the Bashfulettes should keep their expectations high, but their sights low, for this year’s short king spring.
Images courtesy of Miss Bashful.
SLEEK: Did you always know you wanted to make music, or did you sort of fall into it living in a techno city?
MISS BASHFUL: So I didn’t plan to move here to make music, it kind of just happened, being around the techno scene. But I always knew I was going to be a star.
S: Was it difficult/scary to move here so young? Or did you feel a strong sense of direction related to music and performance?
MB: My mom forced me to move her and explore my German side – Moving here gave me freedom to explore myself and for some reason I was drawn to performing. I was a stripper for two and a half years and I’ve taken burlesque courses.
S: You spend a lot of time back in the US and in Mexico City where you were born. Do you ever think about moving back to America to pursue music there?
MB: I would love to spread the slut gospel to the US and Latin America. But first, we’re conquering Europe.
S: Has your childhood in Texas, or your family ties to Mexico, shaped your music at all? Like Latin-beats or country music?
MB: I think it influenced the sass and ass.
S: Did you always want to make techno music, or have you branched out into other genres?
MB: I would love to make sad girl music, because actually I have a lot emotions. I’m actually such a sad b*tch.
Image courtesy of Miss Bashful.
S: You call one of your songs “a slut classic”. What are some other slut classics that inspired your music?
MB: Britney Spears and the Chicago musical definitely influenced me.
S: You also work a lot with other artists, like DBBD, and with other artists to create your music videos and promotional art. What personalities/ skill sets do you look for in a collaborator?
MB: Playfulness, opennes, and a casual fun vibe. It can’t feel like work or I freak out.
S: What’s your favorite part of the production process?
MB: I love all of it, but seeing the final result after putting everything together is such a beautiful moment. It’s really satisfying.
S: Are you working on anything new currently? What can your fans expect in the coming weeks?
MB: I have a new album coming out with DBBD soon. Hint: IT’S SHORT KING SPRING