BLOND:ISH

BLOND:ISH is a Canadian girl with a big vision and an even bigger heart. The dance music mogul has built an empire on the notion that music and positive energy really can make the world a better place.

Born as Vivie-ann Bakos in Montreal, BLOND:ISH is now a DJ, producer, promoter, record label head, brand boss, environmental activist, and spiritual seeker. Her uplifting take on house music dips into Eastern spirituality, shamanic meditation, and feel-good pop hits. Essentially, if it makes you feel good, BLOND:ISH wants to play it.

She started in 2007 promoting and DJing parties called Blond:ish at the Cherry Nightclub in Montreal. After relocating to London, she released the Lonely Days EP on Noir music in 2012. After Lonely Days, BLOND:ISH was signed to the German independent label Kompakt. After a few more releases with Kompakt and Get Physical, BLOND:ISH began to surge.

Her first full-length album, Welcome to the Present, was released by Kompakt in 2015. The debut wasn’t a collection of big-room bangers like other EDM artists were pumping out at the time. Instead, Welcome to the Present was a full-length trip through the psychedelic and spiritual influences of BLOND:ISH.

These days, BLOND:ISH is releasing shamanic dance beats on her label ABRACADABRA. Much like its founder, ABRACADABRA focuses on melodic afro house sounds and somewhat obscure, psychedelic techno. The label’s success has also led to a popular TV network on Twitch of the same name.

In addition to heightening your senses and opening your heart, BLOND:ISH wants to inspire you to “do what’s right by nature.” In 2018, she started the Bye Bye Plastic movement, which aims to persuade dance music hubs to quit using single-use plastics. It’s all part of the BLOND:ISH mantra to change the world for the better and have a dance party while doing it.