Miss Bashful: When Barks Blush & Whimpers Slay
Skirt JULIA VOGLER Jewelry FORMAT Shoes STYLIST’S OWN
Creative Direction, Creative Production, Set Design & Words CHRISTIAAN PIENAAR
Photography AYTEKIN YALÇIN
Styling SOPHIE GIANNOULES
Hair NORIKO TAKAYAMA
Makeup HUGO TRIX
Lighting RICCARDO CONTRINO
Production RUBEN CORTELLETTI & GINEVRA DETASSIS (IRA Studio)
Styling Assistant SABINE SECK
Makeup Assistant MADOU KOTZKE
Set Design Assistant NORA RIDA
Male Model BIJOU
From scrappy stray to alpha of the underground, Miss Bashful has sniffed out her destiny with the unshakable confidence of a pit bull and the sass of a chihuahua in stilettos. This Mexican-born, Berlin-honed hellhound didn’t just enter the scene. MERDE's Berlin cover star marks her territory, howls over Ghetto Tech beats and sinks her teeth into the throats of shame and conformity. Once a lost pup drifting from Houston to Frankfurt, she’s now the pedigreed queen of slut techno, leading her pack of gays, girlies, and theys with a growl and a wink. Whether she’s in heat on stage or curled up in her den, Miss B is pure, unfiltered bitch energy—no muzzle, no apologies. So fetch your headphones and get ready to roll over for Berlin’s most unapologetic superstar.
“ lil bit of meow meow, a lil hunka hunka...”
“I MAKE MUSIC FOR THE GAYS, THE GIRLIES, AND THE THEYS, BITCHHH”
ORIGIN STORY: FROM VIVIANNE TO MISS BASHFUL:
MERDE: Let’s start at the beginning— where do you come from, and how did Miss Bashful come to be? Walk us through your journey to the fierce persona sitting in Berlin today.
Miss Bashful: So it all started when my mother met my sperm donor on a flight from Frankfurt to Mexico City. They hooked up and decided to keep little ol’ me. My mother knew she had to—I was born to be a star.* I was born in Mexico City and raised by my abuelita (who’s like a mama to me). Then my mom moved us to Houston, Texas, where she met my lovely stepdad—all for a 'better life,' as they say. After high school, I moved to Rancho Cucamonga and worked at HomeGoods. There, I fell madly in love with a Cali boy named Brenden… but life tore us apart when I moved to fuckin’ Frankfurt, then Darmstadt (I’m a Darmstadt girl, hahaha!). Finally, at 19, I hitched a BlaBlaCar ride with some hippie who drove me to a Tinder boy’s apartment on Hermannstraße. I was lost for years—no clue what I wanted. I lived in tiny rooms in Steglitz and Hermannplatz while studying graphic design. I worked at Starbucks for three months (couldn’t take it), then was unemployed and stripped for a while. I loved the girlhood of the strip club, and I loved clubbing.
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That was my life—stripping and raving—for years. Then my friend Gabe (who I owe everything to) asked me to do vocals on his beats. I fell in love with my own voice. The more I listened to Ghetto Tech, and when I discovered Miss Kittin, I knew I wanted to make something like that. At the time, I was dating some Swedish guy who started producing for me. We made a track where I growled, ’PEE ON MEEE’— iconic, honestly. When he dumped me, my two friends, DBBD & LADYKUB (now my producer and videographer/photographer/ director, respectively), came to rescue me. I was devastated because I had a vision… until Ladykub said, ’Why don’t you make music with DBBD?’ And then we created ’Mini Skirts on Men’… and the rest is history.
M: Where does Vivianne end and Miss Bashful begin? Or is there even a difference?
MB: In my personal life, I’m a lil’ goofball—shy, sweet, and reserved. Miss B is my confident, bad bitch, freaky-nasty side.
MUSIC: THE SOUNDTRACK TO SIN
M: Your music has been described as 'slut techno'—who do you make music for, and what do you want people to feel when they listen to your music?
MB: I make music for the gays, the girlies, and the theys, bitchhh! I remember when I was low in the past—I wanted to do something to help other people feeling down to feel good about themselves. That’s one of the reasons I make the type of music I do. I want people to feel sexy and hot when they listen to my tracks, and to laugh at some of the ridiculous lyrics too.
M: What’s your creative process like? Do you thrive in chaos, or is there method to the madness?
““I loved the girlhood of the strip club, and I loved clubbing. Then I fell in love with my own voice.””
MB: Throughout my day-to-day, I write every idea down in my Notes app, and then when it’s time to go to the studio, I look through it and create the song. I have periods where I go crazy—going out a lot, feeling wild and free—but also really low periods where I seclude myself from everything. Maybe the ups and downs inspire me? M: Rumor has it new music is coming soon—care to spill the details? MB: Omgggg… It’s a completely new era, and I’m soooo excited… Let’s just say Christiaan is involved… hehehehe.
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BERLIN: THE CITY THAT FUCKS YOU BACK
M: What do you love most about Berlin?
MB: The nightlife and all the people I’ve met here. Also, that it’s given me space to become the woman I am today. Berlin led me to MB.
M: What’s the one thing about Berlin you’d erase if you could? MB: Finanzamt, hahahaha.
THE THEOLOGY OF SLUTTINESS
M: You preach the Slut Gospel in your performances—is identifying as a slut a form of empowerment for you?
MB: Being a slut is nothing to be ashamed of. Women should be freeee <3
M: Are you spiritual in any way?
MB: I love microdosing on acid and K-holing thinking about life… I believe in the universe and manifesting.
M: Would you call yourself ambitious? What’s the ultimate goal for Miss Bashful?
MB: I’m definitely a dreamer. That’s so tough—but to just keep growing. I remember when I first started, I told the universe I’d be so happy with 10k followers, and now I have 90k. I didn’t even think that was possible. 90k people know who I am?? And fuck with my music??? Crazy.
M: Is there such a thing as too much? Have you ever thought, “Maybe I should tone it down”— then laughed and doubled down instead?
MB: Fuck being too much! Be yourself.
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DIRTY CONFESSIONS AND REAL TALK
M: Do you bring the party, or do you like to party?
MB: My mother was a dancing queen in the ‘80s—I think I get it from her. I love to party. I hope one day to slowly take it easy, though, lol. I have a dream of living a “normal” life with a family and a house.
M: What’s in your handbag right now? (No censoring!)
MB: hahahah, a lil bit of meow meow, a lil hunka hunka, lip liner and lip gloss, my AMEX.
M: What are you listening to right now —any unexpected guilty pleasures?
MB: Lady Gaga - The Fame, and "Livin’ la Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin.
M: What's something that's embarrassingly vanilla that you love anyways?
MB:Cuddles and besitos.
M: Boobs or ass? There's No diplomatic answers allowed.
MB: Boobsss… maybe ‘cause I don’t have any—A CUP G4NG 4 LIFE THO.
M: After all this talk of sin and spirituality—what does a totally normal day look like for Miss Bashful?
MB: I just rot in my bed, and eat popcorn. Or I'll clean my apartment and run errands.
RAPID FIRE FILTH
M: Fuck, marry, kill: Lana Del Rey, Charli XCX, Kim Kardashian.
MB: Fuck Kim K ‘cause she da baddest. Marry Lana Del Rey because she’s my QUEEN. Kill Charli XCX ‘cause LDR and Kim K are my bitches.
M: If you were a dog breed, which one would you be—and do you even like dogs?
MB: I’d probably be a chihuahua because I’m small and Mexican, and I bite and bark. I like dogs—I got super lonely at the beginning of this year and thought about getting a small one, but I thought it might die from all the traveling… :(
THE FUTURE
M: When they write the Wikipedia page for Miss Bashful in 20 years, what's the first sentence going to be? MB: Honey, They better already be writing it. But probably something along the lines of, “She was born to be a star…”