Positive Motives
Posted on 24th Aug 07 by Contributor | 
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Artist: Miss MotifAuthor: Mark McCarthy I feel like using the old adage of "If you haven"t heard of this person yet then you should"" and in this case it certainly can be applied. DJ Mandy Darcy aka Miss Motif has certainly worked hard at building a reputation for herself while also travelling and playing to [...]
Artist: Miss Motif
Author: Mark McCarthy
I feel like using the old adage of "If you haven"t heard of this person yet then you should"" and in this case it certainly can be applied. DJ Mandy Darcy aka Miss Motif has certainly worked hard at building a reputation for herself while also travelling and playing to thousands of people across the globe.
Miss Motif's involvement with the Heineken Thirst dance event saw her reach the final in the DJ competition" beating hundreds of entrants to second place. This prompted Daniele Davoli" who was supporting Paul Oakenfold on the First Thirst tour" to ask her to do vocals on the new track for Italian dance maestros The Vespa Bros. Later Miss Motif was asked to be a resident on the entire Heineken music world tour as a DJ and vocalist" travelling all over the world. The tour which is headlined by the worlds number one DJs" Tiesto" Oakie and Radio 1"s Pete Tong" showcased Mandy"s hard work and dedication. Drop"D caught up with Miss Motif to learn more about the talented DJ and producer"s experience and her plans for the future.
How long have you had an interest in music and where did it all begin"
Miss Motif:
For as long as I can remember" even from as young as 5/6 I listened to people like Patti Smith" Suzi Quattro" Tina Turner and Blondie. The attitudes of these really strong women" who immediately took over an entire stage from the moment they walked on was just incredible for me to watch. When I got older I would go with my father to some of his gigs and sit at the side of the stage watching him drumming and singing and I think it was during this time" when I was about 8/9 that I really began to listen to and understand drum beats and different rhythms. I began to watch the crowd and learnt very early on how you can change people"s moods and reactions in a venue by the type of music you play.
So where and when did you start DJing"
Miss Motif:
I started DJing about 9 years ago.
When I finished Secondary School I decided to study for a nursing degree at UCC. I was into my second year but was very unhappy and knew that I wanted to work with music. I made a decision that I would leave university and try to make a career for myself in DJing. I wanted to learn everything about it technically and luckily enough I picked up the basics pretty quickly. Two weeks after I bought my first decks I played my first gig In Mitchelstown. I had a Residency every Friday night after that" just threw myself into it and kept pushing myself continuously.
What types of genres do you incorporate when you play"
Miss Motif:
You can expect to hear anything from me. electro/breaks/house/tribal/techno. It depends where I play. I try to find out a little bit about a club before I play there" especially when I play abroad.
What sets Miss Motif apart from other DJs"
Miss Motif:
I guess I've got my own personality and I try to bring this across and put lots of energy in my sets. I do live vocals as well" which helps me to interact more with the people and get them involved in the night.
What was it like to take part in the Heineken Thirst competition and was the competition tough"
You"ve played all over the world with the likes of Paul Oakenfold and Tiesto in many different countries. What was the whole experience like and what kind of people did you meet along the way"
Miss Motif:
Taking part In the Heineken Competition was a great experience. Yes it was difficult but I was so determined to get to the finals. It was another stepping stone in the career path I wanted to take" and I gave it everything I had.
Being offered a residency on the tour the following year was incredible. I travelled to about 40 countries worldwide and played in the most amazing clubs. It was surreal at times and I met a lot of colourful characters along the way" It was great to work closely with Tiesto" Oakie" Pete Tong" Ferry Corsten" Daniele Davoli and Smokin Jo" they are all fantastic people who I admire and respect. During that time I learnt a lot about the music industry" which has helped me since I finished the tour.
What is it like being a female DJ" are there more disadvantages or advantages or is it simply all about how well you perform and the music"
Miss Motif:
It's great being a female full stop" I"m not one to moan about how female DJs don't get the same respect as men. I believe it's all about the music and your performance. If you play great" clubs will book you regardless of your sex. A DJ will earn respect from the world if they prove they are entertaining" regardless. I think the advantages and disadvantages are balancing out within the male/female DJ world.
I see you have a great interest in other female artists such as Debbie Harry and others" do you look up to this type of artist and take inspiration from them"
Miss Motif:
Yes absolutely" I take a lot of inspiration from strong female artists" who are so comfortable with expressing themselves.
I love Debbie's attitude" style and stage persona. I"m also a big fan of Alicia Keys" she has an amazing way of getting her message across and interacting with the audience.
What can you tell us of your other projects with Scent and Babynot and how did you get involved in these projects"
Miss Motif:
Scent is a band I put together with two Italian friends of mine" Daniele Davoli and Andrea Mazzali. I met Daniele through Heineken F"T and we worked on a track called Freedom" which went to number 7 in the charts in Italy. Then I wrote a track called "UP " Down" We signed it to EMI'S Positiva label and it went to Number 1 in the cool cuts and buzz charts as well as number 23 in the U.K POP charts under the name "Scent". "Babynot" is an acoustic project I have where I've taken my favourite dance tracks through the years and re"recorded them in an acoustic style. It was recorded in Italy again with my favourite Italian gems" I also have a project called "Loose Chicks"" it"s an electro/breakbeat band with more of a naughty undertone"
What about your live music" does it take you long to make your own tracks and what goes into the production work" like emotionally" figuratively" literally and technically"
You"ve been working very hard lately on various different recordings" what exactly have you been working on and what direction are you taking"
Miss Motif:
Making my own music has always been something I've wanted to do. Taking an emotion or experience" capturing it and expressing it through musical notes or vocally is the most gratifying thing for me. The process can take me from one day to weeks to finish depending on how inspired I am feeling. For my "Miss Motif" solo album I am producing" arranging" and mastering all my own tracks. It is a mammoth task but I'm up for the challenge. I have many different projects and directions to take" I don't want to limit myself to one particular style.
You recently played at the Indie"Pendence Festival in Mitchelstown and" from what I"ve heard" you were one of the highlights. What was it like to play at a festival like this" Especially with it being in your home town"
Miss Motif:
You're very kind" haha" It was great to play at the festival this year but also very nerve"wrecking before I went on stage"
I wanted my show to have as much energy as possible. I had a great bunch of dancers with me from Cork and I think from the moment the first beat kicked in" the energy just radiated off the stage" It was nice to come back to my hometown and play" they really did show a lot of support and I felt very tearful at the end of my performance"
What can people expect from a Miss Motif live show"
Miss Motif:
You can expect an eclectic show of ambience" electro and techno with some vocals"
What has been your career highlights to date and what are your plans for the future"
Miss Motif:
I've had many highlights" playing in Argentina for 10"000 crazy people. Playing in Vietnam first for the government officials and then for the clubbers" Making my Video for Scent "Up " Down". Singing live at Cafe Mambo in Ibiza on Pete Tong's BBC 1 essential Selection show. Playing for Gatecrasher in London. Playing on a beach in Dubai…the list could just go on " on""
I have a lot of plans for the future" I want to keep on writing and producing" do more collaborations" continue working on radio and try to lead a good and happy life.
Have you any words of wisdom for any potential musicians or DJs"
Miss Motif:
Yes" just believe in yourself. Be patient and persistent"
You can check Miss Motif out on
Miss Motif plays Electric Underground in Liquid Lounge on Friday 31st of August with support from LPX and again at Inferno in Crusic"n L"n on September 8th.