Miss Bashful doesn’t really have to worry about what’s not hot. Why would she? The Mexico City-born, Texas-raised, Berlin-bred slut-tech superstar knows exactly what she wants and precisely how to get it. When you have it all—the sex appeal, the cultural caché, the tours, the music blasting in the ears of sweaty ravegoers in warehouses across the world, the collaborations with the world’s most sought-after DJs, the drive to succeed and the means by which to get there—what’s the point in dwelling in the out?

Miss Bashful, a former stripper and perennial it-girl, has risen quickly through the ranks of the global nightlife scene since her debut four years ago. She’s known and widely beloved for her remarkably unabashed performance of sexuality on stage and throughout her discography, her signature drawling rap/sing/whimper over a high BPM techno track, (what she has coined as “sexy talk”), effectively cornering the slut techno market. Miss B has worked with DBBD, Tommy Genesis, Only Fire, and MCR-T, to name a handful of her collaborators, and will soon release album Glamour Snobby with collaborators Luca Eck and GDA in May.

When I speak to Miss Bashful, she’s on a brief break from her US tour, during which she’s helmed the dance floors in Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York City, clad in a bikini and presiding over hundreds of sweaty bodies with a devilish grin. Her voice over our WhatsApp call is intoned almost identical to that which plays over the speakers on a night out. There is a girlish insouciance to her personhood, as if the listener—or, in my case, the conversation partner—has dropped into the conversation mid-gossip session. You’re talking to Miss Bashful, or listening to Miss Bashful while grinding on your friend at 4am, and you’re suddenly gossiping with her. “I don’t want no broke boy/leeching off my stripper money,” she giggles in her viral track, “Muschi Muschi." Suddenly, you’re part of the conversation. “Asking me to dance for him…boy you must be crazy!”

Miss Bashful is very sexy because, at the end of the day, she’s very, very fun. You want to listen to her with your friends. You want to go shopping for fake designer sunglasses with her. Sexiness, for Miss Bashful, comes hand in hand with frivolity.“I love when people don’t take themselves too seriously,” she tells me. In Miss Bashful’s world, there’s nothing hotter than being unserious.

Do you think the internet has killed sexuality?

I have no idea. Maybe just like everyone that I [surround myself with] is like, highly expressing themselves sexually. I don't really think about it. 

Talk to me about how Glamour Snobby differs from your previous records, like XOXOFM or Tootsie Pop.

After three years of doing techno music, I wanted to just explore the pop side, something that's a little bit more digestible. It’s still dancey, still cunt, but just like less techno. I wanted to just try something new, and I met Luca Eck and GDA, and they've helped me produce the album. It’s still playful. It's still me—but it's just like, not as club, you know?

Do you have any strong memories in the creation of the album? 

We started like last summer. When I went to the studio with Luca, it was so easy. I love when it's just a connection. Luca also doesn't take themselves seriously, and that's always the best. Like going into the studio with someone who just matches your freak, you know? We would make a song and then immediately do another one. That was just like, beautiful to see when it was  a good match and a good flow.

How do you see people listening to Glamour Snobby?
I feel like when they’re getting ready to go out to the club or go out on a date or go out, honestly. Just when you want to get hyped and feel sexy for anything. 

Tell me about the first fake designer piece you purchased, and the first real designer piece.

I just love when people don't take themselves too seriously. I'm in Mexico right now, and we always go to the flea markets, and they have a shit ton of fake designer stuff. Growing up, we would always buy fake designer sunglasses and fake hats. My mom and I just have always bought those.

My first, real designer thing I purchased was actually sunglasses as well, and they were Gucci, and they were 500 bucks. At first, I was like, ‘What the fuck? Why would I spend like, 500 bucks on glasses?’ Like, this is insane. But, I don't know, sometimes after spending a lot of money, you feel a little high. After the first time you spend a lot of money, it just kind of becomes easier, to just do it again. 

What part of yourself do you feel like you’re unlocking with Glamour Snobby?

I think a lot of the songs explore who I am now and who I was. It's been four years since I was a stripper, and now, I’m just exploring just everything that I've built and who I am now. A lot of the songs do play in this contradiction between my past and my present. Y

How do you think you've changed the most in the last four years?

Oh, my God, whoa. It's been a lot. At the core I think I'm the same, but I think I know more about the industry. Maybe I have a bit more production. Honestly, that's the main thing. I would say I can invest more in it.

Would you say that you’re more observant / more in-tune with cultural trends than most?

I am online, and I do keep up with people. I think I know what's hot and what's not, but I like to do my own thing, even if it’s not on trend. I did a video with furries. I loved that. And honestly, they're the sweetest people ever. Shout out to the furry community and the puppy play community. They're honestly just the sweetest people.

So, what's hot right now? Do you have any hot takes?

Dance music is so hot right now. I feel like a lot of the big names are really, going into that genre. I think, honestly, dance music's hot. What's not hot? I don't even know.

You don't even need to think of it. What's your I what's your sign?

I'm a Taurus.

‍Do you feel like you've manifested where you are right now? Or are you manifesting anything?

Yeah, I 100% manifested where I am, at the beginning. I had this vision of Miss Bashful.  I had this whole vision of what I wanted to do. And I just believed in it so hard. I was just like, delusional about it, and I was like, ‘This is gonna be great. I have a great idea, and people are gonna like it, and it's gonna be really good.’ I honestly manifested it, and it's all about just being like, delusional and believing in yourself. If you believe in yourself, it's actually crazy. And like, believing in yourself and working hard, though, you still have to work at it. You still have to work.

Glamour Snobby is out May 1.

Photographed by Justin Ayers

Styled by Elle Hioe

Written and produced by Annie Bush

Hair: J Michael

Makeup: Leibi Carias

Lighting tech: Khalil Bowens

Photo Assistant: Tom Mendenhall 

Location: Level 8 and AC Hotel DTLA

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