| DJ Heavygrinder | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | HG, Bobbie HG, DJ Barbie |
| Origin | Seattle,Washington |
| Genres | House music Electronica |
| Occupations | Model turntablist producer |
| Instruments | sampler mixer |
| Website | http://www.djheavygrinder/revolutionrave.com/ |
DJ Heavygrinder is a model/disk jockey[1] of Japanese and European descent.[2][3][4] She appeared at Anime Supercon in 2008.[5][6]
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Born in America, she grew up in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture, and lived there until the age of 14. While in her teens, her parents decided that she would receive education in America. During her teen years, she worked as a model and an actress.[7] She soon got involved in the art of DJing after returning to the US.[8][9][10][11] In regards to this period, she stated:
| “ | The school I attended was a 40-minute walking distance from my house. Pretty far if you ask me. We had to be seated by 8:30 every morning. We had 5 or 6 subjects a day and attended school Monday to Friday, and every second Saturday. My favorite classes were History, Music, and Art. Me and my friends use to go to Karaoke or Arcades after school from time to time. There are quite a few memories that stand out but my favorite one of them all was wearing a school uniform everyday!! I found that to be very neat. I lived with my mother and I was a latch-key child. I was attending an acting school at the time and had landed a few modeling/acting gigs. I was 14. We moved back so I could get an American education. I didn't like it at all. I loved the life and friends in Japan. I've always viewed myself as "a global citizen." I was soft spoken and shy. Had some piercings and wore Metal T-shirts and always liked to sit in the back of the classroom.[12] | ” |
The genres of music she plays are House, Electro, Indie, and Disco.[13] Her musical mentors and strongest influences include Prodigy, Jamiroquai, Ryuichi Sakamoto, and Daft Punk.[14] When questioned about her sound, she stated:
| “ | I would describe my sound as funky, edgy, fresh and danceable. I read the crowd and try to tell a story through my music. My goal is to make people dance with joy and excitement.[14] | ” |
In regards to her professional name, she stated:
| “ | Black Metal and Death Metal are also my favorite styles of music and my name actually comes from my favorite Death Metal band called Cannibal Corpse! The vocalist from Cannibal Corpse is named Corpsegrinder and the band's sound is so heavy, so one day I decided to call myself Heavygrinder. I think that there are a lot of misconceptions about me because of my DJ name. I've always been a fan of death metal, especially the group Cannibal Corpse. The leader singer of the group was Corpse Grinder and that's how I came up with my DJ name. Before I used to go by DJ Barbie, but my music doesn't fit with that name well.[15][3][9] | ” |
Although she worked as an actress during her years in Japan, she has very little or no interest in acting. In several interviews, she has stated:
| “ | When I lived in Japan, I was enrolled in acting classes. I had a few small parts in some Japanese soap operas. I also did some fashion modeling. There are not too many Asian girls that are 5' 8", so I had some cool opportunities. Not really. I wasn't too comfortable with acting. While the acting classes were supposed to make my more outgoing, I think it had a reverse effect. Now, I'm more self-conscious than ever and I'm really shy. But it's a totally different story when I'm spinning. I guess I have an alter ego or something. I'm alive, I interact with the crowd and I'm just driven by the beat.[16] | ” |
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