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{{short description|American musician (born 1963)}}
{{Infobox musical artist
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = Lady Miss Kier with Flowers.jpg
|Img=Replace this image female.svg <!-- only free-content images are allowed for depicting living people - see [[WP:NONFREE]] --> | <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject Musicians -->
| Name = Lady Miss Kier
| name = Lady Miss Kier
| Img_size =
| alt =
| Landscape =
| caption = Lady Miss Kier in 2005
| Background = solo_singer
| background = solo_singer
| Birth_name = Kierin Magenta Kirby
| birth_name = Kierin Michele Kirby
| Other names = Lady Kier, Kier Kirby
| alias = Lady Kier, Kier Kirby
| Born = {{birth date and age|1963|8|15}}<br>| Died
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1963|8|15}}
| Origin = [[Youngstown, Ohio|Youngstown]], [[Ohio]], [[United States]]
| birth_place = [[Youngstown, Ohio]], U.S.
| Instrument = [[Vocalist|Vocals]]
| origin = {{nowrap|[[New York City|New York City, New York]], U.S.}}
| instrument = Vocals
|Genre = [[Dance music|Club/Dance]], [[Dance-pop]], [[House music|House]], [[Soul music|Soul]]
| genre = {{flatlist|
|Occupation = [[Singer-songwriter]], [[Disc Jockey|DJ]], [[Record producer]]
*[[Electronica]]
| Years_active = 1986&ndash;present
*[[dance-pop]]
| Label = [[Elektra Records]]<br>[[Pluto Moon Records]]
*[[House music|house]]
| Associated_acts = [[Deee-Lite]]
*[[Hip hop music|hip hop]]}}
| URL = [http://www.ladykier.com/ ladykier.com]
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, DJ, [[record producer|producer]]
| Current_members =
| years_active = 1986–present
| Notable_instruments =
| label = [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]<br />Pluto Moon
| associated_acts = [[Deee-Lite]], Brill
| website = {{URL|ladykier.com/}}
}}
}}


'''Kierin Magenta Kirby''' (born [[August 15]], [[1963]] in [[Youngstown, Ohio]]) is an [[United States|American]] [[singer]] and [[DJ]].
'''Kierin Magenta Kirby''' (born August 15, 1963), known professionally as '''Lady Miss Kier''', is an American singer, songwriter and DJ.
Lady Miss Kier was the vocalist for the band [[Deee-Lite]]. She is a social, environmental, and human rights activist.


==Personal life==
==Early life==
Kirby was born in [[Youngstown, Ohio]] and raised in [[Pittsburgh]]. She spent time in [[Virginia Beach]], where she graduated high school, and [[Washington, D.C.]], before finally settling in [[New York City]] in 1982, at the age of 19 to pursue a career in fashion design. In New York she attended [[Fashion Institute of Technology|FIT]] to study textile design, but dropped out after a short time. She supported herself as a waitress, a bartender, a coat checker, a bathroom attendant, a go-go dancer, and an art gallery receptionist; continuing to study and work at designing on her own. In this early period as a [[club kid]] she prepared a performance art window piece for the gay nightclub "Area" and received First Prize.[http://www.wantickets.com/dj/ladymisskier.htm]
Kirby was born in [[Youngstown, Ohio]]. As a child, she lived in [[Pittsburgh]], [[Virginia Beach]], and [[Washington, D.C.]]<ref name=discogs/> At the age of 17, she moved to [[New York City]] to study [[fashion design]] at the [[Fashion Institute of Technology]] but she was disillusioned by the teachers and dropped out immediately. When she dropped out, she started to design and make her own eccentric disco-inspired clothes that she then sold to people she met at [[nightclub]]s.<ref name=discogs/><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.rookiemag.com/2012/09/secret-style-icon-lady-miss-kier/ | title=Secret Style Icon: Lady Miss Kier | work=[[Rookie (magazine)|Rookie]] | date=September 18, 2012}}</ref>


==Music career==
It was in New York's [[Washington Square Park]] that a mutual friend introduced her to [[Super DJ Dmitri|Dmitry Brill]], a [[Ukrainian people|Ukrainian]] expatriate and amateur D.J. The two started dating, and moved in together in an apartment in [[Williamsburg, Brooklyn]] from 1984 to 1989. During that time, the two with third member [[Towa Tei]] formed the band [[Deee-lite|Deee-Lite]] and soon broke onto the world-wide music scene. Following almost 10 years of touring and performing, the band officially disbanded in 1994, following the end of Kirby and Brill's tumultuous romantic relationship.
===Deee-Lite===
In 1982, Kirby met Ukrainian-born Dmitry Brill ("Supa DJ Dmitry") and designed, made, and sold him silver platform boots and a glitter blue spacesuit, for his band, Shazork. In 1986, she began experimenting with singing and writing music with Brill to form the band Deee-Lite. {{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}


Shortly after their first show in 1986, Brill was introduced to [[Towa Tei]], a Japanese DJ of Korean descent. Several years later, Kirby and Brill invited him to join their band. Combining Kirby's vocal and writing talents with Brill's [[sampling (music)|sampling]] skills and Tei's [[techno]] mixing, the three formed the band [[Deee-Lite]]. She continued to make a living as a waitress and [[go-go dancer]]<ref>{{cite web|first=Francky|last=Knapp|url=https://www.messynessychic.com/2019/06/18/muse-du-jour-lady-miss-kier/|title=Muse du Jour: Lady Miss Kier|date=June 18, 2019|access-date=September 29, 2022}}</ref> until the band signed a seven-album deal with [[Elektra Records]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}}
Kirby had long been interested in art and design. Despite a lack of formal training, her artistic and design talents have been widely recognized, and she has lectured at several programs, including [[Princeton University]] and [[Cooper Union]] Art Institute. However, she is more well known for her writing skills, one of the major reasons behind the success of Deee-lite's music. Besides her lyrical works, her poetry has been included in such publications as the spoken word collection "[[Verbal Abuse]]."


Deee-Lite's sound was a mix of [[house music]], [[techno]] and [[electronic dance music]]. Deee-Lite shot to stardom in 1990 with the release of their first album ''[[World Clique]]'' and the hit "[[Groove Is in the Heart]]". At the [[1991 MTV Video Music Awards]], Deee-Lite was nominated for several awards, including Video of the Year and Best New Artist. {{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} Within the group, Kirby took on the larger-than-life alter-ego "Lady Miss Kier". Kirby's initial look relied on revamped and exaggerated [[retro style]] [[1960s fashion]]. Her signature look was a zip-up [[catsuit]], [[platform shoe]]s and flipped hair-do.
Throughout her career, Kirby has been a vocal activist on the political front, specifically protesting against the [[Iraq War]], [[social inequality]] and environmental issues. In addition, she has been very involved in the [[gay rights]] movement, which has garnered her a loyal following in the [[gay community]].


In 1992, the band released their second album, ''[[Infinity Within]]'', a politically charged work. Their third album ''[[Dewdrops in the Garden]]'' was released in 1994.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/dewdrops-in-the-garden-mw0000618654 | title=AllMusic Review|first=Heather|last=Phares | work=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> Neither of the two follow-up albums matched the commercial success of the debut album.
==Music career==
====Deee-Lite====
Soon after meeting, Kirby made Dmitry silver platform boots and a glitter blue spacesuit for his band, Shazork, as well as a line of platform shoes in 1986. That same year, she began experimenting with singing and writing music with Dmitry, and the two wrote several songs together. Their first song was called "Love and Bubbles", the second was "I Won't Give Up." The first show they gave was in 1986, and Brill was introduced to local D.J. [[Towa Tei]], a Japanese of Korean descent shortly thereafter. Combining Kirby's vocal and lyric talents with Brill's sampling skills and Tei's techno mixing, the three together formed the band Deee-Lite. They had performances every month, with Kier designing new costumes for each one. She continued go-go dancing for club promoter [[Suzanne Bartsch]]'s Bentleys and The Copa until the band signed the seven-album deal with Elektra.[http://www.wantickets.com/dj/ladymisskier.htm]


Deee-lite disbanded in 1995 after Brill and Kirby's relationship fractured.<ref name=smh/>
The band's sound was a unique mix of [[house]], [[techno]] and [[dance]] elements. Deee-Lite shot to stardom in 1990 with the release of the first album ''[[World Clique]]'', and in particular with the smash hit "[[Groove is in the Heart]]". Kirby was very involved in the band's output: writing, producing, and performing the bulk of the band's songs. Kirby's sultry, feminine, and soulful voice backed up by the funky, catchy beats was truly unique for its time, and came to personify the [[club culture]] of [[New York City]].
In 1996, a remix album was released. A [[greatest hits album]] was released in 2001.<ref name=smh>{{cite web | url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/lady-miss-kier-20060213-gdmykw.html |title=Lady Miss Kier | first=Andrew | last=Drever | work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date=February 13, 2006}}</ref>


===International DJ and songwriting solo career===
Known as much for their outrageous personae and costumes as for their music, the three took on larger-than-life alter-egos: [[Super DJ Dmitri]], Jungle DJ [[Towa Tei]], and [[Lady Miss Kier]]. Kirby is credited with designing and creating the look of the band, as well as much of the artwork accompanying the band's albums and marketing material. Her initial look relied on revamped and exaggerated retro '60s fashions, which was revolutionary at the time. Her signature look was a zip-up [[catsuit]], [[platform shoes]] and flipped hair-do. At the height of the band's success, her style had a major influence on fashion trends, showing up in a variety of retail venues.
In 1995, after quitting the band, Lady Miss Kier moved to [[London]] where she began touring as a [[disc jockey]] and learning the technical end of production, recording, and engineering. In the late 1990s, she collaborated on the albums of [[Bootsy Collins]], I Kamanchi and [[A Guy Called Gerald]]. In 2002, she contributed an exclusive solo track called "I'm Not Staying at Home" to the compilation ''Straight Up & Dirty''.<ref name=discogs>{{cite web |url=http://www.discogs.com/artist/4444-Lady-Kier |title=Lady Kier Discography |publisher=[[Discogs]]}}</ref> Since going solo, she has featured and co-written with artists such as Full Cycle, [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]], [[Walter "Junie" Morrison]], [[A Guy Called Gerald]], [[Apollo Heights]], and several [[P-Funk]] luminaries. Outside of the studio, she showcased her live performances with new material for various music, film, and art festivals, as well as headlining several [[gay pride]] events worldwide. In 2012, she began performing a Deee-Lite tribute for various occasions, including the 2013 [[Paris Fashion Week]] for [[Kenzo]]<ref name=derek>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-week/g2601/pfw-derek-blasberg-diary-fall-2013/ | title=Derek Blasberg's Paris Fashion Week Diary: Fall 2013 | first=Derek |last=Blasberg | magazine=[[Harper's Bazaar]] | date=March 12, 2013}}</ref> as well as a tribute to New York City [[disc jockey]] [[Mark Kamins]] at Santos Party House.<ref>{{cite web | last=Augustin | first=Camille | url=https://www.vibe.com/photos/everybody-celebrates-mark-kamins-santos-party-house-tribute-tonight | title="Everybody" Celebrates Mark Kamins at Santos Tribute Tonight |work=[[Vibe (magazine)|Vibe]] | date=April 17, 2013}}</ref>


She performed as a [[disc jockey]] at clubs and [[music festival]]s including [[Coachella Festival]] (2007),<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.coachellarecordings.com/sources.cfm?bandid=561&year=2007 |title=Lady Miss Kier – Coachella 2007 |publisher=Coachella Recordings |date=April 28, 2007 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |archive-date=September 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150905071144/http://www.coachellarecordings.com/sources.cfm?bandid=561&year=2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Berlin's Berghain (2010)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://berghain.de/event/162 |title=Berghain Berlin &#124; Programm: 31 December 2010 |publisher=Berghain.de |date=December 31, 2010 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> and Sydney Mardi Gras (2012),<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/showgirl-returns-20120213-1t0t0.html | title=Showgirl returns | first=Steve | last=Dow | work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | date=February 13, 2012}}</ref> as well as radio programs such as East Village Radio<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ladykier.com/ladyblog/catch-me-on-east-village-radio-this-tuesday-with | title=Dee-Jay Lady Miss Kier | publisher=Lady Miss Kier | date=May 19, 2013}}</ref> and [[Sirius XM]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ladykier.com/ladyblog/ill-b-a-guest-on-siriusxm-this-sat-nite-11-pm | title=I'll b a guest on SiriusXM this sat. nite @ 11 pm | publisher=Lady Miss Kier | date=June 21, 2013}}</ref>
Deee-Lite followed their successful first album with a politically-charged second album, ''Infinity Within'', in 1992. Their third album, ''Dewdrops in the Garden'', was released in 1994 and saw a return to house roots with a new, more naturalistic tone. Neither of the two follow-up albums matched the commercial success of their debut. The second and third albums were hampered by difficulties with the label, which refused to promote, support touring, or fund contractual videos. The band functionally broke up during the writing of their third album in 1993, but Kirby and Brill decided to finish the project and tour together to promote the album before going their separate ways, and officially disbanding in 1994. In 1996, a remix album was released, and a greatest hits album was released in 2001. [http://www.smh.com.au/news/gig-reviews/lady-miss-kier/2006/02/13/1139679507664.html]


====Solo career====
===Live performances===
In 2005, motivated by the [[invasion of Iraq]], she began internationally performing live new unreleased music, including the DFA release covering [[George Clinton (funk musician)|George Clinton]]'s anti–war song "Bullet Proof".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.factmag.com/2010/03/19/ray-mang-disco-sizzler-for-dfa-with-vocals-from-deee-lites-lady-miss-kier/ |title=Ray Mang disco sizzler for DFA, with vocals from Deee-Lite's Lady Miss Kier – FACT Magazine: Music News, New Music |publisher=Factmag.com |date=March 19, 2010 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref>
After the disbanding of the group, Kirby moved to [[London]] and built a respected career as a solo artist. Well known for her D.J.ing and club performances, she has gained a cult following internationally. In 1995, a solo song named "Touch Me With Your Sunshine" appeared on the Wigstock: The Movie Soundtrack. In 1996, she debuted new songs at the Enit Festival. The public could hear that her new direction was more [[Drum and Bass| DnB]] than dance, but none of the songs were ever released. In the late nineties, she has collaborated on the albums of such diverse artists as [[Bootsy Collins]], [[I Kamanchi]] and [[A Guy Called Gerald]]. Following the solo releases of the other two former band members, Kirby's solo debut has been long anticipated. In 2002, she contributed an exclusive solo track called "I'm not staying at home" to the compilation "Straight Up & Dirty". In 2005, she began performing new material, then appearing in club performances internationally in [[Australia]], [[New York City]], [[Chicago]], [[New Orleans]], [[Brussels]], [[Zurich]], [[San Francisco]] and [[Amsterdam]]. She also made television appearances on the [[OUTtv]]/[[Pink TV (France)|Pink TV]] television series the ''[[House of Venus Show]]'' and has been featured in the New York City festival [[Wigstock]]. In 2005 Kier was the featured artist on the podcast Ron-Kat-Delic Show, where she premiered her solo work for the first time, namely a song entitled "Hot Wax." In 2006, she toured Australia with the [[Good Vibrations Festival]].
She has headlined numerous festivals and [[gay pride]] events as well as opened for [[James Brown]]'s last tour at the Good Vibrations festival in Australia.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.starobserver.com.au/features/entertainment-features/entertainment-play/groove-is-still-in-her-art/71827 |title=Groove is still in her art |work=Star Observer |access-date=July 12, 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713045142/http://www.starobserver.com.au/features/entertainment-features/entertainment-play/groove-is-still-in-her-art/71827 |archive-date=July 13, 2015 }}</ref>


==Fashion recognition==
She has since moved back to New York City, and is rumored to be putting together the long-anticipated solo album for release. Unreleased songs include "Me and my records", "Bulletproof", "Dance Police", "The Outer planets", "Black out love affair", "Wear U Out", "Go Down" and "Strip". Kirby occasionally releases snippets from her body of work on Myspace and her personal website. There are also several clips of her group and solo performances on YouTube. Most recently, Kirby has released a sound bite of "I Surrender" on Myspace.com, hinting that a solo album effort is still ongoing. On April 28, 2007 she performed at [[Coachella]]. <small>[http://www.myspace.com/ladymisskierfromdeeelite]</small> She appears on the release from NYC noise band, [[Apollo Heights]] on a song titled "Winter In The Summertime", released in October 2007.
Kirby has received the following recognition in the fashion industry:


* In 1990, she was on the cover of Vogue Italia.
==Lady Miss Kier vs. Sega==
* In 1991, when designer [[Emilio Pucci]] was given a lifetime achievement award from the [[Council of Fashion Designers of America]], she was asked to star in the tribute video.<ref>{{Cite AV media | title=Lady Kier from dee-lite + Pal Joey '91 'Pucci u say love?' | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MqDWOIFLcU |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/3MqDWOIFLcU |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live| via=[[YouTube]]}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
In 2003 Kirby sued [[Sega]] for unauthorized use of her likeness for the character [[Ulala]] in the game ''[[Space Channel 5]]'' <ref name=lawsuit>{{cite web | url=http://www.ladykier.com/segacase.htm | title=Lady Kier VS Sega | publisher=ladykier.com | accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref>. She ultimately lost the suit and a later appeal, based on the appeals court's finding that the character was developed by designers who were unaware of Kirby or her persona. Kirby was also mandated to pay Sega's legal fees of [[United States dollar|$]]608,000 (reduced from $763,000 requested) for their legal costs, which was acknowledged by the justices as unfortunate but mandated under California statute. It was also ruled that Kirby would have to pay the cost of any further appeals, none of which have been filed as yet. <ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.legalreader.com/archives/003453.html | title="Lady Miss Kier" Hammered With Opponent's Attorney's Fees | publisher=legalreader.com | accessdate=2006-12-11}}</ref>
* She collaborated frequently with designer [[Thierry Mugler]] throughout the 1990s.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://crackmagazine.net/article/lists/thierry-mugler-beyonce-george-michael-madonna-david-bowie-diana-ross-grace-jones-cardi-b-lady-gaga/|title=Thierry Mugler: The late fashion designer's best moments in music|magazine=[[Crack (magazine)|Crack]]|date=25 January 2022|access-date=29 September 2022}}</ref>
* In 2010, ''[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]]'' named her one of Music's 25 Most Influential Style Icons along with [[Grace Jones]], [[Beyoncé]], [[Debbie Harry]], and [[M.I.A. (rapper)|MIA]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.elle.com/fashion/g2102/fashion-high-notes-446376/ | title=Influential Women in Music – Influential Musicians | first=NOJAN | last=AMINOSHAREI | work=[[Elle (magazine)|Elle]] | date=June 1, 2010}}</ref>
* In 2010, ''[[Glamour (magazine)|Glamour]]'' named Kier as one of the Top Influential Music Style Icons with [[Rihanna]], [[Lady Gaga]], and [[Gwen Stefani]].<ref>{{cite web | last=David | first=Jessica | url=https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/gallery/influential-style-icons-in-music-madonna-rihanna-lady-gaga-the-runaways#!image-number=10 | title=Top Influential Music Style Icons | publisher=[[Glamour (magazine)|Glamour]] | date=August 3, 2010}}</ref>
* In 2012, ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' quoted her experience with [[John Fluevog]] and the rise of "The Munster" platform shoe, which was made famous as a symbol of the 1990s house/club underground DJ scene.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.vogue.com/article/fluevog-relaunches-80s-original-munster-platform-madonna | title=Madonna's Iconic Fluevog Platform—The Ultimate Club Shoe—Is Back and Better Than Ever | first=Monica | last=Kim | work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] | date=April 20, 2018}}</ref> [[Fluevog]] Shoes credits her as the reason the shoe became popular.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Fluevog Shoes - About John Fluevog | url=https://www.fluevog.com/our-story/about-fluevog/ | publisher=[[Fluevog]]}}</ref> ''[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]]'' noted that "Indeed, Lady Miss Kier's taste for the massive John Fluevog platform shoes she famously wore on their first album cover helped propel the early 90s into a 70s fashion revival".<ref>{{Cite news |first=Ariana|last=Paoletti| url=https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/ez8jd7/dee-lite-good-beat-time-travel | title=Experience Dee-Lite's "Holographic Mind Orgy" | work=[[Vice (magazine)|Vice]] | date=December 17, 2013}}</ref>
* In 2012, ''[[Rookie (magazine)|Rookie]]'' declared her a style icon.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Secret Style Icon: Lady Miss Kier – Rookie | url=https://www.rookiemag.com/2012/09/secret-style-icon-lady-miss-kier/ | date=September 18, 2012}}</ref>
* Shoe designer [[Jerome Rousseau]] named a shoe "Kier Iridescent Sandals" after her.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.shopbop.com/kier-iredescent-high-heel-sandals/vp/v=1/845524441950778.htm | title=Jerome C. Rousseau Kier Iridescent Sandals | publisher=[[Shopbop]]}}</ref>
* In 2013, ''Ladygunn'' magazine featured a full spread on Kier in its Legends issue.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.ladygunn.com/people/lady-miss-kier/ | title=Lady Miss Kier | publisher=Ladygunn | date=December 5, 2013}}</ref>
* In 2015, she was an inspiration for designer [[Jeremy Scott]]'s Fall 2016 line, which debuted at [[New York Fashion Week]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Jeremy Scott at New York fashion week: 60s pop culture through an 80s prism | url=https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2015/sep/14/jeremy-scott-new-york-fashion-week | work=[[The Guardian]] | first=Lauren | last=Cochrane | date=September 14, 2015}}</ref>
* In 2015, [[Essie Weingarten]]'s [[nail polish]] brand released a pink polish inspired by her, called "Groove Is in the Heart".<ref>{{Cite web | title=Essie Groove Is In the Heart | url=http://www.essieenvy.com/2016/02/essie-groove-is-in-heart.html | date=February 8, 2016 | access-date=May 20, 2020 | archive-date=May 11, 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200511032105/http://www.essieenvy.com/2016/02/essie-groove-is-in-heart.html | url-status=dead }}</ref>
* In 2015, [[Givenchy]]'s [[Milan Fashion Week]] show drew inspiration from her, borrowing a lyric from her ''[[World Clique]]'' album song "[[Power of Love (Deee-Lite song)|Power of Love]]", using the line "I believe in the power of love" as part of the branding of the debut of its Fall 2016 line.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://fashionista.com/2015/09/givenchy-party-milan-fashion-week | title=Here's What Went Down at Givenchy's Insane Milan Fashion Week Party | last=Mau | first=Dhani | work=[[Fashionista (website)|Fashionista]] | date=September 26, 2015}}</ref>
* In 2016, an article in ''[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]]'' referred to Kier as a "[[Club Kid]] Icon," detailing how world class designers know her as a "legend and a lady," and highlighting how designers such as [[Thierry Mugler]] have borrowed from her look.<ref name="Vogue">{{Cite news | url=https://www.vogue.com/article/lady-miss-kier-industry-icons-club-kid-icon |title='90s Club-Kid Icon Lady Miss Kier on Her Latest Fashion Obsessions | first=LAIRD | last=BORRELLI-PERSSON | work=[[Vogue (magazine)|Vogue]] | date=September 12, 2016}}</ref>
* In 2022, an advertisement for [[Christian Dior]]'s "Dior Addict" included a cover of the Deee-lite song "What Is Love?". It was published to [[YouTube]] and titled "Dior Addict - The New Icon of Shine".<ref>{{Cite web | title=Dior Addict - The New Icon of Shine |website = [[YouTube]]| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vpozma3GnGw | date=March 17, 2022}}</ref>


==Movies and books==
In 2008, her single "Groove is in The Heart" was licensed for use a Sega video game ''[[Samba de Amigo]]'' for the [[Wii]] console, ironically appearing in a stage featuring Ulala.
In 2018, the [[Netflix]] series [[Big Mouth (American TV series)|''Big Mouth'']] used her song "Groove Is In The Heart" for an abortion sequence.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.avclub.com/nick-kroll-on-how-a-talk-by-planned-parenthood-led-to-b-1829562016|title=Nick Kroll on how a talk by Planned Parenthood led to Big Mouth's boldest episode yet|last=Adams|first=Erik|work=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=October 9, 2018|access-date=October 15, 2018}}</ref> In 1995, Lady Kier was featured in ''[[Wigstock: The Movie]]'', which included live footage of her performing and a song on the soundtrack.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Lady+Miss+Kier/_/Touch+Me+With+Your+Sunshine |title=Lady Miss Kier – Touch Me With Your Sunshine – Listen and discover music at |publisher=Last.fm |date=November 26, 2013 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> In 2001 she was included in ''Summer Love: The Rave-umentary''.<ref>[http://www.fandango.com/ladymisskier/overview/p543760 fandango.com] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110193855/http://www.fandango.com/ladymisskier/overview/p543760 |date=January 10, 2014 }}</ref> In 2005, Lady Miss Kier was the featured artist on the podcast ''Ron-Kat-Delic Show''. Her words also were shared through a number of published books, including ''Verbal Abuse – No 3'' by [[Chi Chi Valenti]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mothernyc.com/verbal/ |title=Verbal Abuse Magazine – Dispatches From the Nightclub Literati |publisher=Mothernyc.com |date=February 8, 2007 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> ''Creative Time: The Book: 33 Years of Public Art in New York'' by Anne Pasternak,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2002/06/25/Today-in-Music-A-look-back-at-pop-music/UPI-42021025000319/ |title=Today in Music: A look back at pop music |work=United Press International |date=June 25, 2002 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> ''Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Sampling'' by Kembrew McLeod and Peter DiCola<ref>{{cite web |url=http://futureofmusic.org/events/creative-license-book-release |title=Creative License Book Release &#124; Future of Music Coalition |publisher=Futureofmusic.org |date=February 26, 2011 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |archive-date=September 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910134435/http://futureofmusic.org/events/creative-license-book-release |url-status=dead }}</ref> and ''All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music'' by Vladimir Bogdanov.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GJNXLSBlL7IC&q=1995+apple+conference+lady+miss+kier&pg=PT74 |title=All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music – Vladimir Bogdanov – Google Books |isbn=9780879306281 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |last1=Bogdanov |first1=Vladimir |last2=Woodstra |first2=Chris |last3=Bush |first3=John |last4=Erlewine |first4=Stephen Thomas |year=2001 |publisher=Backbeat Books }}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

==Panels and appearances==
Lady Miss Kier has spoken at [[Princeton University]]'s "Youth Music and Youth Culture",<ref>{{cite news|last=Powers |first=Ann |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/11/24/arts/in-theory-and-practice-defining-youth-music.html |title=In Theory and Practice, Defining Youth Music |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=November 24, 1992 | url-access=subscription}}</ref> [[Cooper Union]]'s multimedia presentation "Hiccup" in 1993, [[Apple Inc.|Apple]]'s 1995 "Future Arts Panel" with [[Peter Gabriel]] and [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]] founder, [[John Perry Barlow]], [[George Washington University]]'s Law School Summit [[Future of Music Coalition]] in 2007<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.futureofmusic.org/newsletter/fmc-newsletter-60-september-6-2007 |title=FMC Newsletter No. 60 &#124; Future of Music Coalition |publisher=Futureofmusic.org |date=July 8, 2015 |access-date=July 12, 2015 |archive-date=May 1, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150501231509/https://www.futureofmusic.org/newsletter/fmc-newsletter-60-september-6-2007 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and [[New York University]]'s "NYU Panel Nelson Sullivan: Vlogging in the 80s" in 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nyu.edu/about/news-publications/news/2013/04/09/fales-hosts-a-panel-discussion-nelson-sullivan-vlogging-in-the-80s-april-25.html|title=NYU Fales Library Hosts A Panel Discussion Nelson Sullivan Vlogging in the 80s|publisher=Nyu.edu|access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> In 2013 she was featured in an exhibit entitled "NYC 1993", which was presented through New York City's [[New Museum]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newmuseum.org/exhibitions/view/nyc-1993-experimental-jet-set-trash-and-no-star |title=NYC 1993: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star |publisher=New Museum |access-date=July 12, 2015}}</ref> Beyond the installation, her voice recording was played via pay phones throughout the New York area. In 2013, Lady Miss Kier was the featured voiceover artist in The Jazz Foundation of America's animated promo for the event "A Great Night in Harlem".<ref>[http://jazzfoundation.org/Apollo2014] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140815003727/http://jazzfoundation.org/Apollo2014|date=August 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn8-WjVkpFk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/Yn8-WjVkpFk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|title=A Great Night in Harlem: Animated Promo |via=YouTube |date=April 25, 2013 |access-date=July 12, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==''Space Channel 5'' and lawsuit==
In April 2003, Kirby sued video game company [[Sega]], claiming that the character of "[[Ulala (Space Channel 5)|Ulala]]" in its [[Dreamcast]] game ''[[Space Channel 5]]'' was an unauthorized use of her likeness.<ref name=lawsuit>{{cite web|url=http://www.ladykier.com/segacase.htm |title=Lady Kier VS Sega |publisher=Ladykier.com |access-date=December 11, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061206003216/http://ladykier.com/segacase.htm |archive-date=December 6, 2006 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In July 2000, a Sega affiliate contacted Kirby to determine if she was interested in promoting the game in England utilizing the Deee-lite song "Groove Is in the Heart"; Kirby rejected the offer. Kirby alleged that the video game maker used her resemblance in the game (including the name Ulala – referencing Kirby's signature phrase "Ooh la la" in her performances). During the lawsuit, Sega showed that the game and the character had been created and released in Japan between 1997 and 1999. The developers claimed they had never heard of either Kirby, Deee-lite, or their music. The case lasted until 2006, when the judge ruled in favor of Sega and Kirby lost her appeal. The judge ruled that regardless of when the "Ulala" character was created, the character did not have a close enough resemblance to Kirby to deem misappropriation of likeness. Kirby was obliged to pay Sega's legal fees of $608,000 (reduced from $763,000 on request).<ref name="UlalaLawsuitB">{{cite web | author=John | date=September 25, 2006 | url=http://www.legalreader.com/2006925lady-miss-kier-hammered-with-opponents-attorneys-fees-html/ | title="Lady Miss Kier" Hammered With Opponent's Attorney's Fees | publisher=Legal Reader | access-date=December 11, 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061018052121/http://www.legalreader.com/archives/003453.html | archive-date=October 18, 2006 | url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=lawsuit2>{{cite court | litigants=Kirby v. Sega | court=Court of Appeal of California, 2nd District, Div. 8 | date=September 25, 2006 | accessdate=August 30, 2016 | url=https://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=3191814113989354720&q=%2250+Cal.Rptr.3d+607&hl=en&as_sdt=2002 | }}</ref> "Groove Is in the Heart" was later licensed for use in Sega's 2008 [[Nintendo Wii]] port of ''[[Samba de Amigo]]'', used in a section of the game where the Ulala character appears.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2008-11-07 |title=Review: Samba de Amigo |url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/review-samba-de-amigo/ |access-date=2024-05-19 |website=The Escapist |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Political views and activism==
Lady Kier is a social, environmental, and human rights activist. She is also a vocal advocate for [[LGBTQ rights]] and is a [[straight ally]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://grownasslady.com/2014/05/27/style-icon-lady-miss-kier/ |title=Style Icon: Lady Miss Kier « Grown Ass Lady |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180712153610/https://grownasslady.com/2014/05/27/style-icon-lady-miss-kier/ |archive-date=2018-07-12 |access-date=2020-11-15 |website=grownasslady.com}}</ref> As such, she has been invited to be a host, performer, [[master of ceremonies]], and [[disc jockey]] at [[pride parade]]s.<ref>{{Cite AV media |last=Mikey Sin |title=Mayor Rob Ford calls Lady Miss Kier (Deee-lite) at Pride Toronto |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOOoB-COUsk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/pOOoB-COUsk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live| via=[[YouTube]] | date=July 4, 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

She is in favor of abortion rights and is a [[women's rights]] advocate, was featured in TV informercial promoting pro-abortion rights political action "The Most Exciting Women in Music" alongside [[Corina (American singer)|Corina]], Juliet Cuming, [[Kim Gordon]] ([[Sonic Youth]]), [[MC Lyte]], [[Kate Pierson]] ([[The B-52's]]), [[Crystal Waters]], [[Tina Weymouth]] ([[Talking Heads]], [[Tom Tom Club]]) in 1991.<ref>{{Cite AV media | last=CheeseFoodProduct |title=The Most Exciting Women in Music | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUMLLsQozMg |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/qUMLLsQozMg |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live| via=[[YouTube]] | date=November 7, 2011}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.newsweek.com/raising-voice-choice-204072 | title=RAISING A VOICE FOR CHOICE | work=[[Newsweek]] | date=June 30, 1991}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2002/06/25/Today-in-Music-A-look-back-at-pop-music/42021025000319/ | title=Today in Music: A look back at pop music | work=[[United Press International]] | date=June 25, 2002}}</ref>

In 1991, Lady Miss Kier was an award presenter at the [[Reebok Human Rights Award]]s.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://bkhonline.com/the-reebook-human-rights-awards/ |title=The Reebok Human Rights Awards|work=Black History Magazine|date=March 16, 2013}}</ref>

She is a supporter of the [[environmentalist movement]].<ref name=Vogue/> The 1992 Deee-Lite album ''[[Infinity Within]]'' was the first CD released using eco-pak packaging, cutting the amount of plastic used by half.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-07-02-9202290002-story.html | title=DEEE-LITE, B-52'S TAKE A SERIOUS WRONG TURN | first=Greg | last=Kot | work=[[Chicago Tribune]] | date=July 2, 1992 | url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.studio-nibble.com/cd/index.php?title=Eco-Pak |title=Eco-Pak – cdHistory |website=studio-nibble.com}}</ref> On that album, she called attention to the issue of [[ozone depletion]] with her song "I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer".<ref>{{cite web |title=Deee-Lite – I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer |url=https://genius.com/Deee-lite-i-had-a-dream-i-was-falling-through-a-hole-in-the-ozone-layer-lyrics | publisher=[[Genius (website)|Genius]]}}</ref> ''Vogue'' Magazine has highlighted her "interest in supporting environmental causes".

She supports the [[anti-war movement]] and in 2010, she released a version of the [[P-Funk]] track "Bullet Proof" with Ray Mang; she had performed it before in 2005, during her world tour.<ref>{{Cite AV media | last=WestSavannah |title=Ray Mang (featuring Lady Kier) – Bulletproof | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZFxHc_Jwco |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/cZFxHc_Jwco |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live| via=[[YouTube]] | date=February 2, 2010}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

She supports the [[get out the vote]] movement. Her music video for the song "Vote Baby Vote", which she wrote "to get people interested in voting so they could vote [[George H. W. Bush|George Bush]] out",<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.portlandmercury.com/music/2016/06/15/18229405/its-a-good-time-for-the-positivity-of-deee-lites-lady-miss-kier | title=It's a Good Time for the Positivity of Deee-Lite's Lady Miss Kier | first=Courtney | last=Ferguson | work=[[Portland Mercury]] | date=June 15, 2016}}</ref> was featured for [[MTV]]'s "[[Rock The Vote]]" campaign in 1992 and was highlighted by ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' as one of the top "ten major moments in rock the vote history".<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/pictures/10-major-moments-in-rock-the-vote-history-20160712/deee-lites-vote-baby-vote-1992-20160711 | title=10 Major Moments in Rock the Vote History | last=Runtagh | first=Jordan | magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] | date=July 12, 2016}}</ref>

During the [[2016 United States presidential election]], she supported [[Bernie Sanders]]. She hosted an art exhibit at Hole Gallery in New York City and a fundraiser called "Bernin' Up NYC" to rally Sanders supporters.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://gothamist.com/news/bernie-in-the-bronx-if-we-win-ny-we-are-going-to-make-it-to-the-white-house#photo-14 |title=Bernie in the Bronx: "If We Win NY We Are Going To Make It To The White House!" | first=Christopher | last=Robbins | work=[[Gothamist]] | date=April 1, 2016}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
{{commons category}}
*[http://www.ladykier.com Lady Kier's Official Website]
*{{Official website}}
*[http://www.myspace.com/ladymisskierfromdeeelite Lady Kier's Official Myspace]
*[https://soundcloud.com/lady-miss-kier Lady Miss Kier's Official Soundcloud]
*[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Deee-Lite Deee-Lite Discography] at Discogs.com
*[http://www.discogs.com/artist/Deee-Lite Deee-Lite Discography]
*{{IMDb name|1398296}}


{{Deee-Lite}}
[[Category:1963 births|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:Living people|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:American singer-songwriters|Keir, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:American dance musicians]]
[[Category:American female singers|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:American pop musicians|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:American house musicians|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:Club DJs|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh musicians|Kier, Lady Miss]]
[[Category:People from Youngstown, Ohio|Kier, Lady Miss]]


{{authority control}}
[[fr:Lady Miss Kier]]

[[sv:Kierin Kirby]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kier, Lady Miss}}
[[Category:1963 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American dance musicians]]
[[Category:American women songwriters]]
[[Category:American pop musicians]]
[[Category:American club DJs]]
[[Category:American women DJs]]
[[Category:American LGBTQ rights activists]]
[[Category:Musicians from Pittsburgh]]
[[Category:Musicians from Youngstown, Ohio]]
[[Category:Fashion Institute of Technology alumni]]
[[Category:Singers from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Songwriters from Ohio]]
[[Category:Deee-Lite members]]
[[Category:American women in electronic music]]
[[Category:20th-century American women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women singers]]
[[Category:American hip-hop singers]]
[[Category:American women hip-hop musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singers]]
[[Category:American abortion-rights activists]]

Latest revision as of 11:12, 13 December 2024

Lady Miss Kier
Lady Miss Kier in 2005
Background information
Birth nameKierin Michele Kirby
Also known asLady Kier, Kier Kirby
Born (1963-08-15) August 15, 1963 (age 61)
Youngstown, Ohio, U.S.
OriginNew York City, New York, U.S.
Genres
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, DJ, producer
InstrumentVocals
Years active1986–present
LabelsElektra
Pluto Moon
Websiteladykier.com

Kierin Magenta Kirby (born August 15, 1963), known professionally as Lady Miss Kier, is an American singer, songwriter and DJ. Lady Miss Kier was the vocalist for the band Deee-Lite. She is a social, environmental, and human rights activist.

Early life

[edit]

Kirby was born in Youngstown, Ohio. As a child, she lived in Pittsburgh, Virginia Beach, and Washington, D.C.[1] At the age of 17, she moved to New York City to study fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology but she was disillusioned by the teachers and dropped out immediately. When she dropped out, she started to design and make her own eccentric disco-inspired clothes that she then sold to people she met at nightclubs.[1][2]

Music career

[edit]

Deee-Lite

[edit]

In 1982, Kirby met Ukrainian-born Dmitry Brill ("Supa DJ Dmitry") and designed, made, and sold him silver platform boots and a glitter blue spacesuit, for his band, Shazork. In 1986, she began experimenting with singing and writing music with Brill to form the band Deee-Lite. [citation needed]

Shortly after their first show in 1986, Brill was introduced to Towa Tei, a Japanese DJ of Korean descent. Several years later, Kirby and Brill invited him to join their band. Combining Kirby's vocal and writing talents with Brill's sampling skills and Tei's techno mixing, the three formed the band Deee-Lite. She continued to make a living as a waitress and go-go dancer[3] until the band signed a seven-album deal with Elektra Records.[citation needed]

Deee-Lite's sound was a mix of house music, techno and electronic dance music. Deee-Lite shot to stardom in 1990 with the release of their first album World Clique and the hit "Groove Is in the Heart". At the 1991 MTV Video Music Awards, Deee-Lite was nominated for several awards, including Video of the Year and Best New Artist. [citation needed] Within the group, Kirby took on the larger-than-life alter-ego "Lady Miss Kier". Kirby's initial look relied on revamped and exaggerated retro style 1960s fashion. Her signature look was a zip-up catsuit, platform shoes and flipped hair-do.

In 1992, the band released their second album, Infinity Within, a politically charged work. Their third album Dewdrops in the Garden was released in 1994.[4] Neither of the two follow-up albums matched the commercial success of the debut album.

Deee-lite disbanded in 1995 after Brill and Kirby's relationship fractured.[5] In 1996, a remix album was released. A greatest hits album was released in 2001.[5]

International DJ and songwriting solo career

[edit]

In 1995, after quitting the band, Lady Miss Kier moved to London where she began touring as a disc jockey and learning the technical end of production, recording, and engineering. In the late 1990s, she collaborated on the albums of Bootsy Collins, I Kamanchi and A Guy Called Gerald. In 2002, she contributed an exclusive solo track called "I'm Not Staying at Home" to the compilation Straight Up & Dirty.[1] Since going solo, she has featured and co-written with artists such as Full Cycle, George Clinton, Walter "Junie" Morrison, A Guy Called Gerald, Apollo Heights, and several P-Funk luminaries. Outside of the studio, she showcased her live performances with new material for various music, film, and art festivals, as well as headlining several gay pride events worldwide. In 2012, she began performing a Deee-Lite tribute for various occasions, including the 2013 Paris Fashion Week for Kenzo[6] as well as a tribute to New York City disc jockey Mark Kamins at Santos Party House.[7]

She performed as a disc jockey at clubs and music festivals including Coachella Festival (2007),[8] Berlin's Berghain (2010)[9] and Sydney Mardi Gras (2012),[10] as well as radio programs such as East Village Radio[11] and Sirius XM.[12]

Live performances

[edit]

In 2005, motivated by the invasion of Iraq, she began internationally performing live new unreleased music, including the DFA release covering George Clinton's anti–war song "Bullet Proof".[13] She has headlined numerous festivals and gay pride events as well as opened for James Brown's last tour at the Good Vibrations festival in Australia.[14]

Fashion recognition

[edit]

Kirby has received the following recognition in the fashion industry:

  • In 1990, she was on the cover of Vogue Italia.
  • In 1991, when designer Emilio Pucci was given a lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, she was asked to star in the tribute video.[15]
  • She collaborated frequently with designer Thierry Mugler throughout the 1990s.[16]
  • In 2010, Elle named her one of Music's 25 Most Influential Style Icons along with Grace Jones, Beyoncé, Debbie Harry, and MIA.[17]
  • In 2010, Glamour named Kier as one of the Top Influential Music Style Icons with Rihanna, Lady Gaga, and Gwen Stefani.[18]
  • In 2012, Vogue quoted her experience with John Fluevog and the rise of "The Munster" platform shoe, which was made famous as a symbol of the 1990s house/club underground DJ scene.[19] Fluevog Shoes credits her as the reason the shoe became popular.[20] Vice noted that "Indeed, Lady Miss Kier's taste for the massive John Fluevog platform shoes she famously wore on their first album cover helped propel the early 90s into a 70s fashion revival".[21]
  • In 2012, Rookie declared her a style icon.[22]
  • Shoe designer Jerome Rousseau named a shoe "Kier Iridescent Sandals" after her.[23]
  • In 2013, Ladygunn magazine featured a full spread on Kier in its Legends issue.[24]
  • In 2015, she was an inspiration for designer Jeremy Scott's Fall 2016 line, which debuted at New York Fashion Week.[25]
  • In 2015, Essie Weingarten's nail polish brand released a pink polish inspired by her, called "Groove Is in the Heart".[26]
  • In 2015, Givenchy's Milan Fashion Week show drew inspiration from her, borrowing a lyric from her World Clique album song "Power of Love", using the line "I believe in the power of love" as part of the branding of the debut of its Fall 2016 line.[27]
  • In 2016, an article in Vogue referred to Kier as a "Club Kid Icon," detailing how world class designers know her as a "legend and a lady," and highlighting how designers such as Thierry Mugler have borrowed from her look.[28]
  • In 2022, an advertisement for Christian Dior's "Dior Addict" included a cover of the Deee-lite song "What Is Love?". It was published to YouTube and titled "Dior Addict - The New Icon of Shine".[29]

Movies and books

[edit]

In 2018, the Netflix series Big Mouth used her song "Groove Is In The Heart" for an abortion sequence.[30] In 1995, Lady Kier was featured in Wigstock: The Movie, which included live footage of her performing and a song on the soundtrack.[31] In 2001 she was included in Summer Love: The Rave-umentary.[32] In 2005, Lady Miss Kier was the featured artist on the podcast Ron-Kat-Delic Show. Her words also were shared through a number of published books, including Verbal Abuse – No 3 by Chi Chi Valenti,[33] Creative Time: The Book: 33 Years of Public Art in New York by Anne Pasternak,[34] Creative License: The Law and Culture of Digital Sampling by Kembrew McLeod and Peter DiCola[35] and All Music Guide to Electronica: The Definitive Guide to Electronic Music by Vladimir Bogdanov.[36]

Panels and appearances

[edit]

Lady Miss Kier has spoken at Princeton University's "Youth Music and Youth Culture",[37] Cooper Union's multimedia presentation "Hiccup" in 1993, Apple's 1995 "Future Arts Panel" with Peter Gabriel and Electronic Frontier Foundation founder, John Perry Barlow, George Washington University's Law School Summit Future of Music Coalition in 2007[38] and New York University's "NYU Panel Nelson Sullivan: Vlogging in the 80s" in 2013.[39] In 2013 she was featured in an exhibit entitled "NYC 1993", which was presented through New York City's New Museum.[40] Beyond the installation, her voice recording was played via pay phones throughout the New York area. In 2013, Lady Miss Kier was the featured voiceover artist in The Jazz Foundation of America's animated promo for the event "A Great Night in Harlem".[41][42]

Space Channel 5 and lawsuit

[edit]

In April 2003, Kirby sued video game company Sega, claiming that the character of "Ulala" in its Dreamcast game Space Channel 5 was an unauthorized use of her likeness.[43] In July 2000, a Sega affiliate contacted Kirby to determine if she was interested in promoting the game in England utilizing the Deee-lite song "Groove Is in the Heart"; Kirby rejected the offer. Kirby alleged that the video game maker used her resemblance in the game (including the name Ulala – referencing Kirby's signature phrase "Ooh la la" in her performances). During the lawsuit, Sega showed that the game and the character had been created and released in Japan between 1997 and 1999. The developers claimed they had never heard of either Kirby, Deee-lite, or their music. The case lasted until 2006, when the judge ruled in favor of Sega and Kirby lost her appeal. The judge ruled that regardless of when the "Ulala" character was created, the character did not have a close enough resemblance to Kirby to deem misappropriation of likeness. Kirby was obliged to pay Sega's legal fees of $608,000 (reduced from $763,000 on request).[44][45] "Groove Is in the Heart" was later licensed for use in Sega's 2008 Nintendo Wii port of Samba de Amigo, used in a section of the game where the Ulala character appears.[46]

Political views and activism

[edit]

Lady Kier is a social, environmental, and human rights activist. She is also a vocal advocate for LGBTQ rights and is a straight ally.[47] As such, she has been invited to be a host, performer, master of ceremonies, and disc jockey at pride parades.[48]

She is in favor of abortion rights and is a women's rights advocate, was featured in TV informercial promoting pro-abortion rights political action "The Most Exciting Women in Music" alongside Corina, Juliet Cuming, Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth), MC Lyte, Kate Pierson (The B-52's), Crystal Waters, Tina Weymouth (Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club) in 1991.[49][50][51]

In 1991, Lady Miss Kier was an award presenter at the Reebok Human Rights Awards.[52]

She is a supporter of the environmentalist movement.[28] The 1992 Deee-Lite album Infinity Within was the first CD released using eco-pak packaging, cutting the amount of plastic used by half.[53][54] On that album, she called attention to the issue of ozone depletion with her song "I Had a Dream I Was Falling Through a Hole in the Ozone Layer".[55] Vogue Magazine has highlighted her "interest in supporting environmental causes".

She supports the anti-war movement and in 2010, she released a version of the P-Funk track "Bullet Proof" with Ray Mang; she had performed it before in 2005, during her world tour.[56]

She supports the get out the vote movement. Her music video for the song "Vote Baby Vote", which she wrote "to get people interested in voting so they could vote George Bush out",[57] was featured for MTV's "Rock The Vote" campaign in 1992 and was highlighted by Rolling Stone as one of the top "ten major moments in rock the vote history".[58]

During the 2016 United States presidential election, she supported Bernie Sanders. She hosted an art exhibit at Hole Gallery in New York City and a fundraiser called "Bernin' Up NYC" to rally Sanders supporters.[59]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "Lady Kier Discography". Discogs.
  2. ^ "Secret Style Icon: Lady Miss Kier". Rookie. September 18, 2012.
  3. ^ Knapp, Francky (June 18, 2019). "Muse du Jour: Lady Miss Kier". Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  4. ^ Phares, Heather. "AllMusic Review". AllMusic.
  5. ^ a b Drever, Andrew (February 13, 2006). "Lady Miss Kier". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. ^ Blasberg, Derek (March 12, 2013). "Derek Blasberg's Paris Fashion Week Diary: Fall 2013". Harper's Bazaar.
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