Sally Shapiro
Encyclopedia
Sally Shapiro is the pseudonym
of a Swedish vocalist and the name of the Italo disco
/synthpop
duo composed of Shapiro and musician Johan Agebjörn.
and Italo disco
. Agebjörn shed some light on the choice of the fictional stage name in an October 2007 interview with Exclaim!
' magazine:
Sally Shapiro's debut album, 2007's Disco Romance
, was produced by Agebjörn. The album received strong reviews, and Shapiro was championed by many prominent music blogs including Pitchfork Media
. The album was released in North America on 16 October 2007 by Canadian-based indie label Paper Bag Records
; it is a ten-track album featuring artwork by Canadian designer Geoff Wilson.
Shapiro is notable for shunning publicity and has never revealed her real name. However, in an interview with Swedish webzine Judy in September 2007, she talked for the first time about considering performing live:
In spring 2008, Sally Shapiro went on a short DJ tour, but on a February 2009 post on Sally Shapiro's Myspace blog, Agebjörn stated that Sally would not perform again:
On 15 April 2008, Sally Shapiro's remix album Remix Romance Vol. 1
was released worldwide by Paper Bag Records. Some of the names on this remix album are Junior Boys
, Jon Brooks
, Lindstrøm
, Holy Fuck and Juan Maclean.
Quickly following Vol. 1, Remix Romance Vol. 2
was released on 17 June 2008. It contains remixes by Dntel
, The Russian Futurists
, Solvent
and Alexander Robotnick
. This volume is only available as a download.
Sally Shapiro's single "Miracle" was released on 16 June 2009. It is similar in style to previous Shapiro singles.
Their second studio album, My Guilty Pleasure
, was released in August 2009. Like the previous work, it was recorded alone.
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
of a Swedish vocalist and the name of the Italo disco
Italo disco
Italo disco encompasses much of the dance music output in Europe during the 1980s. It is one of the world's first forms of mostly electronic dance music and evolved during the late 1970s and early 1980s in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe...
/synthpop
Synthpop
Synthpop is a genre of popular music that first became prominent in the 1980s, in which the synthesizer is the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s by the use of synthesizers in progressive rock, electronic art rock, disco and particularly the "Kraut rock" of...
duo composed of Shapiro and musician Johan Agebjörn.
History
Shapiro grew up listening to Swedish pop and disco and the band was influenced by EurobeatEurobeat
Eurobeat is a form of italo-disco/hi-NRG music that developed in the late 1980s.In the United States, Eurobeat was sometimes marketed as Hi-NRG and for a short while shared this term with the very early freestyle music hits....
and Italo disco
Italo disco
Italo disco encompasses much of the dance music output in Europe during the 1980s. It is one of the world's first forms of mostly electronic dance music and evolved during the late 1970s and early 1980s in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe...
. Agebjörn shed some light on the choice of the fictional stage name in an October 2007 interview with Exclaim!
Exclaim!
Exclaim! is a monthly Canadian music magazine that features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with special focus on Canadian and cutting-edge artists...
' magazine:
Sally Shapiro's debut album, 2007's Disco Romance
Disco Romance
Disco Romance is the debut album by Swedish electronic duo Sally Shapiro. It was released in Europe on 22 November 2006 by Diskokaine and in North America on 30 October 2007 by Paper Bag Records.-Track listing:...
, was produced by Agebjörn. The album received strong reviews, and Shapiro was championed by many prominent music blogs including Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
. The album was released in North America on 16 October 2007 by Canadian-based indie label Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records
Paper Bag Records is a Canadian independent record label and artist-management company, founded in 2002 and based in Toronto, Ontario.-History:...
; it is a ten-track album featuring artwork by Canadian designer Geoff Wilson.
Shapiro is notable for shunning publicity and has never revealed her real name. However, in an interview with Swedish webzine Judy in September 2007, she talked for the first time about considering performing live:
In spring 2008, Sally Shapiro went on a short DJ tour, but on a February 2009 post on Sally Shapiro's Myspace blog, Agebjörn stated that Sally would not perform again:
On 15 April 2008, Sally Shapiro's remix album Remix Romance Vol. 1
Remix Romance Vol. 1
Remix Romance Vol. 1 is a remix compilation album by Sally Shapiro. It collects previously existing and newly minted versions of tracks from Disco Romance, including those produced by Holy Fuck, Jon Brooks, Junior Boys, The Juan MacLean, Lindstrøm, Skatebård, and Tensnake.Some tracks feature the...
was released worldwide by Paper Bag Records. Some of the names on this remix album are Junior Boys
Junior Boys
-History:Junior Boys formed in 1999 in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada as a duo of Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark. Years of collaboration followed and a demo was produced, but after many rejections and near-misses, they were resigned to being bedroom beat constructors. Soon after, Johnny Dark left the...
, Jon Brooks
The Advisory Circle
The Advisory Circle is an alias of electronic musician Jon Brooks . His releases as The Advisory Circle are on the Ghost Box Music label....
, Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm
Hans-Peter Lindstrøm is a Norwegian producer who works under the name Lindstrøm. He often collaborates with fellow producer Prins Thomas . Lindstrøm won a Spellemannsprisen in 2008 for Where You Go I Go Too...
, Holy Fuck and Juan Maclean.
Quickly following Vol. 1, Remix Romance Vol. 2
Remix Romance Vol. 2
Remix Romance Vol. 2 is a remix compilation album by Sally Shapiro. Like its predecessor Remix Romance Vol. 1, it collects previously existing and newly produced versions of tracks from Disco Romance...
was released on 17 June 2008. It contains remixes by Dntel
Dntel
James Scott "Jimmy" Tamborello, more commonly known as Dntel , is an electronic music artist. He is sometimes cited as James Figurine, the co-programmer and vocalist for the electropop outfit Figurine. Other projects include Strictly Ballroom, Headset and The Postal Service. Tamborello has...
, The Russian Futurists
The Russian Futurists
The Russian Futurists are a Canadian indie pop band based in Toronto. Their music can be described as lo-fi, indie-electronica fused with a twee-pop temperament...
, Solvent
Solvent (producer)
Solvent is the stage name used by electronic producer and remixer Jason Amm . Although his music has been included in the electroclash movement , many of Solvent's tracks fall under the intelligent dance music or electropop genres...
and Alexander Robotnick
Alexander Robotnick
Alexander Robotnick is an Italian electronic musician. He made his debut on the Italian music scene as the founding member of Avida, a dance-cabaret band featuring Daniele Trambusti and Stefano Fuochi....
. This volume is only available as a download.
Sally Shapiro's single "Miracle" was released on 16 June 2009. It is similar in style to previous Shapiro singles.
Their second studio album, My Guilty Pleasure
My Guilty Pleasure
My Guilty Pleasure is the second studio album by Swedish electronic duo Sally Shapiro. It was released on 21 August 2009 by Permanent Vacation.-Track listing:-Personnel:* Sally Shapiro – vocals* Johan Agebjörn – producer...
, was released in August 2009. Like the previous work, it was recorded alone.
Remix albums
- Remix Romance Vol. 1Remix Romance Vol. 1Remix Romance Vol. 1 is a remix compilation album by Sally Shapiro. It collects previously existing and newly minted versions of tracks from Disco Romance, including those produced by Holy Fuck, Jon Brooks, Junior Boys, The Juan MacLean, Lindstrøm, Skatebård, and Tensnake.Some tracks feature the...
(2008) - Remix Romance Vol. 2Remix Romance Vol. 2Remix Romance Vol. 2 is a remix compilation album by Sally Shapiro. Like its predecessor Remix Romance Vol. 1, it collects previously existing and newly produced versions of tracks from Disco Romance...
(2008) - My Guilty Pleasure – Remixes (2010)
Singles
- "I'll Be By Your Side" (2006)
- "Anorak Christmas" (2006)
- "Jackie Jackie (Spend This Winter with Me)" (2008)
- "Spacer Woman from Mars" (with Johan Agebjörn, Rude 66 and Elitechnique) (2008)
- "He Keeps Me Alive" (2008)
- "Miracle" (2009)
- "Love in July" (2009)
- "The Explorers" (CFCFCFCF (musician)CFCF is the stage name of Canadian electronic musician Michael Silver. Based in Montreal, Silver took the name CFCF from the call sign of the city's CFCF-TV....
featuring Sally Shapiro) (2009) - "Don't Be Afraid" (Anoraak featuring Sally Shapiro) (2010)
- "Casablanca Nights" (Johan Agebjörn featuring Lovelock & Sally Shapiro) (2011)
- "Alice" (Johan Agebjörn featuring Le Prix, Fred Ventura & Sally Shapiro) (2011)
- "Spacer Woman From Mars" (Johan Agebjörn featuring Sally Shapiro) (2011)
External links
- Official website
- Sally Shapiro's MySpace
- Johan Agebjörn website
- DISKOKAINE is Sally's Label Worldwide except North America
- Paper Bag Records is Sally's Label in North America
- Audiojunkies Interview with Sally Shapiro
- Judy.se interview with Sally Shapiro, in Swedish
- Swedish Dancing Queen Comes to Canada AOL Music Canada article
- Sally Shapiro article November 2007
- Venus Zine article
- Just Mag interview
- Out article
- Dummy interview