I
Mitsou

About:

Mónika Juhász Miczura is a Roma singer from Békéscsaba Hungary. She is also known as 'Mitsu' and 'Mitsou'. Mitsu attended the drama-literature department at the Secondary Grammar School of Szentes. She performed first on stage at the age of 16 which happened at a school talent seeking show. She sang a Gypsy song and her performance was a great surprise because a thing like that was considered not done. Later on the family moved to Budapest.

Here she met the group Ando Drom with whom she sang for eight years. Ando Drom means 'Oon the road' in the Romany language and was founded in 1984 by multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Jeno Zsigó. Mitsou also started her individual career during the years she spent together with the band. She mainly participated in movie soundtracks (Tony Gatlif: Gadjo Dilo, Swing, Kamondy Zoltán: Kísértések).

In 2002 she starts the band Mitsoura together with some members of Andro Dom. With band she wants to combine traditional Roma and electronic music. And so tries to blend the traditional with the super-modern. The debut album Mitsoura was released in 2003. On the  album Mitsu combines her Gypsy traditions with vocal techniques from India, seeking the ancient bonds that connect the Roma (Gypsy) people with India. In addition, she has been a guest artist on the albums of Fanfare Ciocărlia's 'Kings and Queens' (2007, Rumania), Bratsch's 'Rien dans les poches' (2000, France) and Besh O Drom's 'Once I catch the devil' (2006). She is also a member of the 'Global Vocal Meeting' project. In 2009 the second album of the band is released called 'Dura Dura Dura'.

On the web:

- Mitsoura's website: http://www.mitsoura.net

If you like this, you probably like... / european counterparts:

Värtinna (Finland)

Mari Boine (Norway)

What do we think:

DB: I ripped the song 'Devat ku' from a Hungarian Midem sampler. Although the hungarian samplers usually weren't much good this song was a suprise. Like a mix between Värtinna and Dead Can Dance. Getting hold of the cd next turned out to be very difficult. After a year of searching the web i found a folkmusic seller in Britain that still had one in stock. An act sadly ignored by the main public and one who should get more appreciation around Europe.

PR: Mitsou is a great singer and with this project, she delivers a very interesting eclectic album. Is is traditional folk music with a modern and sometimes gothic touch. The sound should be able to appeal to a large audience, looking at the popularity of acts like Värtina. I look forward to new creative output of this intersting group!

Albums:

♪♪♪ - Mitsoura - 2003

♪♪♪♪ - Dura Dura Dura - 2009

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♪♪♪♪♪ = outstanding album, an absolute must-have
♪♪♪♪ = great album, highly recomended
♪♪♪ = nice album
♪♪ = be careful, requires listening before buying
♪ = best to be avoided