Blond:ish

Bakos was born in Stoney Creek, Ontario and moved to Montreal, where she studied computer science at McGill University.^[10][11]

In 2007, Bakos formed BLOND:ISH at the Winter Music Conference. The act began performing in 2008 while running and DJing a residency called Blond:ish at the Cherry Nightclub in Montreal.^[12][13] In 2010, BLOND:ISH moved from Montreal to London to focus more on music production and become immersed in the London music scene.^[13] While in London, they worked with veteran engineer and producer Ian Mckenzie, further refining their sound and expanding their production skills.

In 2012, BLOND:ISH released the Lonely Days EP on Noir Music.^[14] After the release of Lonely Days, the act was signed by Kompakt label boss Michael Mayer, who released the next EP, Lovers in Limbo, that same year.^[15]

In 2013, the act joined Get Physical Music, where they released their Strange Attractions EP with Thomas Gandey.^[16][17] As a result of their success, BLOND:ISH was commissioned to produce remixes for Depeche Mode,^[18] Pete Tong, Maya Jane Coles, Kate Simko, and WhoMadeWho.^[19]

From 2013 to 2014, the duo recorded two more Kompakt EPs, Inward Visions and Wunderkammer, from a makeshift studio near the Mayan temples in Tulum with McKenzie. From 2011 to 2023, McKenzie worked closely with BLOND:ISH as a production engineer and songwriter, contributing to various studio projects and supporting key stages of their creative development.

In 2015, BLOND:ISH released the first album, Welcome to the Present, under Kompakt.^[20]

On 16 April 2016, the act premiered their debut Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1, which they recorded in a makeshift studio in Tulum, Mexico.^[21][22] BLOND:ISH have released music on labels like Get Physical,^[16] Kompakt,^[15] Leftroom,^[23] and Noir.^[14] The act have also played at Burning Man.^[24][25]

In 2019, Anstascia D’Elene Corniere split from BLOND:ISH, while Vivie-Ann Bakos continued with the project.^[4]

The single "Waves" was a Juno Award nominee for Underground Dance Single of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2022.^[26] They received a second nomination in the same category at the Juno Awards of 2023 for "Aye Aye".^[27] "Call My Name" was awarded the Underground Dance Single of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2024. ^[28]

On 14 February 2025 the sophomore album Never Walk Alone was released.^[29] The album marks the first physical release for BLOND:ISH. The vinyl release features a unique component called BioVinyl, a recyclable material comparable to conventional vinyl pressing.^[30][31] The BioVinyl release furthers the work of charity Bye Bye Plastic, to address the use of fossil fuels in the production of vinyl records.

BLOND:ISH has played festivals and events like Flying Circus,^[32] SXMusic Festival,^[33] Symbiosis Gathering,^[34] the BPM Festival,^[35] ENTER.,^[36] Mysteryland,^[37] Ultra Music Festival,^[38] and Wisdom of the Glove, Echoes from Agartha, Cercle .^[39]

On 1 February 2022, it was announced that BLOND:ISH would perform at the 2022 SXM Festival on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin/Sint Maarten in March of 2022.^[40]

In 2024 BLOND:ISH performed at the Yuma Tent at Coachella, Rock in Rio, and Tomorrowland festival.^[41][42][43]

On 3 December 2024, it was announced that BLOND:ISH would perform at Electric Forest in June of 2025. ^[44]

In 2017, BLOND:ISH launched her record label, brand, and event series ABRACADABRA.^[2][4][45] Under the ABRACADABRA brand they have held brand events in Miami and New York. The label hosted an ABRACADABRA stage at Tomorrowland in 2018, taking over the LEAF stage for both Saturdays of the festival.^[46] In 2020, the label launched the ABRACADABRA TV channel on Twitch to stream live music performances during the COVID-19 lockdown.^[45]

In 2025, Abracadabra held an 11-week headline residency at Pacha Ibiza, running every Wednesday from May through July. Billboard described the residency as "a landmark moment" for the venue.^[8] The residency returned for a second season in 2026.^[47] Events have also been held in Miami, New York City, Los Angeles, Tulum, Paris, Buenos Aires, and Mykonos.^[48]

Bakos co-founded the Bye Bye Plastic Foundation with Camille Guitteau in January 2020, along with its #PlasticFreeParty movement to promote sustainability in the music industry.^[9][49][50] The charity aims to eliminate single-use plastics from the music industry by 2025 by promoting eco-riders for artists and providing resources for promoters to encourage sustainable practices.

The organization's Eco-Rider, a sustainability clause for touring artists' performance contracts, has been adopted by more than 1,500 DJs, preventing over 325,000 single-use plastic bottles from circulation.^[51] In September 2025, Bye Bye Plastic launched the Zero Plastic Club: NYC initiative during Climate Week NYC, with the goal of eliminating 42 tons of annual plastic waste from New York's nightlife industry.^[52]