Marea Stamper, known best by her DJ alias The Black Madonna, has cultivated a disco and house-infused sound with a dark edge. She gels a sonic aesthetic that is unflinchingly true to her unique approach to dance music and has elevated the dance music scene in recent years.
Just last year, The Black Madonna reached #10 on Resident Advisor’s prestigious annual “Top DJ” poll, and was the first woman to grace the cover of Mixmag as their “DJ of the Year.” Despite her undeniably huge year, Stamper also remains resolutely humble. Within the tight-knit dance community, her recent success comes as no surprise. Behind the decks, Stamper showcases infectious energy, and a deep respect and love for dance music culture is evident in everything she does.
Whether throwing down jubilant house and disco sets on the dancefloor, or speaking out against bigotry— Stamper is used to standing out. A longtime activist, she has unapologetically used her platform to amplify the voices of women, people of color and the LGBTQ community.
We had the pleasure of having The Black Madonna on Morning Becomes Eclectic to talk about her come up, tribulations, and triumphs, and her pure love of dance culture. You’ll get a real sense of the woman behind the alias, and I think you’ll fall in love with her like I did. In the interview, Stamper breaks down her limited series “The History of The World Parts I – III” a series exclusive to KCRW, and wherein listeners get a peek into her extensive personal collection for a once-in-a-lifetime trek through the ABC’s of dance music—as only she can present it.
Catch The Black Madonna in the flesh this Saturday, October 28th at KCRW’s Masquerade Ball(tickets still available, btw), where she’ll transport you to another place and listen to her MBE interview below.
(photos: Aldo Parades)