DJ Miko
Italian dance act known for cover versions and Eurodance compilations.
DJ Miko was an Italian dance project fronted by keyboardist Monier Quartararo Gagliardo (born 8 February 1973) and British performer Louise Anne Gard from Tunbridge Wells. The act is best known for its 1994 cover of 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up," and during its run released one album and twelve singles, mostly dance covers of older pop and rock hits.
The project was managed by Milan-based Dig It International, where Gagliardo worked as an in-house producer, and released on the label Hotline Records. Music production for all Hotline Records releases was handled by SAIFAM in Verona. After Dig It International closed in 1997, SAIFAM fully absorbed the project.
DJ Miko appeared frequently on the Eurodance compilation series *Dancemania*, especially its sub-series *Dancemania Speed* and *Dancemania Covers* starting in 1999, and contributed three covers to Konami's *Bemani* rhythm games. Over the years, the project used several studio vocalists. The debut single "What's Up" featured Milan singer Maria Caprì. The follow-up "Rhythm" had lead vocals by Annerley Gordon with background vocals by Cristina Dori. Singles from "Clementine" (1997) through "Shout" (2000) were sung by SAIFAM studio vocalist Jackie Bodiemead. The final vinyl single, "Forever Young" (2001), was performed by Italian studio singer and vocal coach Melody Castellari. More recently, SAIFAM has occasionally reused the DJ Miko name as an alias for dance covers on its compilation albums.
In video games, DJ Miko contributed covers to Konami's *Bemani* series, including "My Sharona" in *Dance Maniax* (called *Dance Freaks* in South Korea), available only on the game's first release. *Dance Dance Revolution A20* golden cabinets added "Sky High (20th Anniversary Mix)" by Haruki Yamada (ATTIC INC.) with Martin Leroux on June 27, 2019, a cover inspired by the DJ Miko version.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Italy
- Genre
- Italodance, Eurodance
- Years Active
- 1993–2001
- Label
- Dig It International (Hotline Records) / SAIFAM (One Way Records, Urban Zoo)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
DJ Miko was managed by the Milan-based record company Dig It International, for which Gagliardo already worked as an in-house producer, and released on its Hotline Records label. Music production was handled by SAIFAM in Verona. Following the closure of Dig It International in 1997, the project was fully absorbed by SAIFAM. Over their career, the project employed various studio vocalists. Their debut single "What's Up" was recorded by singer Maria Caprì from Milan. The follow-up, "Rhythm", featured lead vocals by Annerley Gordon and background vocals by Cristina Dori. The singles "Clementine" (1997) through "Shout" (2000) were all sung by Jackie Bodiemead, a studio vocalist at SAIFAM. "Forever Young" (2001), the final single released on vinyl, was sung by Italian studio singer and vocal coach Melody Castellari.
Reader's Guide
DJ Miko's significance lies in its role as a prolific cover act within the Eurodance scene, particularly through its appearances on the Dancemania compilation series and Konami's Bemani rhythm games. The project's cover of "What's Up" became a notable hit in 1993, and its music reached a wide audience through dance video games like Dance Dance Revolution and Dance Maniax. The group's legacy is also tied to the production model of SAIFAM, which later reused the DJ Miko name as an alias for new dance cover versions on compilation albums. While the project did not achieve sustained mainstream fame, its contributions to dance music compilations and rhythm games helped preserve and repackage past pop and rock hits for new audiences in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Did You Know?
- The project released its only album, The Last Millennium, in 1999 in Italy.
- DJ Miko contributed the cover "My Sharona" to the arcade game Dance Maniax, but does not have any tracks in the Dance Dance Revolution arcade series.
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