NEWS

Producer and composer Mira Calix has died

Acclaimed producer, composer, and multi-disciplinary artist Mira Calix has died, her label Warp Records has confirmed. She was 52 years old.

In a statment, Warp said: “We are devastated to learn about the death of our dear Mira Calix (Born Chantal Passamonte).

“Mira was not only a hugely talented artist and composer, she was also a beautiful, caring human who touched the lives of everyone who had the honour of working with her.”

The statement continued: “Mira has been a huge part of Warp’s family and history, as one of the first female artists signed to the label and releasing six albums from ‘one on one’ in 2000 to ‘absent origin’ in 2021.

“We are so proud of her immense creative output; her artwork, videos and music were a true reflection of what an innovative, pioneering and wonderful soul she was.

“She pushed the boundaries between electronic music, classical music and art in a truly unique way. She will be terribly missed by everyone at the label, staff and artists alike.”

Born as Chantal Passamonte in Durban, South Africa in 1970, Calix worked as a publicist for Warp in the 1990s before the release of her debut album ‘One On One’. Starting out as an electronic producer, she went on to incorporate classical composition and multidisciplinary art into her ambitious work.

Her death prompted tributes from across the industry. Fellow Warp artist Onehotrix Point Never said: “She was so talented and honestly one of the funniest people I ever met,” while BBC 6 Music DJ Maryanne Hobbs described the news as “heartbreaking”, remembering Calix as “an ingenious, pioneering artist.. always questioning, always pushing..”

The musician Gwenno described the news as “a terrible loss of an incredible talent,” while composer Daniel Pemberton penned a lengthy tribute, calling her “an amazing artist who had a huge impact on me personally in ways she probably never knew.” You can see those, and further tributes below.