NDS, the DJ who enthralled everyone with his remix version of the Narcos theme song, played in the Capital recently, for the Baleno Wicked Weekends, at Summerhouse Café. We at DforDelhi spent some time with the DJ for an interview that included a special message for his fans & for all the budding DJs of the city.
DforDelhi: Your latest release the remix version of the Narcos theme song has been, we would say, one of the biggest desi hits this year. Did you ever imagine that your songs & this one in particular would see such success?
NDS: I had hoped that it would hit all the right notes. I always wanted to make music that is close to my heart , so I obviously hoped that people would like it & they eventually did. And while I try to experiment with various sounds & come out with fresh music there is always this nagging feeling that it might not gel well with people, but till now people have been really receptive to my music.
Also, I made a new version of the Narcos theme song which is slightly harder than the previous one, so wait for it, because its going to be EPIC!
DforDelhi: What inspired you to produce songs, especially in a country like India, that has only just seen a surge in EDM enthusiasts?
NDS: Well, I always wanted to be the first among the many people to roll out great music that appeals every age group. Especially since India is still growing in terms of the EDM scene here. So, when I see the international scene & the number of festivals that take place every year around the world, I always wanted to be at the top of every hit list.
DforDelhi: Who was that artist or artists who inspired you to go in the direction that you did?
NDS: It kept changing for me. Mostly because, earlier, I used to listen to so many artists that were producing different music all the time. So, yeah, my inspiration came from so many different artists that I can’t name them all. But I did use whatever I learnt from those artists & used the same techniques in order to create new music.
DforDelhi: How hard did you find it to solidify your position as the next big thing?
NDS: It was really difficult for me, in the beginning, but as I grew & as I kept on new sounds & tracks, I found a genuine difference in me & my music. You have to keep working hard & as you progress you will the difference.
DforDelhi: How has the experience been in Delhi while playing sets?
NDS: The experience of playing in the capital & this club has always been great especially since the crowd always seems very receptive to my music. Otherwise also when I play at other clubs like Raasta, the experience never fails to surprise me.
DforDelhi: What was the experience like, working with Dyro’s label WOLV?
NDS: It was really nice. And soon I’ll be releasing some new tracks, along with a few new remixes also. And most of them will be released this December so, wait for it because I have some really crazy tracks in the pipeline.
DforDelhi: How bright is India’s future in terms of electronic music? And where is it going?
NDS: I think India is the next big platform for EDM after all the major festivals, being hosted in various countries like the US. So, the future is bright & mostly because different festivals are happening in different cities & its really giving the push required to push the genre forward. A lot of producers are coming to the main stage, both domestic and international. And its not like I’m saying that budding producers should go abroad to learn the ropes but it does help, of course.
Places like Ibiza & Coechella already have a huge fan following, they understand the music and the following so, they are on a completely different level. But in India, the platform is right now still growing so, it will take some time, however, it will be big when it hits the right notes with the crowd.
DforDelhi: What do you think Delhi requires to boost the genre forward, besides the already established festivals?
NDS: I think that creating such programs is really the only way to push the genre forward. And people need to accept the kind of music that DJs play because most of the time DJs get a little anxious in terms of whether the crowd will like the songs being played. So, if you are playing some songs because that is what the crowd likes, then you will be digressing from your passion & the kind of music you want to play.
DforDelhi: What’s the plan for the future? Can we expect an album from you any time soon?
NDS: The immediate future will see some great tracks from me that will, hopefully, gel well with my fans & otherwise. But releasing an album will take time as right now I want to concentrate on creating Singles. So, I’m just waiting for the right time, in terms of audience building, to release my album.
DforDelhi: What do you think about Baleno Wicked Weekends?
NDS: Well I think that its great that they are doing some great work in terms of bringing new artists in & giving them a platform to work on & also to boost their career to the next level. And so, I sincerely hope that other brands also take such opportunities to promote up & coming artists. So, something like this will help create the right platform & will also create that night life which is synonymous with this kind of music & lifestyle.
DforDelhi: Any special message to other budding DJs who aspire to see the same fame as you one day?
NDS: To other upcoming DJs I would say keep experimenting with new sounds & stay true to your passion while working on them. And always remember that your own emotions should drive your music forward since that way you will stay true to yourself.