What’s the best thing about being a DJ?
I’ve been an avid dreamer since I was 3 years old. I daydreamed about being a cosmonaut, a rock star, a battle knight and a scientist. I started spending a lot of time listening to anything that had an electronic beat to it. Clubbing at the right places made me listen to some great DJs. I finally took up DJing professionally after trying out medical school and fashion designing! The 90s saw the most euphoric days of clubbing and the tunes produced were epics. Oakenfold, Joshwink, Prodigy and Digweed shaped my early education! The rest just followed.
Did you face any challenges along the way?
I was brought up in a regular, middle-class family that preferred to stick to the safer path when it came to work. So, I grew up fighting the odds of a degree-driven family. I believed that I had to chase my dreams no matter what! In this time of conflict, torn between my free will and attractive career options, music kept me calm. I was pushed to go in for a ‘prestigious’ career like that of a ‘doctor’ or ‘engineer,’ which, to the disappointment of my family, was simply not working for me. I knew I had a creative streak in me that needed to be satisfied. So, while playing music as a hobby, I took up fashion designing, which didn’t work. Through all of this, the one thing that stood strong was the presence of music. Over time, as the markets opened up and money poured into the entertainment industry, it became possible for one to sustain a life as a DJ or musician. Everyone has the opportunity to try their hands at doing what they love rather than walking the safe path.
You have crossed boundaries and played sets around the world. Tell us more.
Yes! I regularly play in Nepal for events and festivals. In 2011, I played in Amsterdam at the prestigious Amsterdam Dance Event. I’ve played in Singapore, Bangkok, Brussels and Berlin, and this summer, I will be playing in clubs and festivals in Lebanon, Turkey and Western Europe.
Are you a full-time musician and DJ? Do you have a day job?
I am a DJ on a full-time basis. I have no job apart from this and other music related work. When people go to office, I sit in a studio and work on productions and making music! You shall soon be privy to some new sounds from Ankytrixx! On the weekends, I DJ and try to give people a great time.
What’s the best thing about being a DJ?
The travel, the crazy, passionate and creative people you meet, and the amazing feeling of standing behind the console and being able to see hundreds of smiling faces looking up at you after a long night of dancing and fun— that for me is the best part of being a DJ.
Your take on the dance music culture in India?
It’s great and allows artists like me to make a living doing what we love! Indian electronic dance music has taken off. Everyone who is connected to music, be it DJs, producers, promoters or clubbers, is going that extra mile to create a wholesome experience! The quality of gigs, artists and production is supreme and can match every other major global music destination.
A piece of advice for young and budding DJs out there?
Believe in yourself and keep your feet grounded. Everyone has the opportunity to realise his or her dreams. It’s possible to make a life doing what you love!
A PIECE OF GEAR YOU CAN’T DO WITHOUT IS-My headphones!
INFLUENCES: John Digweed, 16Bit Lolitas, Josh Wink, Liquid Soul, Ace Ventura, Nick Warren and Satoshie Tomie.
Volume 1 Issue 12
