EDMTunes had an awesome chat with the one and only KSHMR. He is not only an amazing songwriter but also a talented DJ, record producer, and former Pop producer of a handful of top hits. It was such a pleasure to talk to him!
LA-based KSHMR is back with a massive new release that celebrates an equally significant milestone in the form of ‘Devotion‘, a club record he’s been taking on tour in honor of his 10-year anniversary as a DJ and producer under the KSHMR moniker. Always one to embrace his Indian heritage as well as pay tribute to other cultures around the world, he teamed up with Thai artist 22Bullets for the new track. ‘Devotion‘ fuses hard-hitting basslines with dynamic instrumental synths and KSHMR’s trademark melodies, making for a truly entrancing sonic experience that breaks away from genre constructs and exists in an exhilarating category of its own, all built around the famous sample from Nomad‘s 1990’s hit ‘(I Wanna Give You) Devotion‘. The track has already proven to be a favorite during KSHMR’s live sets on his North American club tour and his Ultra Music Festival Miami Main Stage performance in March, and it celebrates a decade of the KSHMR project since the 2014 debut of ‘Megalodon‘. Thailand‘s 22Bullets has previously collaborated with the likes of David Guetta, Ty Dolla $ign, Fedde Le Grand, and more, and has released music on KSHMR’s Dharma imprint; home to Electronic Dance Music from around the world. Their previous collaboration ‘It Isn’t Me‘ released on the label in 2022.
The Interview
(Please note, the bolded text represents a question, while the paragraph(s) following it represent Kashmr’s answers.)
1. Let’s start by acknowledging an incredible milestone — 2024 marks a decade since KSHMR emerged onto the global music scene. Looking back at your journey thus far, what reflections come to mind, and how do you feel about reaching this significant milestone?
Yeah, it’s crazy. I mean, it doesn’t feel like 10 years. In some ways it does feel like a long time though because I just hauled so much ass, especially at the beginning of the project, making so much music, everything I wanted to accomplish or convey, communicate with the KSHMR project, with the sound I did, and then even did some side quests like making this Hip-Hop album in India. Sometimes I look back on all that and I’m really proud of it. Also, I feel a little exhausted, which is why I’m giving myself this next month in May to just take a break from music. But there are still things that interest me and that I look forward to diving into and bringing the KSHMR sound to. But yeah, I’m just really proud of everything I was able to accomplish with the help of my team. I couldn’t ask for anything more – it’s been great.
2. Recently, you concluded a thrilling North America club tour, culminating in a double sold-out show in Los Angeles. Could you share some highlights from that experience, and what can fans expect from your forthcoming European tour?
Great North American club tour. It was nice to do some stuff in America because I’m often in Asia and Europe. So yeah, it was a big motivator for me, and also to make a lot of new edits, new mashups, dust off the old sets and get rid of some old stuff that I’ve been playing for too long. And reinvent the show, offer people a lot of new stuff. It was great. It motivated me to finish up some of the music that was a work in progress too. So I’m really happy about that. An upcoming European tour, not yet, I just did a bunch of Europe. That was a lot of fun. Europe is always super receptive, they love the harder stuff and it’s one of my favorite regions to play in.
3. Speaking of unforgettable moments, your recent performance at Ultra Music Festival‘s mainstage captivated audiences worldwide. Can you give us some insights into your preparation for such monumental performances, and what it meant to you to grace that stage?
Yeah, Ultra, Tomorrowland, these are the kind of festivals that you put a lot of thought into to make sure that you’re providing something special. You know, not only the people that are there are going to see it, but also people online are going to watch it on YouTube. So, a lot of effort into creating something unique that people haven’t seen from me before goes into those shows. Now, this one in particular had some hurdles because my set was cut short due to the rain. It was cut to 30 minutes. And then when I got on stage, some rain dumped on the equipment. That shortened my set even further. But I was able to hustle and still get a show that incorporated a lot of the music and wanted to play for people in it. And hopefully they appreciate it. It seems like they did.
4. Your latest single, ‘Devotion’, with 22Bullets, has been generating quite a buzz. Can you give us a sneak peek into the inspiration behind the track and what listeners can expect from it?
The song is out now! I think listeners have heard that it’s a sample of an old Dance track. 22 Bullets had the original idea. I came in, did my thing on it, added some sections, added some melody, some music, just classic collaboration. And it’s been a great song to play live. One of my favorites to play live in my shows, so yeah, just really, really happy about that and about the response it’s gotten.
5. Beyond ‘Devotion’, what other projects do you have in the works, and what can we expect from you in 2024? Any tours, collaborations, or exciting ventures on the horizon?
I’m taking a break for May, I’m actually going to drive an RV around the country with my dogs and some friends, so that’ll be a nice little break, you know, just from touring and music creation because between the two I almost don’t have any downtime. So yeah, I’m looking forward to that break and then after that, it’s going to be more tour, there’ll be more music, just the usual stuff. I’ve been interested in Deep House with an ethnic sound which is probably something I’m going to explore more once I get back into the rhythm of music after this break.
6. Before we conclude, let’s touch upon your heritage and your continued involvement in the Indian market. Your album KARAM showcased a beautiful fusion of cultures and sounds. How does your Indian-American background influence your music, and what significance does it hold for you personally?
Yeah, my Indian heritage plays a big role in my music, you know, as you can see by my name, KSHMR, that’s where my family is from, and I love to incorporate it into my songs and in the case of KARAM I even went out to do a whole album out there because Hip-Hop was booming. Hip-Hop is a big passion of mine, and to see that booming in India made me want to be a part of it, and I was very blessed that so many of the amazing artists there were willing to collaborate with me. So you’ll continue to hear that be a part of my sound, not the only part of my sound, but a very important one.
7. Thank you so much for sharing your insights and experiences with us today, KSHMR. We have a lot of your fans asking about you at EDMTunes. Do you have some words for them?
Yeah, thank you guys. I feel really blessed that even after 10 years, you’re still checking for me and I hope to make you proud with the music and the sample packs and everything else that I’ll be bringing to the table over the next years.