IT was probably growing up in a home where he was exposed to music of all kinds which laid the foundation for India’s DJ Lloyd (pictured) to become the country’s leading DJ today.
He brings his unique sound to the BollyBoom electro dance experience, which will take place as part of the World Jam Music Festival in Durban next month.
Bollyworld caught up with the DJ to find out what he’ll bring to South African soil.
Explaining how he became intrigued with the idea of EDM fused with Bollywood, he says: “When I heard Robert Miles’ track, Children, in ’94, I thought of composing a similar sound. And in 1998, that was an experimental track I composed and it worked really well, but we officially couldn’t release it because it was a bootleg. But it worked out well as a bootleg and it played all over the world in Indian clubs. That was my way of connecting Indian music and culture to EDM.”
With more than two decades in the music industry, DJ Lloyd’s sound varies from hip hop, house and psychedelic to various genres of electronica. What’s interesting is that he has found his pursuit in what Indians are most passionate and proud of: Bollywood.
Speaking about his earliest musical inspirations, he says: “My dad used to listen to Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole and Julio Iglesias. All the classics. My elder brother listened to disco like The Bee Gees and that’s where my inspiration was formed.”
A press release states that DJ Lloyd is the only Indian DJ to have several international accomplishments to his credit. He was invited to represent India in the DMC World DJ Mixing Championship for two consecutive years; Paris in 1998 and New York in 1999. Winning the first runner up position two years in a row laid the foundation for his successful international stints.
He is the only Indian DJ to have collaborated with international artists such as Nicole Scherzinger and Britney Spears. He has also opened for music legends like Def Leppard, Gypsy Kings, UB40, Diana King and Will Smith, with opening DJ sets alongside international DJ stalwarts like Paul Van Dyk, Nick Warren, Mylo, Tall Paul, Judge Jules and Antoine Clamaran.
On his involvement in Bolly- Boom, he says: “I think it’s such a great sound in our traditional music. And EDM and house complements that element of sound. And it’s something that will appeal to everyone who likes EDM.”
Steering the conversation to his trip to South Africa, DJ Lloyd says he is excited to be visiting our country for the first time: “It’s going to be a new experience and I have high expectations. I know there are a lot of South Indians in South Africa. And I believe the line-up of artists is going to make a great show. So I’m really looking forward to coming to South Africa and it’s going to be something different from what they have heard before.”
• Daily tickets to the World Jam Music Festival on December 6 and 7: R300 to R950, R510 to R1 615 for a two-day pass at Computicket. See www.worldjamdurban.com.