It’s just after midnight on the 10th anniversary of big room electro-house artist, DJ and producer KSHMR’s first ever show under that name. We’re at a sold out Academy LA and the floor is brimming with anticipation as KSHMR readies for his set. Exiting the green room and up the stairs to stage, KSHMR exudes a palpable inner peace, even as the the crowd gets increasingly more intense with every step.
The name KSHMR is a tribute to his Indian roots, which weave their way into many of his melodic structures and have been lifting fans to their feet since his debut track Megalodon dropped in 2014 (pro tip: hear it in the club at 15:22 of our First Drop video below). Though he’s had countless Beatport #1’s, has collaborated with dance legends the likes of Tiesto and Hardwell, won DJ Mag’s “Best Live Act” award, launched his own record label (Dharma Worldwide) as well as Dharma Studio (giving producers a chance to channel some KSHMR magic), it feels like he’s still writing his first chapter. KSHMR’s recent release of the blissful “Happy (feat. Tiina)” and today’s drop of dance floor banger “Devotion” with 22Bullets is a testament to his longevity.
We sat with KSHMR to talk about his current tour, what he’s working on, his writing and production process, as well as some insights into how he approaches DJ sets vs. live performances. Step into the DJ booth with KSHMR and watch his exclusive SPIN First Drop below. To check out more SPIN First Drops, head over to SPINTV.
