Being a DJ is not a piece of cake. It takes a lot of genius and craftsmanship to not only produce a new spin on beloved songs but also to create unique works of art. They are your hypemen and wingmen for every setting. Our country has seen an amazing explosion of talent in these past few years. And especially in the field of DJ-ing. With more and more people getting out of there comfort zones, the competition is getting tighter and better. The pace of our present world is also too high to keep up with. With so many uncertainties and challenges, success no longer remains formulaic. But Rishab Joshi and Prayag Mehta in the form of “Lost Stories’ have never failed to their absolute best.

Beginnings…

Growing up in Mumbai, Joshi was always surrounded by musicians. He would visualise himself pressing lots of buttons and producing music, his destiny seemed to have been laid out for him. But the beauty of life is stunning as well as strange. Situations that are poles apart can sometimes lead to the same, amazing outcome. For Mehta, getting into music happened in a dark period of time when he got into an accident as a teenager. At first, they only produced music. But later on, they realised how sick they were of hearing the same remixes again and again. And that is when they decided to pursue this as a full-time career.

They imbibe their creative inspiration from many places. Rishab grew under the enchanting influence of traditional Gujrati and Rajasthani folk music and that has remained the sound for lost stories ever since. In complement to this, Prayag looks a lot up to two master composers who revolutionised film scoring:  A.R Rahman and Hans Zimmer. But they are not just on the receiving end of inspiration, they are also looked up to by so many young and promising producers as ideals and mentors. 

Career…

Their career in DJ-ing has faced its fair share of challenges as well. And of course, acquiring enough capital to go on your path is not a mean feat. Especially in a field where equipment plays such a huge role. Sometimes, to gain your standing in the world, you must sacrifice your creativity in a bid to earn. That is just the commercial nature of the world. But this duo learnt how to find a nice balance between doing what they love and making the most out of it. 

With performances at Tomorrowland, Global Citizen Festival, Mysteryland, New Horizons Festival, Electric Daisy Carnival, Sunburn and VH1 Supersonic under the belt, they feel that their best is yet to come. They’re coming up with lots of new stuff this year, so keep an eye out. They also have their own eponymous academy to teach younglings about the ropes of the trade!

Many young artists succumb to the pressure of always producing the goods. Lost Stories urge us all to take care of our mental health and foster creativity in a healthy way.

“We strongly believe in creating and spreading awareness about mental health issues plaguing the dance music industry. We strongly urge young, aspiring artists to not give in to the pressures of the industry and feel free to ask for help if they feel lost”

Lost Stories

The art of being a DJ is severely underrated. One needs to understand every crevice of the music and almost dissolve into the rhythm to recreate it. They give you the groove and an experience which is hard to forget. They generate not just the beats but also an atmosphere in which you want to lose yourself. And most of all, they create something so awesome that it gets embedded in popular culture. In this millennia, many DJs have made it big in the music scene. Be it Tiesto, Calvin Harris, Skrillex or David Guetta, they have all carved themselves a solid niche in popular memory. But like many industries around the world, it is exceptionally hard for women to make their mark.

Beginnings and Career

Nina and Malika are two such phenomenal women who have taken DJ-ing to another level altogether. Not only are they a powerful DJ duo, but also childhood friends. Who says childhood friendships never last? Born and brought up in Bombay, they have been friends since the very beginning. Just like their mothers before them. Malika had worked in Finance for some time in Sydney when she decided to return to India to pursue a career in acting/modelling. Meanwhile, Nina was studying to go to the United States for College. But little did they know that soon enough, what they just did for fun would turn into a full-fledged career. 

And of course, there was no stopping their path to success! As their career escalated, they opened for Coldplay’s Global Citizen Concert in 2016 and also featured on the cover of the famed Rolling Stone magazine. On one hand, they had an untapped market but on the other, they had to overcome many obstacles to prove their worth as women in a traditionally male-dominant industry. But in their opinion, their most memorable gig was a small one in Raipur. They said it filled them with amazing synergies. And, they have also showcased their talent in parties for the likes of the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton, Roger Federer, Virat Kohli and Deepika Padukone. They have loved performing at the Sunburn, VH1 supersonic and Global Citizen.

In 2016 they also released their single ‘Never Let You Go’  with Zaeden through the record label Spinnin’ records which garnered over 20 million impressions. Not a small feat indeed. And apart from that, they love to incorporate Bollywood music, twists and styles with EDM to create a delightful experience.

Personal Lives

They also make it a point to lead a rich personal life, which includes many hobbies like baking, designing and writing and working out. Their faith in Christ motivates them to keep on putting in the effort. Zaeden with whom they have collaborated in the past, remains a big source of motivation for them, as do Christian worship songs. Faith and trust form the foundation of their partnership. Currently, they’re working on their latest track called ‘Fall for your love’ set to release this month! A little new year treat for all.

Their call to all aspirants is to be extremely passionate about what you want to do. In their words, “Passion leads to our destiny and purpose”.

“Don’t take no for an answer. Where there’s a will there’s a way. Stay focused on your dream. What you focus on, you will connect with. Without a vision, people perish. So visualise yourself reaching your goals and living out your passion. Your words have creative power too. So never speak negatively about yourself. Speak positive affirmations and don’t give up when things get tough.”

Nina and Malika

We only get seven notes, a few words and some colours to create works of art. It really is quite wondrous how so many artists around the world continue to create unique pieces that get our emotions flowing. The continuous need to perform is capable of adding a lot of pressure on ambitious artists. At the same time, the discomfort often ends up prompting people to raise the bar. On the 26th of November of this month, Zellix did just that with the release of a new independent single called ‘Aahatein’ featuring Aditi Sharma.

The duo put their talents in singing and acting to their utmost use in this brilliant release. The lyrics and music were provided by Zellix himself and Kash. With videography and editing by Achint Singh Films, it makes for an amazing watch for all music lovers out there. Watch out for an amazing flute bit by Rahul Krishnan. Such a good mix of talent is rare to come by, and we are glad to be able to showcase it!

Hailing from New Delhi, India, ZelliX created this song with a very particular theme in mind. It’s about the voices that get stuck in your head when someone you love is no more with you. He has worked on this song for a year and released it at just the right time to cap this year with an amazing listening experience!

Watch out for more melodies such as Aahatein and Happy Holidays!

Don’t you ever think about how much more splendid life would be if it were always accompanied by a soundtrack? The simple addition of music in our lives makes everything better. We match melodies to moods and lyrics to experiences. And somehow this is understood by all. It is so fascinating how some composers can translate entire stories into exact notes. Now imagine if states had soundtracks of their own. Picture the magnificent state of Uttrakhand and think of the music. Its folk music is enriched with ages of tradition and legacy. Garhwali music is not only immensely popular in India, but seems to get appreciated by people all around the world. 

One doesn’t even need to know the language to energise with the feeling. You can almost feel the brisk mountain breeze coming from the tall trees and hitting you in the face. Which reminds me! Next time you venture out for a quick drive to this northern state, don’t forget to put on these tunes. As they say, when in Rome do as the Romans do. Today, we bring you two selections which have added more feathers to this beautiful cap. So much that it can make Shri Narendra Singh Negi extremely proud.

And Now…

First up is ‘Mathu Mathu’ by Bhairavas with lyrics by Sankalp Khetwal. The combination of strings, voice and beats make it impossible to hear just once. This is the kind of song which will make you forget about the time. It’s truly a testament to the everlasting charm of Uttrakhandi music with comments of love pouring in from all around the world

Our second selection weaves in a fun narrative to go along with traditional music. ‘Geet Lagandi’ by Abhinav Rawat Official was released to YouTube on the 24th of July and sung by Abhinav Rawat. A playful garhwali song, it makes for a delightful viewing experience.

Happy Listening!

The scent of raindrops hitting the earth fills our soul as the pitter-patter of water is pure music to our ears. Everything is brighter and greener. The weather is beautiful and romantic. ‘Ab Ke Sawan’ which directly translates to ‘this time in monsoon’ is a portrayal of this exact illustration. It’s joy and happiness and love.  

Monsoon is the time when you sit with the love of your life, drinking a cup of hot chai. You’re sitting in the balcony or beside the window, listening to the tranquillizing melody of rain touching the earth. Either that or you’re drenched in pouring rainwater outside. It’s almost like the water washes away all our worries and at that moment we are untroubled, free.

Some might deem the weather to be sombre. And depending on the way you perceive it, it could be. Thunderstorms and lighting, loud and roaring, unforgivable floods; monsoon does bring destruction. But you cannot forget the pleasure while delving into the pain. ‘Ab Ke Sawan’ draws a parallel between this common theme shared by love and monsoon.

Both evoke euphoria, yet somewhere along the way, you drown in the depths of the unknown. Everything seems more beautiful and brighter when you’re in love. It might cause unrepairable damage too, but we still love the epic tales of romance, don’t we?

Through the language of music, we see two young lovers of ‘Ab Ke Sawan’, meeting for the first time. We follow their story as they get to know each other, share adorable moments together till they fall in love (in monsoon). What happens ahead, if their tale takes a happy ending or desolation takes over their lives, is something you’ll have to find yourself. Click the video to watch their riveting story unfold!