DJ Shabster: Taking Bollywood music to the global stage
|Published
DJ Shabster is among the best DJs in the world. His path from celebrated DJ to dominating the global Bollywood music scene has been on a constant, upwards trajectory leading him to be one of the most loved DJs in the world.
The exhilarating and addictive tempo of his music instantly captivates the listeners to get on their feet.
Independent Media Lifestyle caught up with the DJ, who gave us an insight into who he is, his love for Bollywood music, how his music journey started and more.
Shabster is a Bollywood DJ, composer and producer originally from Chatsworth, Durban.
Currently residing in Musgrave with his wife and three children, he describes his DJing career thus far as a “musical experience when playing out at gigs”.
“I began my journey as a DJ at 16 when I acquired my first mixer, but I have been officially operating under my brand for the past six years. For the last four years, I have also been involved in composing bootleg music productions.
“Throughout this time, I have produced over a 100 single remixes and contributed to approximately five album releases,” said Shabster.
The DJ said his main area of expertise lies in Indian Bollywood music encompassing club or dance, Bhangra (Punjabi music), house (indo and techno), and more recently, the exploration of Afro and Amapiano genres infused with Desi music.
“Indian music has been ingrained in me since my childhood. In the early 1990s, Bally Sagoo, a British Indian composer and DJ, was among the pioneers who remixed and recreated popular songs with his unique twist on the music and beats.
“The success of these remix versions inspired me to delve deeper into purchasing and listening to more music. As time went on, my interest grew leading me to explore the world of music production and DJing,” he said.
“I have had the privilege of collaborating with more than 20 local and international DJs and music composers, which enabled me to perform as a guest in seven countries, including India, Kenya, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Texas in the United States, and South Africa,” said Shabster.
He said each DJ experience holds a special place in his memory, but two particular highlights stand out.
“In my DJ career, it has to be the music festivals where hundreds of people get to enjoy my performance.
“And in the field of music production, it was the moment when I brought together eight talented Desi composers from around the world to create an album featuring 15 smashing remix tracks,” he said.
Asked what kept him motivated during the toughest moments of his career, Shabster said: “It has been quite a journey in the DJ industry for me, as securing public events has proved to be quite challenging.
“The shift in mindset from promoters towards focusing on a DJ’s number of followers or social media fame has been noticeable. I categorise DJs in the Desi genre into three groups: the versatile and talented, the entertainer, and the chosen one.
“My followers continuously inspire me to deliver top-notch music productions with each new release. Additionally, experiences in different countries or cities have influenced me to broaden my horizons beyond just individual gig performances.”
Besides being in the music industry, the much-loved artist works as a senior systems consultant in the information technology sector.
He said combining his expertise in IT with his love for music production is a great fit for him.
Shabster is currently in the process of creating several fusion remix singles to be released by the end of 2024.
“I am excited about the prospect of collaborating with talented artists from SA shortly to work together within a record label, and touring are just some of my goals,” he said.