As Tapori continues to electrify dancefloors and captivate audiences worldwide, The Pioneer catches up with the genius behind the track—DJ Lyan. In an intimate and insightful conversation, Lyan shares his thoughts on cultural identity, musical evolution and the pioneering spirit that drives him to push boundaries and redefine Indian electronic music
shikha duggal
Behind the decks is DJ Lyan, a master storyteller whose musical narrative is fashioned from strands of dedication, passion and inventiveness. A personal journey, each set is designed to arouse feelings, establish relationships and immerse listeners in a realm of sound that speaks to their innermost selves. He shares his soul with every beat, beckoning you to embark with him on a musical journey that will uplift your soul, move your body and touch your heart. In an exclusive interview with the maestro of mixing, the music artist shared, “I’m constantly searching through playlists for the newest music and I stumbled into one of Baby Jeans’ albums. I knew I had to get him on a record right away because I could relate to his voice and flow. The basis for Tapori was created by fusing a South Indian drum sample with bass and trap/hip-hop beats. To be honest, I had no idea how an artist would ride the beat, but when Jean sent me a voice message expressing his thoughts, I immediately understood and let him handle the music and lyrics.” What a stunning blend!
In response to the question of how the Maramadi bull surfing ritual was incorporated into a lively club song, the musician revealed, “More significantly, we wanted the image to convey Jean’s cultural background. Someone from the Desi Trill team shared the Maramadi bull surfing with us and we immediately knew we had to spread the word as soon as we saw the YouTube videos. Making it work with the song wasn’t too difficult because the sport is really energetic.” This Kerala folk-driven dancefloor hit Tapori, featuring Malayalam rapper Baby Jean, was released earlier this week by the and movement Desi Trill and was produced by British-Asian producer DJ Lyan. So, “The most important thing, in my opinion, is to have faith in your work and create music that is authentic and true to you. I always come up with ideas and records that I know I adore and my music is a reflection of who I am. Everything else will work itself out as long as you are being who you truly are.”
His candid responses demonstrated how innovation is fuelled by the tenacity of even successful DJs! “These days, audiences are ravenous for anything new and genuine and Malayalam offers distinctive textures, rhythms and viewpoints. The goal of Tapori was to convey Kerala’s unadulterated, street-level energy and music to a global audience.” A high-octane look at Kerala’s thrilling bull surfing sport, Maramadi, is intercut with pictures of DJ Lyan and Baby Jean from Malappuram! The video “captures the raw energy and daring athleticism of bull surfing,” according to him.
“As I previously stated, I never try to overthink a song,” remarked the Thank You Come Again star. “It always comes down to the inspiration and energy I am experiencing at the time. Like the environment I grew up in, I constantly aim to produce a sound that feels like a genuine cultural mix. I naturally get affected by other genres and cultures because I listen to a lot of music from around the globe. With all of its colour and attitude, I wanted Tapori to feel unfiltered and genuine, like a snapshot of actual life here. The video was filmed with Keralans in a remote area in the state. The entire experience is local, as are the images. For me, it all comes down to continuously presenting the story of South Asian music blended with the sound of the world. You must first believe in the story in order to captivate readers. The songs on every record I release have a South Asian vibe. I want to make sure that I never forget that.”
Tapori features a lot of booming, topsy-turvy bass music treatment pumped over South Indian percussion sounds and is bookended by two rap passages by Baby Jean. A reflection of the testosterone-fuelled chaos that awaits anyone who crosses the wrong person in Kerala is also seen in the video! “From beginning to end, it required a thorough investigation and cooperation with locals,” explains the Campfire musician. “To recreate the genuine sound, I made sure to experiment with the many instruments and melodic concepts from the area. Sameer, the video’s director, collaborated closely with a local team to realise the concept. We always consider cultural sensitivity and make sure to convey authenticity without sacrificing its core.” It’s an invitation to listeners outside of India to discover a more authentic, gritty and vibrant aspect of India than is typically portrayed. Additionally, it’s a way for local listeners to celebrate their heritage and see their everyday culture elevated on a worldwide scale. According to him, this experience deepens respect for India’s vast diversity while also expanding people’s horizons. “I’m expressing the realities of living in a foreign region of the world while also drawing on South Asian customs, sounds and cultural allusions. It’s about accepting who I am while respecting my heritage. People who feel as though they are living in two different worlds and who are figuring out who they are in a combination of tradition and modernity will find resonance in my works because of this fusion,” he reflects.
Jean gave him an explanation of the subtleties of the language while he was in Kerala. This only helped Lyan realise how many different languages there are in India, even if they are only a district or two away. He is willing to work with everyone to explore as many languages, cultures, sounds, instruments and artists as possible. He wishes to continue experimenting with various concepts while utilising India’s untapped abilities.
