Artist Session #16 - Kunal Merchant from Indo Warehouse: Merging South Asian Heritage with Global Electronic Music
In today's interview, Kunal has openly reflected on the underrepresentation of South Asian artists in global electronic music scenes.
Indo Warehouse, co-founded by Kunal Merchant and Kahani has quickly become a pioneering platform, blending South Asian music with the global Electronic scene. Drawing from Kunal's early exposure to diverse musical influences, ranging from his father's love for Disco to Indian Classical giants and bands like Depeche Mode and New Order, the foundation of Indo Warehouse merges South Asian Rhythms with House and Techno sounds, carving a unique space for South Asian artists in the Electronic music world.
In today's interview, Kunal has openly reflected on the underrepresentation of South Asian artists in global electronic music scenes. Despite the deep cultural ties that South Asian communities have had with music, dance and art, they have been largely overlooked in these spaces. Indo Warehouse was created in response to this gap, with the mission of celebrating South Asian culture in electronic music venues. Since its inception in 2021, it has become prominent, performing at prestigious global venues and festivals.
Indo Warehouse is set to return to India on September 28, 2024, for the debut of the internationally acclaimed ZAMNA Festival. Originating from Mexico and known for its massive global footprint, ZAMNA will introduce its vibrant experience to Indian audiences, further enhancing Indo Warehouse's presence on the global stage.
Srishti Das: What is your earliest memory of music? How has music impacted you in your formative year?
Kunal Merchant: Wow! I haven’t thought about this in a long time. My earliest memories are influenced by my father. He used to play Disco records at home like ABBA and he would take us to see Indian classic giants like Shivkumar Sharma when they toured the United States. Then, as I got older, I was exposed to bands like Depeche Mode and New Order, which initially drove me into electronic music.
Shashwat Hota: How do you see South Asian music and culture and what are changes that have you seen in the growth of the South Asian perspectives since you and Kahani started Indo Warehouse?
Kunal: As a creative community (outside of India), I believe we are largely undervalued in most scenes, but definitely in the electronic world. When you consider how much music, dance and art play a role in our culture, one might assume we would have a bigger role in these spaces. When you consider the OGs who built the “Asian underground movement,” the pioneers in India and the long-existing use of our music in various electronic genres, it's shocking to not see more South Asian DJs represented in global festivals and clubs.
That said, the most recent emergence of South Asian artists across so many electronic mediums is changing this. We’ve seen friends like Yung Singh take over all three rooms at Fabric. We’ve seen Anyasa bring his live experience to massive crowds in Mumbai. We’ve seen Ahadadream go back-to-back with Dixon. We’re not miles away from the prize; we’re inches away. Watch for us, world.
Srishti: How did the idea of Indo Warehouse come about? Tell us a little about your love for Black Coffee and how he has influenced the project.
Kunal: Indo Warehouse started as an idea in 2021 and a party in 2022. The concept was to bring our culture into the spaces where dance music lived. However, we did this with a great focus on the experience and purpose of how we would showcase the music. To date, we have brought our culture and sound into some of the greatest clubs in the world, and we continue to invest heavily in creating world-class experiences that represent the beauty of our culture. Our focus is to build the world of Indo House through our label and supporting artists who are building this sound alongside us.
Black Coffee has inspired me for quite some time. His sound, style, and story are unique, so it’s easy to learn from the various messages that come from his journey. I’m typing this while in South Africa, so it’s a full-circle moment right now.
Srishti: Nadia Ali’s original version of Rapture is a timeless classic! It charted in ten countries and was number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. Apart from the numbers - this tune had the whole world in a chokehold, even us Indians. Tell us what made you pick this particular song and what influence this song has on you.
Kunal: Nadia Ali is a Pakistani-American whose presence in dance music is legendary. I’ve always loved ‘Rapture’ and believe she is one of the first South Asians to truly go global, as you just described. It’s been incredible to watch our version of this record go off across the world (again)! It shows that what she created is truly a classic by all definitions. It was an honour to cover this record, and I’m thankful for her support ❤️
Srishti: How do you approach creating remixes of timeless songs such as ‘Rapture’? What do you keep in mind and what experiences do you intend to bring while sharing and repackaging such songs for the dancefloor?
Kunal: I think it’s always important to understand the essence of the original record and to be clear of the goal of the remix you’re creating. In the case of ‘Rapture’, I really wanted to create a cover. So the purpose was to keep the vocal as close to the original as possible, but to change the groove so that it works in our sets, while creating a new feeling. Honestly this was a challenge because the song is so well known and it’s also been remixed quite a bit.
Srishti: Last year you guys did your first ever ten city tour! How were Indian dance floors different from all the other cities you have taken Indo Warehouse to? Could you share a memory from your tour that made you feel closer to your culture and heritage?
Kunal: To play a ten city tour was a dream. Sunburn did a great job of creating this opportunity for us to introduce our sound to so many people. The crowds were incredible in every city we played, while being unique as well. I can think of the energy we felt in Bangalore, the love we had in Indore, the sheer size of Mumbai - and the list of these memories is very long. The tour was honestly life changing.
Shashwat: We love how you blend South Asian sounds with House music - a style that is definitely becoming bigger globally. What are your thoughts on music being at the centre of culture and community?
Kunal: We are all about this. Our sound, which we call “Indo House,” authentically integrates South Asian music, rhythms, voices and more into music that is created for dancefloors. We’re at the early stage of this journey and are very excited to explore the many ways this sound will expand.
Srishti: What is next for Indo Warehouse? Tell us about working with emerging artists and how you plan to grow the South Asian scene around the world?
Kunal: We have big plans for 2025. We are excited to evolve our shows beyond DJ sets and integrate more performance elements as we tour. We are also excited to showcase more from our artists and sign/develop more artists with our label.
It’s time to bring Indo House to the world 🪷
Check out the HIVEWIRE playlist - The Hive
One 'The Hive' is where our diverse team shares new music and trends from emerging markets. New additions this week:
old body, new mind - Nemahsis
They Should Know - Hamzaa
Eusexua - FKA Twigs
Tilda’s Goat Stare - Ciel, CCL
The Hive - playlist by Hivewire | Spotify
Interesting reads from last week:
Mdundo, a digital music service and Premier Records that own that owns the catalogue of some of the biggest African classics are coming together to bridge gaps between the older and new generations of music listeners. While trying to safeguard the legacy of the artists, they recognise the nostalgic value of these records and how they have influenced the modern African sound. The aim of digitising these old classics is to reach out to the new generation of music listeners on the continent and honour the culturally significant work of artists who have graced the African continent with their music.
ESMAA has struck a deal with MENA-based streaming service Anghami, which has also led to the resolution of a lawsuit between the two parties from 2022, in which the latter was accused of streaming unlicensed music. Spek, the founder of PopArabia, started ESMAA in 2020 as a rights management entity as there were few in the gulf focusing on the local market. This deal will help get a large catalog onto a local streaming service, which has not happened before. A fragmented market has led to a complicated music licensing ecosystem which they are trying to solve.
Instagram and Spotify have collaborated on many projects in the past. Most recently, we saw the sharing of 30-second music clips on the Notes feature of Instagram. Now, they are working on taking the Spotify feature to see what the people you follow on Spotify are listening to in real-time and integrating it into the Notes feature of Instagram. Both companies aim to enhance user engagement and elevate a user’s music experience. Meta is doing this to compete with TikTok, while Apple Music is a direct competitor of Spotify, and its app store policies hinder usability.
Hivewire is an independent music industry publication launched in June 2023 by Srishti Das. This dynamic newsletter offers a unique perspective on the music industry, focusing on emerging markets and rapidly growing music cultures that are gradually making their mark globally.