Rock deejay

Buddha Bar’s resident jockey Ravin talks about what it takes to be a successful DJ.

Being the DJ at one of the most iconic lounge bars in the world is not an easy job to do. One has to constantly evolve, be in tune with the latest music trends and make sure that the crowds keep pouring in. DJ Ravin has been doing that for 14 years at the Buddha Bar, in Paris. In India to perform at the Blue Bar, at Taj Hotel Delhi, Ravin is looking forward to playing in front of an Indian audience, which he thinks has evolved since the last time he came three years ago.

He calls India his second home. Born on the island of Mauritius, Ravin was brought up by a traditional Hindu family. In his teens, he moved to France and started working in a music shop in Paris. His interest in dance music and club culture developed in his teens. “I was really passionate about house music and back then it wasn't as popular as it is now,” he recalls. His passion for music saw him experimenting a lot with different genres of music.

In 1997, when Buddha Bar opened its door to patrons, Ravin was the first DJ and since then he has been synonymous with the club.

He loves listening to Bollywood music and is a big fan of A R Rahman. Taal is one of his favourite works of Rahman and he believes that there is a lot of scope to mix Bollywood music. “You have all kinds of music in India — hip-hop, romantic ballads and even electronica,” he says. As a DJ, it gives you immense scope to work with, he adds. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’s romantic songs are another of his favourite and he regularly mixes them.

He admits that he hasn’t heard too many of Indian DJs, but whatever little Indian house music he has come across, he feels that there is tremendous potential in the country. Being a DJ is not as lucrative a career option in India as it is in Europe or the US. But Ravin feels that very few people get into the profession for the money. “And if you do, then you probably won’t make it,” he says. “You have to be passionate about music and not be afraid of what the crowd will think of your mixes,” he adds. He feels that a lot of DJs try to take shortcuts and often start mixing songs on their computers, thinking that it's quite easy. “They couldn’t be more wrong in doing that as it not only affects the music but also it will hurt them in the long run,” he says with a note of caution in his voice.

While he is still the resident DJ at Buddha Bar, he travels a lot all over the world to perform as well as meet artists for collaborations. There are plans to do something in India later this year, but he says he will make an announcement when something materialises.

His Buddha Bar CD compilations sell all over the world and so far he has released 12 volumes. In fact, he has just finished his 13th volume which he plans to release next month. Unlike many DJs, he doesn't feel that Bollywood music is not good for mixing. “Even at Buddha Bar, I play a lot of Bollywood and the response I get is phenomenal,” he says.

The shelf life of a DJ can be quite short but to Ravin’s credit he has kept on going for over a decade now and has shown no signs of slowing down. What’s the secret of his success? “I wish I had one,” he laughs. But in all seriousness, he believes there’s no secret but a deep-rooted love for music. “Any youngster who wants to be a DJ should have a passion and should do it from the heart,” he says. As long as you do that, you will do well in life and do good for music as well, he says.