The Music Mafia Rohit Barker Shares About His love For Music
A true blue Bengalurean, with a dash of absolute quirk; music man Rohit Barker needs no introduction. City folks love his music, and he knows how to take charge of the deck duties and get the party going… The RJ, who plunged into DJing (or music mixing) recently, is making waves in the city and across the country. And, he attributes it all to the love for music and an innate passion for whatever he is currently doing. In a
freewheeling chat, Rohit lets us in on about his career and music – and everything in between.
DJ Rohit Barker
BV: Describe your job in not more than a line. What describes your music the best?
Rohit: I've never had a job really...simply because I've always loved what I do. Yes, I’ve been extremely lucky to be doing what I’ve always been passionate about - Right across the spectrum from being a VJ to an RJ and a DJ. My entire life has been spent playing and presenting the music that I love. Rather blessed really... And, I wouldn’t want to describe my music. Tune it or drop by at where I’m playing next!
BV: What are you currently working on?
Rohit: I have my plate quite full at the moment. I'm working on a new lounge and bar in Bangalore, which will launch in a couple of months. I do 5 radio shows a week for Indigo 91.9Fm as well as Book My Show Jukebox. I travel across the country over the weekends DJ'ing and I spend as much time as I can doing fun things and travelling with my family. Life is good!
BV: What inspired you to pursue radio jockeying and then DJ'ing?
Rohit: I’m that friend who’s currently pursuing his dream. Not kidding! I have always loved music and my dream was to make it a career while I was still in school. I got a chance to host a show with All India Radio when I was 16 years old and got bitten by the radio bug. I've never looked back since.
From presenting music, it struck me that it just made sense that I then started
playing the music I loved live at gigs. I had spent a ton of time behind a DJ console with Ivan and knew what went where, and did what. And one day Nikhil Chinapa just pushed me to really dive into DJ'ing. And I’ve loved it ever since.
Ready for some good music?
BV: Are you always as affable as you appear at gigs? What's the Real Rohit Barker Like?
Rohit: Well, I have a slightly bent personality....nothing dangerous, just your basic garden-variety ...ha ha ha. But honestly....what you see is what you get. I do have the odd off day but even then I gravitate towards music and that always puts a smile on my face. I like to believe that I am in a happy space right now. That’s the real me – happy!
BV: You've got a quirky yet casual sense of style. How do you describe your personal style?
Rohit: I've always just tried to combine two things together... Cool & Comfy. And from there I just let my personal style sort of shine through :) Not an ardent follower of trends.
BV: What are some of the things you are currently obsessing about? What are some of the staples we will always find in your bag?
Rohit: I'm currently loving the fact that proper house music is making a resurgence. And I can see young clubbers getting back into that vibe which is very encouraging for the dance music world. A couple of stables that are in my bag would be Latin House music. I love that sound....the bells, the horns, the whistles and the big bass lines. It puts a smile on your face, whenever you hit the dance floor music.
DJ in action
BV: Have you ever thought of releasing an EP sometime soon? What's next on the cards?
Rohit: I always wanted to produce music but never had the time. I would love to chalk some out soon and see what I can do. In the meanwhile, I'm still working on world domination :) Pinning my hopes on that one!
BV: What do you like doing during your downtime? What's your unwinding plan like?
Rohit: Every single time I have a little free time I make a beeline for the jungle. My second home is a forest called Kabini. I love the open space, the silence and mostly the wildlife. I believe in the therapeutic effects of nature, and love being outdoors and exploring the wild whenever time permits.
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