Exclusive! Dimitri Vegas-Like Mike: We are close with Salman Khan and hope to feature in one of his films

Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike may be the world’s Number 3 Deejaying duo this year but it is apparent that Vegas also has his heart set on Bollywood films and acting. “Salman Khan is an amazing guy!” exclaims the winning duo, who was in India for the recently concluded Sunburn Festival, when asked about their knowledge of the Indian film and music industries.

In an exclusive chat with OTTplay, Dimtri Vegas & Like Mike—whose global hits include titles such as Boomshakalaka, Melody, Mammoth, among many others—spoke at length about their pre-concert rituals, the heavyweights of Indian music that they know of and why travelling to India evokes inspiration.

Edited excerpts from our conversation with the kings of Tomorrowland:

No music festival in India is complete without Dimtri Vegas-Like Mike making an appearance. What makes India your favourite country to visit?

We love performing in India and at the Sunburn festival. The Indian fans are so dedicated and passionate. It’s incredible to be a part of whilst on stage. As a country, India has some stunning destinations, and the culture and people are so welcoming. We always look forward to returning.

Being an ardent lover of music, has India inspired shaped up your amazing body of work thus far, I mean that could be in any way?

Yes, definitely! We draw a lot of inspirations from our travels and the crowd interaction (out here in India).

Every time you pack your bags and head over to our country, what are the things that you usually expect from India?

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to do much because it’s a short trip this time. However, before Sunburn, we have had a chance to spend a lot of time working on new music, during the lockdown and since, so fans can expect a lot of fresh sounds and tracks. It’s going to be an insane show.

Reveal your setlist for the Indian fans?

Just that we needed to make this extra special because it has been so long that we all get a moment to be together as a community. So, we are pulling out all the stops to create a crazy and truly mind-blowing show for the fans.

How did Fuego come in to the equation and how has it been working on music with her?

Kim’s an artist we’ve a lot of respect for. Her energy is amazing, and her voice is a perfect fit for the kind of sound we’re aiming for in the studio. We’d talked about doing another record together and the concept we all had for that track proved to be a great match up for blending our styles together.

Have you heard any Hindi songs or do you have any favourite artiste from India?

We know of AR Rahman, Zakir Hussain and Anoushka Shankar, but yeah, being in a movie could be fun. As some fans will know acting is already a career I’m pursuing. I’ve just had my first lead role in the movie H4Z4RD, which followed an appearance in the final installment of Jurassic World Dominion. So, it could be a cool project. I’m also pretty close with Salman Khan, who is an amazing guy, so I hope one day I can feature in one of his.

Do you both have any pre-show rituals that you like to perform before a concert?

Due to our hectic touring schedule, we don’t have too much time before shows, but when we do, we like to catch up with other DJ’s and generally just relax with our team as much as possible to put us in the best frame of mind for performing. Afterwards, as mentioned, we try to unwind and again hang out with friends before heading back to the hotel and getting some rest.

How has your music evolved?

Our sound is always evolving. We’re constantly looking to grow into new directions and sounds, we’re always looking to widen our reach musically. Fans on this trip can expect a good taste of this throughout the show.

How challenging has it been for you to keep up to the benchmark year after year?

It’s always a big mountain to climb because any of our friends and peers are pushing for the same level of excellence, we put upon ourselves as artists. But we just want to outdo ourselves each year to give the fans a bigger and better experience. It’s ultimately the fans who decided who is their 'Best DJ'.

According to you, what are the latest trends in EDM right now?

EDM continues to prove itself as one of the major musical movements in the world, now saddled against rock, pop and hip hop. This trend will only continue to grow.

Projects in the pipeline?

Our label, Smash the House, recently released a special end of year album, titled The Crystal Winter featuring a host of names such as us Brennan Heart, Dr Phunk, MATTN, Blasterjaxx, VIZE, Vini Vici, 3 Are Legend and Timmy Trumpet. We also have a new collaboration out right now called ‘Raket’ with Bassjackers.