Exclusive | Ferrari hitmaker James Hype: I like how friendly everybody in India is; They’re my kind of people

If you are even a tiny bit inclined towards music, then you have most definitely heard James Hype’s smash hits Ferrari and Who Does This? Numbers. Born James Edward Lee Marsland, the celebrated DJ and music producer shot to fame with his zealous live gigs and upbeat numbers such as the ones mentioned above.
Edited excerpts from our conversation with the star DJ:

Before making your India debut, what kind of thoughts were running through your mind? And now that the big performance is over, what are your parting feelings?

James: I'm glad it went well. And it's my first time in Mumbai today and it's a very exciting city. I love how big it is and I love how many people there are. The event was amazing. And I like playing music to Indian people. I think Indian people really are really they've received the music really well.  

When you started your set in Mumbai, I noticed you had played a little bit of a Hindi song from an Indian movie. And, as you probably already know, no conversation about India is complete without Bollywood. So do you have any Indian musicians as your favorites or someone you would like to collaborate with and why?

James: So, I'm a big fan of KSHMR (fellow DJ). 

Oh, you are?

James: Yeah. I love his production. And there's also a record that I always play in my set which samples a Bollywood song, and I don't know the original, but the record is called Whoopty, and it has a sample of a Bollywood song in it, and I always play it.  

So, as you know, right from the Beatles to some of your contemporaries anyone who has ever come to India, especially the global musicians, they've taken some aspect of India along with them, be it the spiritual side or the cultural side. So, what do you think it is about India that is going to resonate with you the most and why?

James: I think the culture. I like how friendly everybody is. I feel like it's my kind of people.  

Have you ever watched any Bollywood movies?

James: Sorry, I haven't. Which ones do I need to watch? 

Which ones do you need to watch? Have you watched RRR, the movie that won the Oscars recently for Best Original Song? You should watch the song Naatu Naatu.

Tell me something, what is it about playing live on stage that excites you the most? Of course, you are doing your recordings and everything else, but how do you differentiate the two? And if you had to pick one, which one would you pick and why?

James: If I had to pick one, I would pick the studio, but it's not the same thing because, in the studio, I like that there's always something to learn. On stage, it's different because it's a performance. And I like that everything can go wrong. If you make a mistake, everyone's going to know. That's what I like about it. It's a risk.  

That is something your music has obviously, top charts globally, just to name a few countries, like Belgium, Italy, and everything. So before saying yes to Road To Ultra (RTU), did you have any reservations, any apprehensions? Like, is it going to stick? Is the Indian crowd going to be welcoming? What was your thought before you said yes to RTU?

James: I didn't know what to play. I played my first show last night and I played a random selection of tracks to see which ones that people like. Now I think I kind of understand which tracks work well here and which ones don't. And honestly, the crowd is better than I could ever have expected. It really is. I love it. 

So, in terms of representation, like in the recently hosted Juno Awards 2023, an Indian-origin musician AP Dhillon also played there, which was a first for the diaspora. What do you think about the Indian crowd, especially the Asian community, finally getting their due on stage?

James: I think it's brilliant! I love bringing together cultures and sounds from all around the world and that's what inspires me. Like I said to you, my mom used to listen to soul music in the house and that inspiration made me who I am today. And I hope that Indian music inspiration can shape the future of other artists.