21-year-old prodigy Sahil Sharma alias Zaeden is set to revamp the track, Tempted To Touch, with music director Raghav Sachar
Zaeden at his console at a live performance. He shot to fame remixing Coldplay and Maroon 5 tracks
Who says remix is dead? The phenomenon that became a trend in the age of music videos didn’t retreat. For aspiring disc jockeys, it became a medium to test their skills. Sahil Sharma — who spins as Zaeden — is an example. When the 21-year-old laid his hands on tracks like Magic (Coldplay) and Animals (Maroon 5), listeners went bonkers. He found an ally in Raghav Sachar and is all set to refurbish the track Tempted To Touch (Rupee) that released in 2004.
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“Raghav is a brilliant vocalist and I think it is going to go pretty well with people. They already know and like the song which I will be producing with a new angle,” says Sharma, already blessed with a page on Wikipedia.
When most kids of his age are seeking attention (through academics or extracurricular activites), he is fortunate to have more than 4,500 subscribers to his YouTube channel. “It feels surreal. But then, I started spinning since middle school. I used to participate in contests like War of DJs. I won my first one at 14,” he adds.
Hardwell and forward
His entire world transformed after he bagged a deal with Hardwell, one of the best DJs around today. “The fact that he supported an Indian artiste was a big deal for the nation. The Magic track was special to me because I made it for my sister. My manager sent it to Hardwell and then, he featured me,” says Sharma, who completed school but dropped out of college.
“I fared well in school but I was never into academics. College was taking up a lot of time, so I dropped it and opted for a sound engineering course. Music production is a time-consuming job and it needed focus,” he asserts. He triumphed in the part where most teenagers fail, convincing parents. “My father was a bit hesitant but he backed me gradually. I was able to support myself soon through gigs but my parents have been the backbone,” he says.
Remix calling
But what keeps him hooked to remixes when there is an avenue for original music? “I feel some tracks are so brilliant that as an artiste it's tempting to see what I can do with it. A remake is like tuning a song that you already like. I love adding my own twist; it is like an ode to a great song. But I am also focusing a bit on my own content now,” says Sharma, who is pleased with the Electronica boom at present. “I hope Indian artistes will make more of an impact in the global scene and I want to be a part of it playing in festivals across the world,” he signs off.
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