Interview with Shailendra Singh

A world exclusive interview with the man behind the most exciting dance festival in the world and beyond. Visionary, ground breaking, total dedication…and massive, massive balls. Interview with a famous Indian playback singer, who is quite simply the genius encyclopedia of youth culture of his country...

Journalist: Mr Singh, where on planet earth are you right now?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: My body is at work in Mumbai, my mind is drifting through the foothills of the Himalayas and my heart is stuck with Bob Marley deep in his song…‘No Woman, No Cry’.

Journalist: You began your career in sport playing professional cricket in England before you began working for the Taj Group of hotels as a waiter. How important a grounding experience was that time for you?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: I didn’t need grounding. We weren’t a well off family. A real rags to riches story. Percept is the first ever family business and it was always a climb upwards for us. Having said that, I truly believe that if the ground floor is not built with the right ingredients and values, you cannot and should not build a skyscraper on it. And I do love sport. Cricket especially, but any sport. I love the competition and the strategy. I love the discipline of it. It brings out the best in me. And so now I play life, and business, like a sport.

Journalist: “My only fear is that Indians have a habit of not dreaming big enough. Or lacking in self-belief.” A famous quote from yourself and connected to something that you have always held close to your heart…Never say never – if you haven’t tried something before, TRY IT!!! What have been some of the biggest obstacles and achievements you have overcome with that philosophy in life?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: The biggest obstacle has been to overcome the frustration of facing exactly that which I fear – family, friends and a society that lacks in self-belief! Those people that flat-out refuse to dream big. I am a massive dreamer. I predict trends, I create intellectual properties that people want and need, and I can make a difference. If I set my mind to something, then I know that I can do it. But, I have always had to fight the people around me to make those things happen. When I started Sunburn as a small experiment on the beach in Goa, my own brother and business partner used to tell people that it was ‘just Shailendra’s little party on the beach’. Even he didn’t understand my vision, my mission to create a social change within EDM music. A music with few lyrics and a music of pure energy that could cut across borders and languages, religions and unite the 600 million people under the age of 25 in this, our United States of India! Even after setting benchmarks in advertising and sports marketing plus starting whole new industries here like talent management and children’s cinema, it’s a battle to unleash my next creative venture into the world. Few believe in the power and potential of what I do, until I get it out into the world and it becomes successful. Then, everyone wants to stand beside me. Also, I have an inborn virus of overpromising and then over-delivering. It constantly keeps me nervous and on the edge. Love it.

Journalist: This year’s Sunburn event in Goa features another mighty line up with producers arriving from all around the globe. Who are you most excited about seeing at the festival?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike always put on a great show for the fans. I just met Paul Oakenfold at ADE – had a deep club discussion with him and Donnie Disco. It was totally inspiring to jam verbally, with the man who lit the fire in Ibiza and Vegas. He has now committed to spend a day with me before the festival, intellectually musing on how we can light up musically the world’s youngest population here in India. My son SHAAN is Sunburn’s Resident DJ, since he debuted at 15 years old. He’s 19 now and it’s always a thrill to see him up on the stage. I never wanted to be a businessman, I wanted to be the talent – a cricketer. I wasn’t able to, but I get to watch my son live his dream. And musically, I am ridiculously excited to bring Damian Lazarus over. He’s curating a Rebel Rave Stage and bringing some proper underground education to India. That’s where you’ll find me.

Journalist: If ever I bring a book out I am going to get you to do the promotion! You have been traveling the world having your photo taken with your new SUNBURN Festival book and famous music industry figures for the past few weeks now. So, tell us about the book!!

SHAILENDRA SINGH: There’s an old saying in Hindi: “Jungle mein mor nacha, kisne dekha?

Literally translated, it means: “Peacock danced in forest, who saw?”

Figuratively it’s: “There is no point being a peacock that dances alone in the forest, with no one around to see”.

I am proud of brand Sunburn. As Asia’s largest festival, as the largest festival season on the planet (over 200 events in a year), as India’s largest youth connect…but more than that – Sunburn is the second only homegrown intellectual property to be exported from India (after IPL). Ever. No other Indian IP has been consumed by over 80 countries in the world. We had a dream. We made it a reality. We caused a social movement in India. The book is about all of that, the trials and tribulations of making that happen in the world’s biggest democracy, with all it’s many complexities. That’s a big freakin deal. But we did it. So, yeah, it was exciting to finally sit down and articulate the 8 year journey of the brand. And it’s even more exciting to share it with all our friends, partners, fans and well-wishers around the world. I’m not shy to share the love!

Journalist: This year you selected and sent one Indian citizen to Amsterdam to intern with ADE in the two weeks before the conference, working alongside the Dutch team organizing, preparing and problem solving for ADE 2014. Truly a once in a lifetime learning experience. How did it work out?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: The more significant story is the ADE Dutch interns that came to India. In 2013 we selected Maikel de Koning. Absolutely solid, smart young man that came and spent three months with us. He threw himself into the culture and focused on the work. He took in as much as he could take and brought his international perspective to our team. When I realized his sharp marketing mind, I got him to work collecting the history of Sunburn and all the data we would need to tell the Sunburn story. He made a killer first draft, which lit the flame under our asses. I offered him a permanent job, but, understandably, India was too far away from his family and his home. It was a very cool experience and we have participated again this year. We selected a talented young lady, Femke VanRoij and are excited for her to join us in India!

Journalist: What was your personal highlight of ADE this year, your Slice Of India panel was awesome…

SHAILENDRA SINGH: It was amazing to assemble the people we had on that panel. David Levy has been a believer in Sunburn and the Indian scene for a long time. Ashish Hemrajani has been breaking barriers in ticket sales here in India. Zak Biddu has brought some amazing artists to the fans here. And Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike’s journey in India is indicative of the power of the Indian fans, in energy and numbers to propel an artists forward. DVLM started with Sunburn Club gig two years ago. We invited them back to headline one of our city festivals. Now they are headlining Sunburn Goa! It’s been massive growth in a very short time. So, on the panel, to hear them all speak about their experience in India, their appreciation for the work that we are doing there and their predictions for the future was just awesome. It was a highlight to debut The True Story of Sunburn to the ADE University program, because, it was actually our ADE 2013 Dutch Intern that started us off on this journey by researching and compiling the first document. I always appreciate the energy and enthusiasm of the students, and it was great to let our intern show it off to all his friends.

Musically, I danced my ass off to Adam Beyer at Awakenings.

Journalist: Love this quote from you…”I’m like Virat Kohli. I play the bouncer where it is, why wait for it to hit you?” Has the ball ever hit you on the bounce though?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: On the field, a few times. It was rather painful. But off the field, no. I’ve been blessed with some killer reflexes.

Journalist: Who is the greatest cricketer ever to walk onto a pitch?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Kapil Dev. He runs in like the wind. He plays the sport by wearing his heart on his sleeve. A born athlete. An unconditional patriot. My superhero.

Journalist: For anyone who is still in two minds about whether to travel to India and experience one of the most rewarding countries in the world, the words of Axwell should help….” When I play for money I play Vegas, when I play for holidays I play Miami, when I play for love, I play India.” Can you please try and explain why Ax’s comments are so true about your home country…

SHAILENDRA SINGH: India is a traditional country that has deep roots of music, culture, food, art, etc etc. . . It’s a country that thinks with the heart. And I guess, with the multiple trips and connections that Ax has had with India and his fans, I think the hearts have connected. We also believe in Atito Devo Bavah, which means, guest is God. We roll out the red carpet for artists, management, teams, everyone. Not only in business, but the fans do it too. They worship the DJs. They follow them online, they make posters, they beg for meet and greets and they never take their eyes of the stage during the entire set. Tens of thousands of fans, with their arms outstretched, reaching for the DJ – the love is palpable.

Journalist:  “Go sit at your desk and write out the five things that you want to accomplish by the end of the year. Not what your family wants you to do, or your wife wants you to do, or your boss wants you to do. What you, deep down in your heart, really want to do. Seriously . . . do it. Make your List right now.” So Mr Singh, did you sit down and write a list at the start of 2014, if so…how have you done?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Shit, I have to be honest, no.

I have totally sucked at my List.

I have spent way too much time trying to help people close to me complete their lists. But, cross my heart and hope to die…in 2015, I will focus and complete my list.

Journalist: You go home and put on your favourite album to chill out. What is it?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Recently - Goodluck’s ‘Creatures of the Night’. Killer album. Killer band. But my default? Anything by Dido. I said it. I love Dido.

Journalist: What is the key to building strong brands?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Ball and brains.

Journalist: Do you think that the fact you had zero exposure to EDM before Sunburn was a benefit?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Absolutely. Going back to that whole lack of belief thing, Indians have a bad habit of taking something good and just copying it. I didn’t want to prostitute my thoughts, or influence my creativity. I wanted to access what the fans wanted, and make it for them from scratch. I wanted this to be ours.

Journalist: You have achieved so many wondrous things. Attracting hundreds of thousands of people to Sunburn, cracking incredible business deals, winning the National Film Award for Best Film for Kanchivaram, getting your book nominated by Crossword…what though is your best ever achievement…or it that still to come?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: My life has been an awesome foreplay. I am still waiting for the orgasm.

Journalist: What is your favourite photograph on your office wall?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: A photo of my father and I, where we look less like Dad and son…and more like best friends.

Journalist: Not many people know this, but Shailendra Singh is really good at…

SHAILENDRA SINGH: Lying.

Journalist: Sunburn has now put on 589 events in over 2700 days. What are the next plans for your incredible event…?

SHAILENDRA SINGH: I want to convert the gig brand Sunburn into the ultimate lifestyle brand Sunburn, for all the young people in India...and in the world.

 

For information on all Sunburn events visit www.sunburn.in

 

Interview materials: http://www.dmcworld.net/

 

 

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