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Bengaluru, Jun 17 (PTI) Just like the rest of the world, British electronic dance music (EDM) Troy Henry aka Troyboi has India swinging to his music that is known for its jaw-dropping buildups, electrifying drops and infectious hooks. Apart from his frequent performances here, the fact that the 2021 release, Baaghi 3’s ‘Do You Love me’ is similar to Troyboi’s Arabic-influenced ‘Do You’ – right down to the dance moves featuring Disha Patani – is proof enough for that.
Although disappointed that he was not even given an “inspired by” nod by the ‘Baaghi’ team, Troy is not ready to let that incident sour his love for India. “I love performing in India,” he said in an email interview. His India tour is organised as part of the Swiggy Steppinout Music Festival.
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This time, Troy concert hopped from New Delhi (June 16) to Bengaluru (June 17). He will wrap up his India tour in Hyderabad on June 18.
“Baaghi 3 is a sensitive topic for me. It would have been nice if Parris Goebel and I got recognition for inspiring it, but they completely denied everything, which was really sad, especially, as I have so much love for India. People who heard my song and saw my video for ‘Do You’ know where the true art came from and you cannot deny originality,” said Troy.
Born to an Indian mother, (who was from Kolkata), Troy says not only does he love performing in India, the varied genres of music from India has been a great inspiration for him.
“I like all kinds of Indian music, particularly the traditional music with orchestral string and percussion sections. There is so much emotion in the melodies. I’m a drums addict so the dhol and tabla always make their way into my productions,” said Troy.
Although his pulsating music could make any nightclub come alive, Troy is also known to add layers to it that is often described as gritty. He is not afraid to spin a slow melody or throw a morchang or ektara into the mix. His Scatterbrained is a good example of this.
According to Troy, India is lapping up these experiments too. “The Indian EDM scene has definitely grown a lot since the last time I came, so I’m excited for this run of shows to feel these vibes. But my sets change when I’m here and I especially love playing all of my Indian-influenced tracks,” he added.
Lilting melody of the east – whether they come from the near east or India – winds its way into his songs. For instance, the original sample of the song ‘Do you’ is from Lebanese 12-member band ‘The Bendaly Family.’ His latest single, Yalla, is also very distinctly Arabic. Mantra, Laalach, BIA, AJA AJA and Interstellar are some of his Indian-influenced songs and, as Troy puts it, ‘they all looked beyond Bollywood for inspiration.’
“I’m inspired by both Indian and Arabic music. The melodic scales of Indian and Arabic music are very similar and therefore I’m drawn to both,” he added.
Jumping between different genres of music helped him shape that ‘trademark Troyboi effect’ – segueing from one groove to the next seamlessly. “It’s a blessing to have a signature sound. It’s something that has developed over years and years of producing. I have a distinct groove to my music, an eclectic palate of sounds that I like to use,” said Troyboi.
Troyboi is also known for his collaborations with musicians worldwide. And yes, India too has that musician who he thinks is a right fit for him. “India has a lot of very talented artists and musicians. I particularly would like to work with Divine (rapper). I’ve been locked into his music for a long time, he’s really dope. I think we could make some game changing music,” said Troy.
