He admires Dutch music producer and DJ Armin van Buuren but idolises his “superhero dad” percussionist Tanmoy Bose. Meet the 20-year-old producer-progressive drummer-DJ Mr. Bose aka Shiladitya Bose, who launched his debut single S.O.S (Sony Music) from his debut album Talking To Myself on his birthday July 5.

What sets you apart from other DJs?

I perform live with instruments such as djembe, darbuka, my drum kit and then I shift to electronics. I can express myself the best through EDM. I try to tell a story through my set.

Why EDM?

EDM is the liveliest thing that has happened to mankind. I understand the language of EDM better than classical music. I got hooked to trance music when I was in Class VII and then I tried to find a connect where the east meets the west. I always wanted to express myself through EDM and so I started incorporating Indian sounds into EDM.

Is your dad, Tanmoy Bose, your inspiration?

My dad is my idol, my superhero. My dad is a legend and carrying that weight is also a huge responsibility. But I also have the biggest differences with my dad (smiles). He gets irritated when he sees me blasting away music in my room, bringing the house down. Once I put it on so loud that the neighbours complained. And then dad told me how he would play all night by putting a cloth on the tabla. He told me to use headphones when practising at night.

What ticks him off?

If I set aside everything, don’t do my riyaz, and blast music all day long. But my mom (Bonnya) is the bridge. My dad won’t tell me anything in front of my mom, ’cause he knows mom takes my side (grins). As soon as mom leaves the house he will tell me to do my riyaz, which is when I tell him that I’m mixing or producing my music. So I say, ‘Baba I’ll do it later’. Or I would call up mom saying, ‘I don’t like this’, and then she would call my dad up and explain, and in the evening when mom would come back from office and dad from the studio, then the three of us would sit down and talk it out (smiles).

I also tease him when he is doing his riyaz. I go to him with my laptop and pester him to listen to something I have produced. Of course, even though we are fighting, I’m continuously learning from him. My dad is motivating me even when he is scolding me.

Why not follow in his footsteps and take up the tabla…..

I started learning the tabla when I was seven years old. And I started playing the drums when I was 12. I was then going through this rock phase, listening to bands like Muse and Linkin Park. I would play in my jam pad (in the house) and when my friends would come over they would see my dad’s pictures with Richard Gere, Dalai Lama, Norah Jones, Paul McCartney... and they were awestruck. Then they’d see my dad’s Grammy certificates and they would flip! Since he is my dad maybe I don’t see him the way other people see him.

When did you tell him that you wanted to be a DJ?

The day I started playing the drums (at the age of 12) I told my dad that I would pursue music. My parents didn’t react much since I guess they were kind of expecting it. At that time I had told him that I would become a rock drummer and he would make fun of me. But then he knew I wasn’t serious about it... I was a kid then.

I got exposed to dance music in Class IX. One of my friends made me listen to this one track by my idol Armin van Buuren and I thought trance music was the classical music of the west. And then I told dad that I want to be a producer-DJ.

Mr. Bose performs with dad Tanmoy at the launch of the single S.O.S at Wasabee on Saturday. Picture: Anindya Shankar Ray

IN THE MIX

Your fave DJs... Steve Aoki, Diplo, Richie Hawtin, Tiesto, Seven Lions, Yellow Claw, London Grammar

If you were to gift something to a girl... I’d make her a nice track and express my feelings

Dance music is... all about love and connection

Your girlfriends are... really fond of me and my music. I make it a point to make them listen to my music first

Arindam Chatterjee

Picture: Pabitra Das

What’s your message for Mr. Bose? Tell t2@abp.in