The year has seen an impressive lineup of foreign music artistes in India, but it's not easy to get them to perform, especially during the festive season in December, says Shailendra Singh, who has brought names like David Guetta and DJ Martin Garrix for the Sunburn music fest here.
The four-day music festival, which started here on December 27 and will conclude on Wednesday night, had headliners like DJs Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, KYGO, Garrix and Guetta.
"It is impossible to rope in international artistes. Everybody in the world has got a price and pay cheque. To bring them to Goa around Christmas... they all are Catholic, their family is waiting for them back home... So, it is impossible," Shailendra Singh said here.
"This year, I spent 30 sleepless nights getting in touch with all these four people. Dimitri and Mike had a gig in Brazil on December 29... but why do they get to come here and perform? Because it is the love," he added
Talking about roping in home-grown artistes, Shailendra Singh shared: "Indian artistes are still emerging. They are very talented. There is great talent, but they still have to arrive on scene. Around 40 percent of them are playing here (at the fest), but they have to emerge."
The popularity of the electronic dance music (EDM) is increasing. Shailendra Singh says the genre is becoming a part of people's lifestyle.
"Every year, the footfall increases. This year, we have seen a 25 percent increase in the footfall. It keeps on increasing day by day, and it's now becoming a part of our lifestyle," he said.
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Adding that it is the "cool" quotient which sells and brings in people, Shailendra Singh concluded that it is probably just 50 percent of the audience that know and like the musicians. The rest feel that it is "cool" to be part of such festivals.
"The cool quotient has come up in the last two years. It is cool to be part of Sunburn. That's when you know that the brand has arrived. It is the perception of the brand and that's what the fans make," Shailendra Singh said.
(The writer's trip is at the invitation of Percept Live. Kishori Sud can be contacted at kishori.s@ians.in)