Elevating Indian Electronica: Tech Panda x Kenzani Share Their Musical Journey

Tech Panda x Kenzani, the dynamic producer duo hailing from the vibrant city of New Delhi. Their musical journey is a testament to their quest for creating art that resonates with the essence of their home and the depths of their souls. Drawing inspiration from bygone eras to shape the present, they have pioneered a genre that traverses diverse sonic landscapes and spans across decades.

At the heart of their music lies a fusion of emotive electronica and the evocative melodies of forgotten folk tunes, a unique blend that has struck a chord with millions of eager listeners. With viral sensations like 'Dilbar' joining their impressive catalog, which includes acclaimed tracks such as 'Khoyo,' 'Indian Monsoon,' 'Doya,' and 'Metanoia,' Tech Panda x Kenzani have swiftly risen to the forefront of India's electrifying electronica scene.

Over the past two years, the collaborative efforts of Rupinder Nanda and Kedar Santwani, known by their stage names Tech Panda and Kenzani, have yielded an astonishing portfolio of more than 80 tracks. Their relentless dedication has not only garnered a devoted following but also earned them well-deserved acclaim in the music industry.

During an exclusive interview with Loudest.in, Tech Panda x Kenzani candidly shared insights into their remarkable musical journey, offering a glimpse into their creative process and unveiling exciting details about their latest song.Here are edited excerpts:

Q1.Can you tell us a bit about yourselves and how you both got into the world of contemporary electronica?

Kenzani: When I was a kid, I used to listen to all sorts of music, all genres – house, trap, hip-hop, urban Asian. There was always music playing around me. My speakers would start up in the morning, and there wasn’t really any time that I was without music. I was exposed to all sorts of music and styles. Music is in my DNA but I never really thought of producing music till much later, when I was 25, 26. I don’t know why I felt drawn to the idea of making music but I think it was because I was looking for a very specific, special blend of sounds and I couldn’t find it.  

Tech Panda: Music was gifted to me by my family. My mother and nani would listen to a lot of classical music. My grandfather was an Army man, and I had the privilege of his tastes and collection. My father was a fan of Attaullah Khan Esakhelvi… So I had access to a variety of music at any given time, and that’s how I fell in love with music too.

Q2.Let's dive right into your new track, 'Dua.' What inspired this particular song, and how does it differ from your previous work?

We won’t call it a change. Since the beginning of our musical career, we avoided sticking to a certain genre as we wanted to be limitless when it comes to our production. Not having a certain boundary to curb our creative imagination was the biggest blessing for us as artists. We have released a few tracks that embedded the techno and house elements within. But with ‘Dua’, the intensity and production levels have been upgraded from our end.

Q3.Fans love how you blend old Indian sounds with modern electronic music. Could you share the creative process behind 'Dua' and how you've continued to evolve this unique fusion?

Honestly, you can say it is a lifelong dream for us to showcase another powerful side of Indian Electronica to the world. And we believe we haven’t even contributed 10 percent of what we are aiming to achieve with the sound yet. ‘Dua’ is our way of commencing this journey. We didn’t plan to make this a dark-sounding track but the haunting effects of the Indian vocals created such an atmosphere that we got the chills while listening to the track. So we thought that a darker melodic tone would do justice to the track.

Q4.You have multiple hits to your name, with 'Dilbar' being one of the biggest. What has been the most memorable moment in your career so far?

If we were to look back upon the most memorable moment in our career, it would have to be the first time we performed our entire catalogue of our new sound that we developed in 2020. It was really heartening to see the reaction of our fans when we showcased our new musical journey. After that it has been series of memorable performances one after the other at the top festivals and clubs around the country. Hearing the audience singing along to our tracks while they’re being played is one of the best feelings in the world! 

Q5.Collaborating on recreating Post Malone's 'Sunflower' for a Hollywood production is quite an achievement. Can you share the experience of working on such a high-profile project?

‘Can we pull this off?’ Was the first reaction to each other. Obviously it’s a landmark of a track and we needed to bring our A game to recreate the magic of the original with our signature sound.

We didn’t speak to any of the artists but a clear brief was given to us regarding what was needed from the revisited track. We could hear the new version in our head so all we had to do was the execution.

Q6.Are there other genres or musical styles you're eager to explore in the future?

I feel we have just started with our musical experiments. Electronic music today has no limitations or boundaries so this is just the tip of the iceberg. We are blending Indian folk with tech house, melodic techno, UK garage as well as breakbeats so there is a lot to expect soon!

Q7.We've heard you're working on a new live show. Could you give us a sneak peek into what fans can expect from this upcoming live experience?

We are enhancing the musical experience with custom made, immersive visuals that tell a story about our tracks. Once implemented it will create a new flow to our live sets narrating the story we’ve been wanting to convey since the early days of our production career. 

Q8.You're scheduled to play at DGTL India in November. What can fans anticipate from your performance at this event, and how do you prepare for such a large-scale festival?

We are ecstatic to be playing DGTL India this year alongside a stunning international lineup. Our set at DGTL will be totally different from what anyone can expect from Tech Panda & Kenzani. The set we are curating for DGTL will showcase our high-octane side. In fact a lot of unreleased dynamic tracks will be dropped for the first time.

Q9.Are there any exciting projects or collaborations on the horizon that you can share with us?

We are currently collaborating with a couple of industry heavyweights to create something exciting and novel for our fans. At the same time, We are also connecting to our roots and pushing the envelope further when it comes to collaboration with folks artists. 

Q10.Lastly, what would you like to say to your dedicated fans who have supported you throughout your journey in contemporary electronica?

We would like to thank our fans for inspiring us in our musical journey. Thanks to our dedicated fans, we had the courage to experiment and explore new musical soundscapes. That resulted in anthems like ‘Khoyo’ and ‘Dilbar’ and we are forever grateful to our fans for that! We owe it to our fans to keep creating the Tech Panda & Kenzani magic!