Why India Has Always Been On DJ Kaytranada’s Musical Map

Ahead of his concert in Mumbai, Grammy-winning producer and DJ Kaytranada spent his day doing something deeply personal. Rather than sightseeing or rehearsing, he went record shopping, a ritual he reserves

for cities that genuinely intrigue him. “When it’s a city where I love the music and I embrace the culture, like India, I’ll go out,” he said.

Kaytranada’s Mumbai performance marked two major milestones. It was his first-ever show in India and the opening night of Logout, District’s new cultural IP. Conceived as a “third space,” Logout aims to move audiences away from algorithm-driven nightlife and into experiences where presence matters more than performance. The ethos fit seamlessly with Kaytranada’s philosophy, music as something to be absorbed, not broadcast.

There was no dramatic entrance or manufactured peak during his set. Instead, the music unfolded gradually, allowing the crowd to ease into its rhythm. Tracks like Be Your Girl, Witchy and 4EVA arrived as familiar pulses, grooves that the body responded to instinctively rather than intellectually.

India as a Longtime Influence

Kaytranada made it clear that India was not a recent discovery. “It’s always a place I wanted to visit,” he said, adding that while Mumbai was impressive, he hoped to explore other cities too. His connection to the country, however, began long before this visit.

Much of that bond comes through cinema and sound. “In general, Indian music for me is mostly Bollywood—’70s and ’80s,” he explained. Old soundtracks, album covers and films have long shaped his listening habits. Singers like Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar are fixtures in his musical world. “Sometimes I don’t even know how to spell the names properly,” he admitted with a laugh, “but when I see Lata Mangeshkar, I know it’s going to be a good record.”

Collaboration Without Compulsion

When asked about collaborating with Indian artists, Kaytranada was refreshingly candid. “It’s really about who’s willing to collaborate with me,” he said. Rather than chasing trends, he prefers organic partnerships rooted in mutual interest.

That openness recently led to studio sessions with SZA, where India unexpectedly entered the conversation again. “She was talking about a school she went to here,” he recalled. In many ways, the moment summed up his journey: India as a recurring rhythm in his life, now finally experienced in real time.