EDMC to the fore

Saturday, 22 June 2013 06:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Rashika Fazali It just happens to be ‘the’ music played anywhere and everywhere. Parties may start off with RnB, but will end the night with Electronic Dance Music (EDM) which has gone viral in the country. Top EDM artistes such as Avicii, Afrojack, Dash Berlin and Above & Beyond have graced the country, playing to packed crowds, which is a sign that that EDM is the current king of music. EDM City (EDMC) caters to the typical EDM lover, playing a lot of the non-commercial music that you don’t hear every day or week. Commencing last year in October, EDMC has gathered a group of top Sri Lankan DJs, who as a part of the station, broadcast their mixes

and enhance the knowledge of the average listener. In an email interview with EDMC CEO and Founder Srinath Ramamoorthy, he expressed his goal to bring together and foster the EDM spirit in the country and his upcoming plans for EDMC. Following are the excerpts of the interview: Q: What does EDM City specialise in? What is your aim? A: EDM City is the pioneer in electronic music radio broadcast in Sri Lanka via www.edmcity.lk. It is far from old commercial formulas – at EDMC, we have developed our own fresh and innovative radio style. It is a distinctive brand that is in constant evolution. EDMC is gradually gaining momentum on the international online radio scene and at the moment, we are in discussions with other networks from various parts of the world to make EDMC a global international brand for electronic dance music. Q: What made you introduce this medium? A: I’ve always been a lover of music. For me, it was a perfect marriage – internet, technology and music. The reason we’re in this game is to define the way music will be listened to in the next decade. After a long time in the corporate world, I realised I was settling into the corporate side of the business and losing my focus on my passion, music. I really appreciated my time as a marketer. I made some of my best friends, people with a shared passion and I learned a lot of business knowledge, but I had itchy feet and wanted to do my own thing, unrestricted by the corporate side of the industry. So, I started ‘EDM City’, calling on some good friends with very interesting profiles to share their passion and get involved. Q: What is the current status of EDM in Sri Lanka? A: DJs are the music world’s new rock stars. The adulation, the frenzy and the ticket sales that was once enjoyed by the likes of Mick Jagger, Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd and Metallica have in the recent past become the domain of DJs like Tiesto, David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and many others. The fact that many artistes have visited Sri Lanka recently to play at packed gigs is cause to cheer. Until a couple of years ago, watching foreign acts like Dash Berlin, Above & Beyond and Avicii live was a distant dream for the average EDM lover. Today, not a month goes by without a top-billed international act flying down to our shores for a concert. Q: How has the country evolved musically? A: With so many music festivals happening around the country, so many gigs happening in pubs and so many bands coming out these days, quite obviously it is much easier to discover and spread music for an independent artist now than ever before. The sources of Sri Lankan music are endless and its potentials are without limit. In the past, our music culture obtained its inspiration and its ingredients from generations of inherited popular and classical music as well as from western music. Today as a nation, we have achieved a much greater degree of closeness and cultural exchange has become so much easier. The opportunity for Sri Lankan music to disseminate widely and to expand its vision presents itself. Q: On your Facebook page, it says that EDM is not another radio station, but a lifestyle. Could you elaborate on this? A: Yes! EDM CITY is not another radio station. It’s a ‘lifestyle’ for your target. It is the soundtrack to their daily lives which allows them to connect with the brand and as a result creates a very high brand loyalty. They love the station for the music we play and the fact that we deliver it in a way that matches their consumer lifestyle. Whether they get us on their computers at home, online at work or on their mobile device, EDM CITY is an easy favourite of this on demand consumer generation. Q: Could you tell us about the gigs EDM City has pulled off? A: We have done four events so far and have been partners with many and our fans have been our pillars of success. The responses are massive especially from the teenagers. EDMC is nothing like anyone has ever experienced before and I have to say that people are embracing the change. Q: What will the Transfix Music Festival be about? A: For us to know and for you to find out. Q: What plans do you have to strengthen EDM in Sri Lanka? A: After pouring much thought into this matter, we are planning on opening a school for potential artists where they can gain the professional know-how of the industry and we are not restricting it to the city. EDMC will be extending its support to areas out of Colombo and will be moulding identified youngsters into success stories in the near future.