He is very active on Twitter and quite open with his views. We caught up with DJ Reminisce to get his views on the current music industry.

Canadian artist DJ Reminisce has worked alongside many artists, DJ and parties and also made his own podcasts. When one wants to start their career in the music industry many struggle as they have to invest their own money and time to create a name. DJ Reminisce also went through this line, however his passion and struggle has got him to where he is today.

Do you think it is essential to re-invent yourself on every release, as now days most producers tend to stick with their tried and tested methods, which keeps originality to the minimum?

I think it’s important to really understand your brand and your target audience. If you look at bands such as the Rolling Stones or the Backstreet Boys they’ve always stayed to their sound and genre. Their fans have followed them over the years. That to me is being original when you know who you are.

What is your view on the quality of lyrics we are exposed to in the desi scene. Lately there seems to be a lot of more politically conscious lyrics. Would you encourage more?

Lyrical content like most things follow fashions and trends. In the current desi music scene you’re seeing different flavours of lyrics which I think is great. There are many songs to choose from based on what you like listening to.

I encourage all artists to sing and write what they’re passionate about, even if it involves tough subjects or political views. When you write or sing from the heart, it just makes the final record so much better.

Your view on this statement. ‘a fake artist is an artist who either breaches copyright law by stealing music and legitimising it as his/her own, or people that prefer to be ‘actors’ that portray artistic authorship’.

A fake artist is someone who pretends to be someone they’re not. Someone who steals other people’s hard earned music or work is a thief; plain and simple.

The question of bedroom djs/" producers” flooding the market with talent less albums, in your opinion how important is it for you to prove your stability in this market and how do you ensure creativity and originality within this mass production industry?

This is such a subjective topic. How many dope ‘bedroom’ DJ’s you know had great records or albums? There are so many. In this market stability, comes with consistency, hard work, a social media marketing plan and building a community of followers that adore you.

What is important is really sticking to your game plan and not to deviate. I see so many artists quit because they didn’t give themselves enough time to pop.

How much does the quality of the industry overall and the quest to be original weigh on your mind as a producer? Do you feel Bhangra is stagnating at the moment?

Quality is extremely important to me. That could mean from using the best sounds and techniques in your production all the way to being able to work with the best video guys, engineers and mastering guys that you can afford. At the end of the day budgets dictate your quality in most cases.

What I found with the Bhangra industry that we lack the professional touch, that extra sauce at the end especially with producers that do everything themselves. I’m a firm believer to leave certain things to the experts. All of this is a part of creating your own original sound. Any member of your team is there to help you create that unique sound. It’s still your sound at the end of the day.

I don’t feel the Bhangra industry is stagnating in fact I feel the opposite. There’s never been a better time in history to release your Panjabi music. Being different and building your own brand is the key.

As you know it’s very easy nowadays to buy vocals online, which directly contributes to the downfall off the Bhangra industry which is practice by many organizations to make a quick buck, it’s exploitation to the next level, what’s your say on this?

I don’t think buying vocals has any direct link to the downfall of the Bhangra industry. Buying vocals is no different than Hip Hop artists buying beats online and releasing their songs. Look how huge Hip Hop is right now, it’s a massive industry.

No matter what industry you’re in there will always be those that try to make a quick buck. Those people won’t last. This industry is about longevity and consistency.

Music is a team effort yes? Music producers are responsible to choose proper lyrics, then work out compositions with the lyricist and singer, but nowadays the producer’s job is too easy they’re given pre-made compositions and raw vocals ready to be mixed. Is that the proper procedure???

That’s the beauty of music. There are no hard or fast rules you need to follow. Some people start with a beat and write to a beat. And some people write whatever is in their mind and compose the melody that way. What is important is to make sure that you work with or hire the best people that you can possibly afford to get your sound dialed in.

I say way too many artists make the mistake of trying to do everything themselves. That lack of experience comes through into the final product. Quality should be important as well and that’s on you.

As a Bhangra consumer, are you happy with the state off the industry and the material that are releasing on a regular basis from unknown acts with no prior exposure or experience??

I’m extremely happy! As I mentioned earlier, there has never been a greater time in history to release music, especially as a newbie. Through sites like Youtube, Soundcloud, Instagram and others, you have the potential to build your own fan base and brand without ever needing an A/R or a record company.

There are no excuses as a new artist not to release music. Everything you need to know, from A to Z is doable and learnable just from the internet. From marketing, to production, to mixing and mastering, and all the way to social media tips and tricks.

Your success is going to be directly affected by how much time you spend with your art, brand and music. It’s time to get out there and get to work!

You can follow me at Follow @rupinder_rainer