Exclusive: Kulstarr interview ‘Sardari’
Punjab2000 presents to you Kulstarr (Kuli Shoker). He is an upcoming artist but is widely known for being a music producer, remixer and composer. We got to exclusively chat with Kulstarr on the day of his debut release called Sardari featuring vocals from Jaswinder Daghamia. OUT NOW.
Click the button to purchase Kulstarr’s track ‘Sardari’ on iTunes:
Written interview with Kulstar:
Hi Kulstar, can you please tell Punjab2000 readers a little bit about yourself and what inspired you into making/remixing music?
Hi, so I was originally born in Birmingham but I moved to and grew up in Wolverhampton from a young age. Music was never really in my family, barring my Dad having a vaja which he used to enjoy playing at home. However this all changed after going on a trip to Punjab in 1992 for my cousin’s wedding. I was very young, and whilst out shopping with my family in the city one day I came across a music store with lots of handmade instruments hanging up and placed around the store. Something about this moment gripped me and instantly I was drawn towards the Tablas. Maybe it was because I used to see them all the time at the Gurudwara, or because they used to be played during Punjabi school on Sunday mornings in assembly! But my Dad was like “don’t think about it”, thinking they would be left lying around our house after a few weeks of playing.
We didn’t buy the Tablas on that trip… but for the next few months I’d pester my Mom & Dad to get me a set of Tablas. Maybe them saying no made me want them more? Or if i had gotten what I wanted in the first place then maybe they would have actually been left lying around? So eventually my parents caved in, and we had a relative bring me over a set from Punjab. I loved them and I was eager to learn to play. My Bibi ji found out about classes every Tuesday and Thursday at our local Gurudwara from 4.30 onwards, so every week on those days the two of us used to catch the bus so that I could go to the lessons. It wasn’t easy carrying a huge bag of Tablas – believe me!
This was my introduction into music. Learning about basic beats and rhythm. Not only that, but learning about the hard work that has to go into any craft. This was my second major hobby I’d taken up in my spare time at a young age. the other was football for a local team. Training on Saturday mornings and a match on Sunday afternoon – after Punjabi school!
Over 1 million people have viewed your remix videos on youtube. A great figure for an upcoming artist. Can you give us the low down on your musical journey so far?
As I grew up learning Tabla, I became curious in also wanting to learn other instruments. So I started learning basic dholki, dhol, vaja (not great), tumbi, and algoze. But it was one day when I had just started college that I randomly came across a ‘Free Trial’ for a music production program. I was fascinated and instantly downloaded the 28 day trial. This program was as basic as it could get, however it allowed me to record my instruments and then chop them up within the software. At the time I was really into my Hip Hop music so I began to get instrumental beats and mix those up with my instruments. Eventually, this led to me chopping the beats up and making my own beat patterns and bass etc.
When the 28 day trial finished I begged my Mum to buy me the program, but I remember she said only if I washed the cars and cut the grass first! She was true to her word and bought me the program.
After creating monstrosities, I kept improving and wanting to learn more and more. I feel like I made steady progress with this program, and even though it was basic and restricted, it taught me the absolute basics of understanding the methods of mixing and building beats. Until this very day, I have every single track I produced with this program and I also have the original program itself – but I don’t use it!
When the time came for moving on from this program, I eventually picked up professional production programs and equipment which would allow for me to learn and produce at my best. These are the programs I use today.
Where does the name Kulstarr come from?
Football. Pure and simple. When you play with my lads, whether it’s a one-off or regular – you get given a name. And that’s one of my better names!
You sound like a proper football FAN! If you wasn’t doing music, what would you have been doing instead?
Well, I went to University and did a BA (Hons) in Business Management, then went on to do a Masters in HR Managements whilst getting chartered with the CIPD. However, my future was not in finding a job… I knew that I wanted to follow my music, even turning down the opportunity of a PhD. I took a leap of faith and have no regrets. Lets see where it takes me!
We have listened to your debut track and we can definitely say you have made the right decision. Music is in your blood. Who within the Asian music industry are currently supporting you musically?
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to show Heps (PBN) my work with a demo cd, which he really liked, and from then on I was lucky enough to be signed on to his label – Playback Records. Like me, he is a fellow ‘Wolverhamptoner’ so its perfect for myself. The opportunity this has given me is amazing and he has show full belief in what I do.
Having PBN and Playback records fully support you is BIG. what support and advice have they given you?
Since being taken on by Playback Records, and having a massive mentor like Heps (PBN) to look over me, I have had the opportunity to really grow as an artist. Not only in music terms, but also everything else that comes along with doing music e.g How to promote yourself, how to stay relevant, how to keep on improving by understanding the market out there etc. Ive been able to learn how to work with different artists, musicians, lyricists, studios etc.
I was never on any social media 18 months or so ago. Heps urged me to get on the social media path and start building up my presence by providing content and being active. So that’s exactly what I did. Now I am on all social media including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat and SoundCloud. All under the name ‘Kulstarr’.
Once my social media was up and running, I realised that I need to upload content. And that waiting for official releases would be too long and time consuming. I wanted to engage with the audience and show different strings to my bow. I have been fortunate to be able to learn how to shoot, edit and produce music videos. And I’ve also been fortunate to learn how to make my own artwork via photoshop etc. To shoot my videos I have a team… Me & my wife – Mrs Kulstarr!
So far I have uploaded these tracks/videos:
- The Bhangra Mixtape
- Channa Mereya – The Kulstarr Fix
- Zindabaad Yaarian – The Kulstarr Fix
- Unforgettable – The Kulstarr Fix
- Hostel – The Kulstarr Fix
- Tera Mera Sajna – The Kulstarr Fix
- Kangani – The Kulstarr Fix (Most recent)
- Kawan – Kulstarr 180FIX
- Yaad Kar – Kulstarr 180FIX
What is ‘The Kulstarr FIX’?
Well, basically these are remixes/cover tracks that happen to be one of my favourite tracks – then mixed. So I have merely joined the words Favourite and Mix together to create ’Fix’. The ‘Fix’ name also represents that a particular song will be a free download.
What is ‘The 180FIX’?
The ‘180’ simply refers to 180 seconds, or 3 minutes. After creating videos for my tracks, I needed a segment on my YouTube Channel where I could simply drag and drop remixes without worrying about a video or artwork. I gave myself 1 simple rule… I can’t go over 180 seconds with these tracks!
What can our reader expect from you in the future?
I actually have a few more tracks in the pipeline, the debut one titled ‘Sardari’ featuring the very talented Jaswinder Daghamia was released today 25th October 2018 on Playback Records!
I will also continue to make free downloads, as well as work on official content. Free downloads always reminds me of why I do music in the first place – because I love it. I actually enjoy continuously learning and appreciating every step. Just like when my Bibi Ji was taking me to Tabla classes on the bus – all for the love!
The journey up until now has been amazing, and I feel as thought there’s a lot more on its way with Gods good graces.
Sardari | Kulstarr | Jaswinder Daghamia | Official Video
Well it definitely sounds like you are 100% committed to becoming a worldwide known artist! Consistency is key so keep bringing out those bangers. We at Punjab2000 wish you all the best for your debut track ‘Sardari’ and we will catch up with you very soon.
Get following Kulstar Social Media Accounts
Youtube Channel
KulstarrSoundcloud
KulstarrSnapChat
the_kulstarr