Amid all the excitement for Road To Ultra-India, lost Kings’ duo Robert Abisi and Nick Shanholtz take time out for Team Viva
lost Kings is an American DJ duo consisting of Robert Abisi and Nick Shanholtz, based in los Angeles. The duo gained popularity beginning in 2014 through their official remixes for artists such as Imagine Dragons, Krewella, Halsey, Vance Joy, Echosmith, Rihanna, and Tori Kelly, and through their original EDM/progressive house music.
How did you form the bandIJ
We all were deeply influenced by music and this became a galvanising point. However, technically it was our mutual friends who introduced us.
With so many bands mushrooming overnight, how do you maintain originalityIJ
Definitely. With an online platform available there is no ending to the kind of music that is becoming available to the people. There’s a lot of awful music out there and tons of Milli Vanilli who should be called out. But in the end, your unique sound will stand out.
Current songs have a shorter shelf life while old songs still stay with us. What could be the reasonIJ
The way everything is consumed now has reduced music to a short-haul product. You always want the next big thing or the next playlist update and you cannot build a memory bank like you did when there were fewer songs and you played them on a loop. Somewhere down the line, the essence of good music is lost.
How do you explain your mixed and varied fan baseIJ
I think the subjects we write about have the capability to do so. It doesn’t matter where you are from as we try to make our music universal and relatable to all. We also use music videos as a piece to the puzzle but it’s not crazy important to us. People don’t view music videos like they once did.
What can Indian fans expect from you at Road To Ultra - IndiaIJ
We are really excited to play in India. We don’t wanna give away what people have been waiting for so long; that’s going to be clearly seen in our performance. However, I can assure you that it will be a wholesome performance. So expect a lot of energy and unlimited fun.
What do you guys plan on doing when you’re in the countryIJ
Sadly, we are time-bound and hence, we won’t have the leisure to tour all over India. But hopefully we can enjoy some good food and see some of the places around the city.
Have you ever thought about collaborating with any Bollywood artistsIJ
We keep all options open because we love trying new things. So, we’d definitely be open to it as well.
Since, you are touring Asia with Ultra, how do you relax between gigsIJ Is there anything you do before getting on stageIJ
For us relaxing is synonymous to napping. And we definitely drink tequila before we go on stage.
How can an artist evolve and simultaneously keep up with the timesIJ How do you manage to stay relevantIJ
We never settle with our content, so I think that makes us keep on trying to push the boundaries. And by doing so, it helps you stay current and not get stuck in a sound that was popular years ago.
How can an artist protect his own art - be it sound, design or paintingsIJ
The best and the knowledgeable thing to do is copyright.
What’s the piece of advice you’ve gotten or want to shareIJ
There is a popular saying, hard work pays off, which we always follow. Because nothing comes in easy.
What are your forthcoming projectsIJ
Our next single is with Sabrina Carpenter and it’s called First love. She was amazing to work with and we can’t wait for people to hear it.
Which is your personal favorite from your collectionsIJ
We’re excited for all our new music that is going to come out soon. If we have to pick one, it will definitely be Phone Down with Emily Warren.