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DJ Lemon: Nairobi’s great, the people even greater!


DJ Lemon promised bliss and he delivered at the Venom Bar and Club in Westlands. Designer Sonu Sharma and travel industry guru Sanjeev Sharma made it happen. This was the third time Lemon has performed in Nairobi.

NairobiNews got an exclusive interview with him.

This isn’t your first visit to Nairobi. What keeps you coming back? What do you have to say about the vibe in the city.

This is my third visit, and what keeps me coming back is I am really comfortable in Kenya, especially in Nairobi because of the good friends I’ve made here on my previous visits. The organisers make sure things are perfect and that helps too. Overall I love the vibe of the City.

Nairobi has a major club culture, what would you advise aspiring DJs who want to make it big?

I think, just follow your dream. If you think you have it in you just go for it. Do what you feel like doing simple as that. If you are into music, any kind of music- an instrument or spinning or singing don’t ever leave it just keep doing what you do no matter what.

It takes a lot of time and patience; it took me 15 years to reach here. Just don’t give up, music today tomorrow or always is going to give you something back so just don’t give up on yourself. 

Have you had a chance to listen to any local music/singers? Opinions? 

Yes, I’m always taken to this restaurant when I come here. There was a local band that played there and it was just amazing. The local music is nice, makes me feel good about music, the vibe is very upbeat and nice. 

I would actually like to use a Kenyan beat or Kenyan vocals in my work. It would work so well with the Bollywood tunes, to give it a different touch. I might actually use it in the near future. 

Why DJ Lemon?

My father used to call me ‘Nima’ as a nickname, which in my language (Sindhi) means Lemon. He passed away in 2005 and it has worked like a blessing for me.

This name – DJ Lemon has brought me a lot of success. Since he passed away I changed my DJ name to Lemon and it’s a blessing which I feel has come straight from him. 

The age old argument is about remixes vs original songs. What is your opinion?

I think original songs work. They work at private parties and such things but when you’re in a club you wouldn’t want to hear an original song.

A little beat added to the song can give it a new life, I am not saying you should kill the song’s flavour entirely but some beats to make a ‘club version’ of the original is a great thing. 

Who would you say is an extraordinary musical talent in Bollywood today? 

For me it has to be Arijit Singh. He was about leave Bollywood because he couldn’t get success no matter how hard he tried. After his break and the playback for just one movie ‘Aashiqui 2’- which took him so high up today he is the Bollywood Icon that every singer aspires to be.