Originally from Germany and based now out of Miami, Markus Schulz holds the 2012-2013 title of “America’s Best DJ” as voted by the readers of DJ Times magazine. Over the last 10 years, he’s crafted the individual musical identities of progressive, trance and house into his own unique sound. His “Global DJ Broadcast” radio show is heard by millions each week and is aired on SiriusXM in the U.S., DI.fm and 50 other radio stations around the world. Schulz is label chief of his own Coldharbour Recordings (under the Armada Music umbrella) and has helped launch the careers of aspiring talent from around the world. Schulz has four full-length studio albums under his belt – including Do You Dream? and Scream – and those works have brought forth the dance-floor crowd-rockers, “The New World,” “Nothing without Me” featuring Ana Diaz, “Love Rain Down” featuring Seri, “Perception” and “Do You Dream?”

Known for blending progressive, trance and house music together, his albums Do You Dream and Scream were extremely successful in the trance and house genre. The German trance DJ played in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune and Delhi in April and while he was in Mumbai we got a chance to have a telephonic chat with him. Here are excerpts from the interaction.

Is it your first visit to India?

Well no. I have been here before and performed for music festivals here as well. It has always been amazing to perform for my Indian audiences. They are so full of energy and always challenge me to be better. Greatly looking forward to perform at Vh1 Supersonic Club nights.

Multiple international artistes have started travelling to India. How did you happen to come here?

Well, for me this is a place that I have always circled every year when we start making the world tour plans and I have been coming here not regularly but frequently in the last 5 years. Every time I come here, I have such a great time and the people here are fantastic. There is such a big online community here, so for me it is just to come here and perform for the people in person is great. You hear about, you see the messages, you see the activity on the blog and stuffs from India, so to come here and experience it first-hand, is something I try to do as often as possible. Unfortunately there is just not enough weeks in a year to hit India all the time but for sure I like to come here at least once a year.

Are you aware of Indian trance music culture? Any artistes you appreciate?

Well I think that the Trance community in India is the fans, I get messages all the time from the fans out here and I know that they really challenge me as a producer. This is because it’s like they listen to everybody and the thing nowadays is that it doesn’t matter if you are in India or if you are in Amsterdam, London, New York or wherever, it really is a global community especially when it comes to trance. Everything kind of lives online and it doesn’t matter where and from what part of world you are in and just for that reason alone, the Trance fans are probably the most challenging fans out there but they are also the more loyal and passionate fans. So I really love, especially India, where there is such a big online community and I like coming here and seeing and experiencing that passion first-hand.

Have you heard of artistes like Mika Singh, Yo Yo Honey Singh or AR Rahman? What do you like about them?

I am not sure about any specific artist but I know that there are a lot of people that I have sampled loops and taken inspiration for riffs and stuff, even from Bollywood music and I think I might have to educate myself more on specific artist but I know that it’s a big influence for musicians all over the world cause they are always sampling or replaying for some of these riffs and melodies from some of their big tracks.

Are you planning any collaboration with Indian artistes?

We are looking for artist in general for my label ‘Coldharbour’ and like said it doesn’t matter where you come from, I am always looking. I know every time I come here, people hand me a USB stick and I quiet like that. I love discovering new artists. Hopefully on this trip I’ll find somebody.

Tell us about the projects/collaborations in the pipeline.

Well I am in the middle of doing a city series compilation- where every month I pick a city that I travel to and make a track dedicated to them. This month I dedicated a track to Mumbai. It’s called Bombay. I will be playing it tonight and actually the whole tour. Then I am recording the set tonight here in Mumbai for my Radio show. So the idea of doing so is to kind of to let the whole world know about where I am here and what it’s like being here.

Interviewed by Verus Ferreira