In the music industry, age and gender are merely bystanders. Ask French-born, South Holland-based artiste Stellar Om Source, who is one of the most reputed music producers in her genre, and she will tell you it’s true.
Only among a handful of synth musicians making a fun, feminised form of techno, she packs a dancefloor-friendly gig from years of experience to create a sound that is new and timeless at the same time.
Using her classical training background to make analogue, hardware-based, highly danceable music, Stellar OM Source, also known as Christelle Gualdi when not making music, brings her trademark synth-heavy productions to the city’s dance lovers.
Brought to Bengaluru as part of a three-city tour, including Mumbai and Hyderabad, by Red Bull Music, the French synthstress plays at Kitty Ko this weekend.
Although she’s come before to India to learn yoga, Christelle says it’s an altogether new experience performing here. “I’m thrilled because I’ve never been to Bangalore and Hyderabad, and especially because it’ll be the first time I am performing my music in India. I’ve been to India only once before and it was a life-changing experience. Now coming to perform will be very special.”
She hopes to take back “the special feeling after finishing a set and the look on people’s faces. I hope they take back a sense of joyful elevation! I am also looking forward to the exchanges we will have. I hope I can document it.”
One of the few musicians to have played alongside Indian producer and proclaimed father of acid house, Charanjit Singh in Antwerp in 2012, Christelle is keen on interacting with Indian electronic music fans and artistes. “I often listen to ragas and I’m very influenced by the depth and incredible history of Indian music. I feel really close to the experience that one can have listening to Indian music being very repetitive and harmonically rich. I want to see how this translates with younger people and producers.”
Known for constantly renewing her setlist, Christelle says: “The tracks for this tour are 80 per cent unreleased and new material. I also leave room for improvisation, to extend or skip parts depending on the vibe.” At the heart of her music, she continues, “Are beauty, emotions, higher states and communion.”
The classically trained musician studied music theory after earning an architecture degree, and then turned to making experimental electronic music in the early 2000s as Stellar Om Source. Looking back at her illustrious career where the Dutch synth maker built her immersive brand of hybrid house that layers slices of ‘70s German electro with globs of Chicago-style deep house to fine effect, Christelle says: “Even after all these years, I still do not consider music as a career. It’s more about having a strong sense of belief and discipline to work at it. It is ever changing. I also try to see myself as an artiste and follow my own path.” She adds that one thing she’s learnt in all these years is to “trust in the sound. When I make tracks, some sounds lead me on to embark on their journey.”
In the future, she hopes “things will unfold in the best possible ways. I hope to continue creating amazing music that people can cherish.”
Catch Stellar Om Source live in concert with gig openers Messier 31 aka SOULSPACE, Axo and Alina, at Kitty Ko, The LaLiT Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds. Call 30527777.
A sound map of the grooviest shows this weekend
