5 House Acts With Surprising Pasts

Niles Hollowell-Dhar, more commonly known by his onstage moniker, KSHMR, rose to fame in conjunction with the EDM boom of the 2010’s. The DJ/producer got his start during the early part of the decade as one half of the production duo The Cataracs. Initially focused on hip-hop and pop music, Hollowell-Dhar and counterpart Benjamin Singer-Vine, collaborated with the likes of Dev, Snoop Dogg, New Boys, and the Far East Movement—ultimately producing the viral hit “Like a G6” with the latter, which cemented their fame.

But it was just as Hollowell-Dhar had secured his status as a sought-after pop producer that he began to think his chosen genres might not be the best fit for him. Longing for more creative freedom, the producer turned to dance music, drawing from his Indian heritage to create a unique flavor of the big-room house that defined the period. His big break in the rave realm came with the release of “Burn” alongside DallasK, and “Secrets,” with Tiësto. Hollowell-Dhar kept his identity secret during the build-up and burn of both of these seminal tracks, ultimately revealing himself during Tiësto’s 2015 performance at Ultra.

KSHMR has collaborated with the likes of Hardwell, R3hab, and more, and is also known for his featuring of vocalists like KARRA, Delaney Jane, and Vassy in his tracks. And with sets under his belt at EDC Las Vegas, Coachella, and Ultra, among others, you’d be hard pressed to find a major North American festival he hasn’t played. He is consistently releasing new music that stays true to his roots—but also keeps up with current sensibilities. To date, he’s released just one full-length album, “Harmonica Andromeda,” which dropped in 2021, and a slew of singles, along with several EPs. KSHMR is also at the helm of his own label, Dharma Worldwide, which places an emphasis on world music and global sounds, in addition to being home to the artist’s very own music education platform, Dharma Studio, which provides resources for budding musicians.

United States

big room

dutch house

electro house

indian edm

pop dance

progressive electro house

slap house

KSHMR

France

filter house

french indie pop

french indietronica

new french touch

Simon Dunmore

acid house

alternative dance

chicago house

electroclash

new rave

Felix Da Housecat

tech house

Marco Strous

United Kingdom

uk house

TSHA

downtempo bass

Bad Snacks

brostep

electronic trap

Party Favor

classic house

Steve "Silk" Hurley

Germany

frankfurt electronic

german techno

minimal techno

schranz

techno

Chris Liebing

Joplyn

KSHMR

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