What It Was Like Experiencing Kaytranada Live in Mumbai

2025 has been a standout year for live music and concerts in India. As international tours finally find their way back to Indian stages with renewed energy, the country’s appetite for electronic music – especially house and techno – has grown evidently louder. So when Kaytranada announced his first-ever show in India, it didn't feel like just another gig, but more like a marker of how far India’s club culture has come. I was lucky enough to experience the artist's performance live.

Born Louis Kevin Celestin, the Haitian-Canadian DJ and producer has built a reputation for crafting music that sits somewhere between restraint and release. Kaytranada first broke through with his unofficial remix of Janet Jackson’s If, before going on to define a sound that blends house, hip-hop, R&B and funk with effortless precision. His debut album, 99.9% won the Polaris Music Prize in 2016, while BUBBA(2019) earned him two Grammys and cemented his place as one of contemporary electronic music’s most influential figures. Add to that collaborations with artists like Kali Uchis, H.E.R., The Weeknd and Aminé, and you get a producer whose work feels as good in headphones as it does on a dance floor.

That duality translated seamlessly to his Mumbai debut at the DOME, NSCI in Worli. Organised by District by Zomato, the event was refreshingly smooth from entry to layout, with enough (and relatively affordable) food and bar counters to keep queues short and energy levels high. It set the tone for a night that felt considered rather than chaotic.

A Sunday Night Dance Party

Opening acts Aayna and Kayan warmed up the crowd with their sets, easing everyone into the rhythm of the night. But once Kaytranada took over, the space transformed. Dreamy visuals washed over the screens, lasers cut through the dark, and his signature grooves turned the venue into what felt like an unhurried Sunday night dance party. What I appreciated the most was the breathing room – ample space to move, dance and actually enjoy the music without feeling boxed in.

Kaytranada himself was clearly having fun, breaking into dance moves behind the console and encouraging the crowd to let loose. It wasn’t performative or over-the-top; it felt genuine, like a shared exchange between artist and audience. The kind of set where you lose track of time, carried along by basslines that feel both hypnotic and light.

The concert was also promoted as a District Logout experience—a concept by District that encourages stepping away from screens and routines to fully immerse yourself in real-world cultural moments. And for once, the branding didn’t feel forced. For a few hours, it really did feel like logging out: no distractions, just music, movement and collective joy.

Kaytranada’s Mumbai debut wasn’t just a concert; it was a reminder of how powerful live music can be when the sound, the space and the crowd align. If this is any indication of what India’s electronic music future looks like, it’s already sounding very good.