American DJ and music producer Thomas Wesley Pentz, popularly known as Diplo, has built a global reputation with hit tracks like Lean On, Welcome To The Party, and Midnight Ride. While his chart-topping success is well known, fewer people are aware that a transformative journey through India played a key role in shaping his musical identity.
A life-changing move at 20
Born in 1978, Diplo travelled to India when he was just 20 years old, long before international fame. With limited money but boundless curiosity, he immersed himself in the country’s culture rather than observing it from the sidelines. He purchased a second-hand Royal Enfield motorcycle and rode across vast regions, covering Gujarat, West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Ladakh.
This slow, ground-level travel allowed him to experience India beyond tourist routes. Every city, street, and sound became a lesson in rhythm.
Discovering music beyond vinyl
While Diplo initially aspired to make hip-hop music, he soon realised his strengths lay elsewhere. Experimentation led him to DJing, where he began looping samples and creating beats using basic equipment. During his travels, he developed a habit of collecting vinyl records from old shops and junk markets, especially in New Delhi.
But the real influence wasn’t just the records. Listening to people play tabla, sitar, and traditional instruments, Diplo understood that music lives in places and people, not just in studios. The atmosphere of cities, even decades after their cultural peaks, carries a lingering musical spirit.
Rishikesh
After a month on the road, Diplo reached Rishikesh, broke and hungry but deeply inspired. He had his bike and a yoga studio floor to sleep on, nothing more. Though known as a spiritual hub and famously associated with The Beatles, Diplo clarified that he wasn’t searching for enlightenment.
Instead, he was an adventure seeker fascinated by culture, sound, and human stories. One spontaneous decision, to float down the Ganga River, became a powerful metaphor. The river, he realised, moves you on its own terms, much like rhythm itself.
How India shaped Diplo’s sound
Diplo has often described himself as a cultural explorer who once dreamed of working with National Geographic. His experiences in India strengthened that curiosity and deeply influenced his genre-blending approach to music.
Recently, he shared visuals of himself playing DJ beats by the banks of the Ganges, hinting that the story isn’t over yet. His India journey remains a reminder that travel, openness, and curiosity can quietly shape a global artist’s voice, long before the spotlight arrives.
