Tu hi tu, tu hi tu
Satarangi re
Tu hi tu, tu hi tu
Manrangi re
A girl screams at the sound of the familiar melody, almost spilling her drink as she jumps up and grabs her girls to dance under the glittering disco ball.
“Where’re all my Brown people?” DJ Rooney calls out to the crowd. They cheer in response, bobbing their heads and swaying their hips.
It was a warm Thursday night on the eve of Holi; Varun Iyer, known to many as “DJ Rooney,” was hosting an “All Desi Night” at Lady Love Lounge.
Rooney was inspired to curate a night full of South Asian music after experiencing it himself two years ago. It was the first time he saw Nonazar, collective based in Los Angeles; it was also the first time he’d been around so many South Asians in that kind of space.
Nonazar plays Bollywood classics in different forms. They incorporate all kinds of genres from amapiano to house. Rooney heard the songs of his childhood reimagined, and he wanted to bring the same energy to Texas.
“I grew up with South Asian music,” Rooney says. “It was played in the car and in Bollywood movies, but I never understood how fun and impactful they were until I got older. Now I want to connect with my culture. There’s a massive South Asian population here and I really want to create a space for us, and see where it can take us.
Rooney says everything stems from that one show. He owes so much of his sound and personal style to those who came before him.
“I love house music so I wanna try and incorporate that as much as I can, ” Rooney says. “Whether it’s a global sound or even top 40s, I wanna incorporate dance music into it.”
One of the best sets he’s ever done was two years ago at Meet Me Underground, a collective that hosts weekly dance parties. Monday‘s were all house music, all night.
“As a DJ, I’m a product of Meet Me Underground when it comes to my style and what kind of music I like,” Rooney says. “It was very formative and led me to where I am right now. That show was my first set with a semi-decent crowd; It wasn’t just my friends.”
Rooney was 14 when he saved up to get his first board. He picked it up for fun after playing with his friend’s portable Pioneer. At the time, he didn’t realize it would become such a big part of his life.
“I just kind of ran with it,” Rooney says. “I messed around, making mixes and putting them on Soundcloud—which will never see the light of day.”
Music has always been an outlet for Rooney to express himself. He played piano as a child, joined the choir in high school, and had a brief stint in musical theatre. One day after school, Rooney and his friend Brandon, a local artist by the name Bran Movay, decided to create a rap group and try something new.
Rooney’s gotten to know himself through every phase. He likes production with high energy, but appreciates when a song knows what to hit, and when to slow it down.
“I’m very meticulous when it comes to my style, ” Rooney says. “It can fluctuate, but right now I feel like I’m at a point where I just wanna go crazy.”
For Rooney, music is also a form of connection. He likes being able to curate the vibe and be a part of the fun, whether he’s on stage or in the background. He didn’t expect all the traction from his set at Lady Love Lounge, but the positive reception has helped boost his confidence.
“Just seeing the reaction, seeing how my peers in the community have embraced me and my ideas, makes me feel like I’m doing something right,” Rooney says. “I’m moving in the right direction, not just copying and pasting.”
