Interview: NYC's Top DJs On Their Favorite Gigs, Best After-Hours Spots, And More!

Kalkutta

Between her charming smile and cheerful personality, you might not realize what a DJ heavyweight Kalkutta is. Despite regular appearances on Good Morning America, opening for the likes of David Guetta and Ke$ha, and playing venues like the Boom Boom Room or even the Metropolitan Museum, Kalkutta is both humble and vibrant, especially when it comes to music. "I always wanted to be a producer. I grew up in the golden age of guys like Timbaland and the Neptunes doing their thing. It was the thing to do; it was rock stardom." After studying production in school and learning how to DJ under the tutelage of Mel Debarge, Kalkutta's career has skyrocketed. She's a regular at some of the best clubs in the city and also has created hit remixes of songs by Krewella and Miley Cyrus. Stay up to date with Kalkutta at @djkalkutta [Photo via] Where can we see you DJ? I'm at Riff Raff's here and there, I'm at Catch Roof, I'm at Pink Elephant in the Hamptons, and here once in a while, I'm at Anchor. I've been at Beauty & Essex a lot, and The Box. Every week is a little different. It changes honestly every week for me. I do a lot of clubs out of town too. Favorite album of 2013 so far. Yeezus. Actually Disclosure's Settle. It's a toss up, the reason I like Kanye is anyone at that level has a social and musical obligation to evolve and change, and do something innovative. They have the platform to do it. Favorite song of 2013 so far. Can I say my own song (laughs)? I just did a Miley Cyrus "We Can't Stop" remix with my friend Gazzo. Huff Post premiered it, then Marie Claire, Vibe, a bunch of other posts. Total self promo there (laughs). M.I.A "Bring The Noize" also. Song we'll always hear you play. Azealia Banks "212", and the Krewella "Alive" mix I did with Cash Cash. Weirdest request you've gotten. Usher "Papers", and you can add that to the song I'll never play. I mean it's like a ballad about his divorce. It's literally a ballad where he's singing "girl you better sign those papers," about his divorce. Like, what? I'm never going to play this. What song do you trust to turn the crowd up? "Cannonball" by Showtek and Bingo Player's "Rattle." All-time favorite gig you played. Saturday Night Live. I was with Karmin, who had a big top 10 song, "Brokenhearted." I did every show with them, I did Ellen, I did Leno, I did Good Morning America. Saturday Night Live was great because Zooey Deschanel was hosting, and she brought a bunch of the cast members from New Girl, and they were all fantastic. Nicholas Cage came out and Steven Spielberg was at the after-party. But the real kicker was, this was the last season of SNL that Kristen Wiig was in, and she was very friendly and she came over to each band member separately. All the cast members did, they were incredible. We had the after party at Abe & Arthur's. Yeah this was the best night of my life. They've also re-aired this several times and I get residual checks every time too (laughs). What's your dream event? Um this is tough, because I also did the Garden with Karmin. Madison Square Garden, which was a dream. We did the Jingle Ball tour so I did every major stadium all over. I would want to do Clive Davis' Grammy party that he holds every year at the Beverly Hotel. It's like the biggest party in music, that's been going for like 40 years, it's ridiculous. If you could open for anyone, living or dead, who would it be? With Karmin we already opened for Guetta, Selena Gomez, Avril, all these people. I would want to pick somebody I loved in my childhood. Or maybe I would say Major Lazer.