Best Songs for a Live Dhol Player
Updated: Aug 13, 2019
Vinay Sharma is a Dhol player based in Los Angeles who travels the world rocking out to South Asian weddings. Earlier he wrote about why you need a dhol player at your Indian wedding, and today he joins us again to discuss the best songs that he likes to play the dhol for.
A Dhol Player Makes your Indian Wedding
The excitement of a Dhol cannot be understated.
If you have a good Dhol player who understands your music tastes, really hypes up the crowd and knows when to enter the dance floor or Sangeet performance, man, you are going to have a wedding that is going to knock your friends's socks off.
That being said, here are songs, from 20 years old to yesterday, that really hype me up as a Dhol player.
You may be too young or old for some of these, but regardless, this list are songs that I think pair well, like a nice risotto and red wine, with the Dhol.
I personally find when you mix a Dhol with a song that is at least two or three years old, and it's had time to see if well, it stands the test of the time, that's when a Dhol makes sense and the hands go flying in the air.
If you have questions or suggestions please do pop them in the comments!
Best Indian or Bollywood Songs to Play with a Dhol
1. Ishq Tera Tadpave
This song is a classic, you'll hear it at every wedding, and it is FAST! One of my favorites to play because the song keeps getting faster and faster which really brings the party to new heights!
2. Imran Khan - Amplifier
Everybody remembers the first time they heard this beat.
And young or old, desi or not, you will also have the time of your life when you hear the sounds of drums live emanate from the corner of the dance floor.
This song is perfect for Bollywood, Hindi, Pakistani, Punjabi and even Gujarati weddings.
Play and watch!
3. Na Na Na Re
A classic anybody above 25 would probably know.
Also your Caucasian friends would probably already know Daler Mehendi from Tunak Tunak.
When the chorus hits is when that Dhol drops bro!!!
4. Amrit Saab - Sardar
5. 3 Peg Sherry Mann
One of the newer ones on the list, watch this video and start dancing, and that drink in your hand!
It's not a big fat wedding unless you see your buddies tossing their drink in the air telling the dhol player to drop that beat!!!
Best American or Latin Songs to Play with your Dhol
Wait what?
Yes! When people are happily dancing to a song they would least expect a dhol at, and then they see it being live remixed they really go crazy.
1. California Love - Tupac and Dr. Dre
2. Party Up - DMX
You all gon make me lose my mind, up in here! Up in here! DMX is a staple for anybody above 30 these days.
3. Don Omar - Danza Kuduro ft. Lucenzo
The perfect Zumba track, with a Billion views, is also the perfect song for me to rock on the Dhol!
4. Bad Bunny feat. Drake - Mia
This track, along with the TwinBeatz mashup is so much fire and one of my favorites. Any wedding where the bride and groom are under 30 will go NUTS when they hear a dhol kick in.
I mean who doesn't like Drake these days?
5. Big Pimpin
A lot of the young guns may not know this song, but Jay Z was the biggest star in his day especially at wedding tracks.
Everybody above 30 in today's Indian wedding circuit heard this throughout college, so if you want that Hip hip retro feel for your crowd (be warned aunties and uncles may leave the dance floor if you play this), this is a perfect slower dhol beat to rock to post midnight!
Great for after parties!
CONCLUSION
A live Dhol player is honestly one of the highlights of an Indian wedding, especially when you have a South Asian special occasion in America.
First time guests for an Indian wedding go nuts when they wonder what's going on, then feel the beat and then just get so excited to dance.
Our In House dhol player Malinder is in this video. Can you spot her?
You'll hear Sharon from Accounting go "Wow I never dance but that was so much fun!"
All the best and if you need a Dhol Player in the United States please do let us know!