Vikas Kohli
The Skinny
Vikas Kohli from FatLabs is a good guy. You want to be his friend.
He's fought super-villains while the song he produced for Bollywood film "Mission Istaanbul" was performed live at the IIFAs. He's grilled a samosa while composing for the Canadian Film Centre's "Shanti Baba Ram & The Dancers of Hope", which aired on Canwest Global. He ate the samosa while composing for "I Do. Do I?" which won a Gold Remi at the Houston International Film Festival. He's produced two albums with The Responsibles, which were nominated for Punk Recording of the Year and charted nationally; co-wrote Jennifer Abadesso's song "Did You Think", which hit #1 in Paris; produced multi-million album selling Bhangra artist Mika Singh and collaborated on projects with Cappadonna (Wu-Tang Clan), Justin Nozuka, Moka Only and Apache Indian. Vikas has been profiled by CBC, Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Rogers TV, OMNI TV, Hindustan Times, MSN, AOL, Yahoo and Zee News.
Things are looking good at FatLabs. Let's do lunch.
The Dirt
Now a sought-after music producer, Kohli is well versed in music across a variety of genres from punk, jazz, and hip-hop, to country, metal, and Bollywood pop. He is known internationally for his extensive repertoire, his expertise with song arrangements, A-list session musicians and his one-on-one artist development. When asked how he maneuvers effortlessly between so many genres, Kohli simply quips: "I just like music. Don't you?"
Click on the links below to listen to some FatLabs projects:
Selected Filmography
- Produced the song "Apun Ke Saath" for acclaimed Bollywood director Apoorva Lakhia's major motion film Mission Istaanbul. The song was performed live by Vivek Oberoi at the IIFA (International Indian Film Academy) in Bangkok, Thailand.
- Produced the song "Tere Pyar Mein" in the upcoming major motion Bollywood film Tom, Dick and Harry Rock Again, which features Indian pop star Mika Singh.
- Produced and co-wrote the title track "Dil Yeh" for the film Shanti Baba Ram and the Dancers of Hope produced by the prestigious Canadian Film Centre (founded by Academy-nominated Norman Jewison). This film has screened at the Montreal World Film Festival, Atlantic Film Festival, FILMI, Yellowknife Film Festival, Reel World Film Festival, Masala!Mehndi!Masti!, Worldwide Short Film Festival, Lanzarote Film Festival (Spain) and won a Bronze Remi at the Worldfest Houston International Film Festival. The film has also been broadcast on CBC, Canwest Global and Showtime.
- Composed the score for the film "I Do. Do I?" produced by About Time Productions, which won a Gold Remi at the Worldfest Houston International Film Festival and has screened at FILMI, Mosaic, and Masala!Mehndi!Masti! The film has also secured a distribution deal with Ouat! Media.
Selected Discography
- Produced collaborations between international artists from various genres such as the song "Whiskey (Party Special}" with Mika Singh & Jamaican reggae artist Deva Bratt and "Nazarein Milane Wali" with Mika Singh & Kissdagirlz (Tef & Don).
- One of Kohli's Canadian albums has been offered a USD$100K marketing & distribution album deal from international record label Tips (Tips has the highest number of gold and platinum discs of all record labels in India).
- In 2008, Kohli produced the album The FatLabs Sessions by The Responsibles, which debuted in the Top 20 for radio play nationally and was nominated for Best Punk Recording of the Year at the Hamilton Music Awards. In 2006, Kohli produced their album Class*Action*Suit, which charted in the Top 100 nationally, and was also nominated for Best Punk Recording of the Year.
- Produced and co-wrote the song "Did You Think" by Jennifer Abadesso and featuring Juno award-winner Moka Only. The song charted in Luxembourg, Portugal and hit #1 on Alfa Radio in Paris, France.
- In 2010, Canadian Music Week held a special "Spotlight on India", which included 2 industry showcases including several artists produced by Kohli.
- Hip-hop duo Tef & Don's "On The Northside" hit #1 on CIUT, was selected for Flow 93.5's Urban Flow Case CD & charted nationally.
- R&B singer Tash's track "Let Me Show You", charted on Flow 93.5FM and she was selected as an NXNE showcase artist.
Kohli is actively involved in the music scene and has spoken at NXNE, SAC, CMW, Masala!Mehndi!Masti!, Nashville Songwriters Association, Hamilton Music Awards, Toronto Independent Music Awards, FILMI, Undercurrents, JyaFest Arts Collective, Canada Career Arts, Tin Pan North and the City of Mississauga's Culture Division. He is a jury member for FACTOR and sits on the Arts and Culture Grant Assessment Committee for the City of Mississauga. In 2010, Kohli was nominated for a MARTY award. As the architect behind FatLabs, Kohli gives his personal attention and focus to each artist.
Born in Ottawa, Kohli started playing guitar and studying painting at fine arts school. Kohli received his Honors Degree in Mathematics & Philosophy from the University of Toronto, his MBA from the Schulich School of Business and his CFA. Kohli now lives in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada where he runs FatLabs all hours of the day and night -- It turns out rock'n'rollers don't need sleep. |
