Niles Hollowell-Dhar, known by his stage name KSHMR, produces big-room electro-house that is heavily influenced by his Indian heritage. The California-based producer first found success as part of the pop-rap duo the Cataracs, who produced hits for Far East Movement, Dev, Snoop Dogg, and New Boyz during the early 2010s. Freeing himself from the expectations of the pop world, he anonymously debuted his EDM alias KSHMR in 2014, publicly confirming his identity the following year. He has released dozens of singles, including collaborations with Tiësto, Hardwell, and R3hab, in addition to EPs such as 2015's Paradesi, 2016's interlude-heavy The Lion Across the Field, 2017's Materia, and 2021's full-length Harmonica Andromeda.
Hollowell-Dhar, the son of an Indian father and an American mother, was born in Berkeley, California, in 1988. He attended Berkeley High School, where he met aspiring rapper David Benjamin Singer-Vine. Hollowell-Dhar wrote a diss track against Singer-Vine, but they ended up becoming close friends, and they formed the Cataracs in 2003. Starting with 2006's Technohop, Vol. 1, they released a few digital albums and EPs, as well as the 2007 single "Blueberry Afghani," a collaboration with hyphy group the Pack (featuring a young Lil B). After moving to Los Angeles, they began collaborating with singer Dev. The Cataracs signed to Universal Records in 2010, and they wrote and produced Far East Movement's chart-topping hit "Like a G6," which sampled "Booty Bounce," a song they produced for Dev. The Cataracs' other productions included Snoop Dogg's single "Wet," New Boyz's hit "Backseat," and the entirety of Dev's 2011 full-length The Night the Sun Came Up. The Cataracs' Gordo Taqueria EP was released in 2012, featuring "All You," a collaboration with Wacka Flocka Flame and Kaskade.
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