I mean, really, who in the world of electronic music aspires to be popular? Or worse, commercial? Most DJs try to carve themselves a niche - something they can be proud of - and stick to it.
But Tiga’s path to a superstar career in music may not have happened had it not been for his first real exposure to music culture when he was still a young boy. Despite never imagining himself as a musician per se, he found the culture curious if not a little indignant.
“Musically, I didn't have any aspirations of being involved with music. I loved music yeah, though I didn't have a band - I played clarinet in school for a while though!”

Born into a family that travelled regularly, Tiga found himself hanging out in some bizarre and unusual places as a child.
“One of those places in the early 1970s was Goa, in India. By the time I was six and seven, I was exposed to a fledgling party scene and I enjoyed it - I realised it was an acceptable way to live your life.”

Take this, for example: “especially lately, I have realised that the most exotic (items) are the things you don't have. I read a lot, I'm into jewelry, magic tricks; I like reptiles and dancing, I like silk. I'm really into Africa and its 19th century history - I read a lot of books about the Colonial period there; I like human drama, even old people books! And things that used to interest me, now completely don't! I'm my own person. I don't like to follow trends, nor do I necessarily like to create them. If I'm into something then I got for it; it's as simple as that.”

Still, his oddball character - his own self-parody - never stood in the way of his ability to achieve. “It has been a long road, with ups and downs and its own experiences - the low light has been when I was really stressed about stuff, but now that things are going well I am relieved.”

Tiga joins Snoop Dogg, Pendulum, Calvin Harris, Scissor Sisters, Moby and many others at Summafieldayze, at Doug Jennings Park, January 2. summafieldayze.com