{"id":402539,"date":"2025-10-31T00:58:38","date_gmt":"2025-10-30T16:58:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/?p=402539"},"modified":"2025-11-19T01:33:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:33:43","slug":"from-google-to-groove-himmats-journey-through-courage-music-and-mindfulness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/from-google-to-groove-himmats-journey-through-courage-music-and-mindfulness\/","title":{"rendered":"From Google to Groove: HIMMAT\u2019s Journey Through Courage, Music and Mindfulness"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With roots in Amsterdam\u2019s electronic scene and a cross-cultural perspective shaped by his Indian and Pakistani heritage, Aaqib Hasnain who goes by his DJ moniker \u201cHIMMAT\u201d, brings a worldly depth to modern house and organic electronic music. From Burning Man and Afrikaburn to Bali Spirit Festival, his sets are journeys through rhythm and identity, blending mindful energy with global sounds. The Dutch-born DJ and former Google executive is now based in Bali, where he continues to explore the intersection of music, consciousness, and culture.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As part of <a href=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/culture\/interviews\/city-nomads-radio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">City Nomads Radio<\/a>, our ongoing series spotlighting regional DJs and musicians, we caught up with HIMMAT to talk about his creative life, his transition from corporate to artistic purpose, and how courage (the meaning behind <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cHIMMAT\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) continues to guide him.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player-widget.mixcloud.com\/widget\/iframe\/?hide_cover=1&amp;feed=%2Fcitynomadsradio%2Fcity-nomads-radio-himmat%2F\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><b>You often talk about duality: chaos and calm, the party and the prayer. How does that translate into your music?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Growing up in Amsterdam, as you can imagine, hedonism and partying are the norm and I was very much in that world, that was my thing. But then I had some big life shifts. I was diagnosed with severe ADHD at age 17, which came with a lot of challenges. I really struggled to make sense of it all, until my best friend introduced me to mindfulness, and specifically meditation. This changed everything. Through daily practice and consistency, I found my way to surf through the chaos. What was once a nuisance became something I could work with in a positive way, almost as a strength. It gives me a lot of creative benefits.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So even with both sides of the duality still in me, mindfulness became the anchor. It\u2019s the thing that helps me come back to myself when my mind flies far or I get distracted. During COVID, when everyone was either partying online or forced to sit with themselves, meditation became my main tool. It pushed me into deep inner work and self-discovery. And at that same time, music arrived. I was always on the promoter side of things, organizing parties and bringing DJs &amp; musicians together, but when I couldn\u2019t enjoy those scenes during COVID, I thought, okay, I\u2019ll just do it myself. So I started DJing and that\u2019s where music and consciousness merged for me. That\u2019s the duality you hear in my sets: chaos and calm, movement and stillness, the party and the prayer.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_402542\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-402542\" style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-402542\" src=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-La-Piscine-Electronique.jpg\" alt=\"DJ HIMMAT performing at La Piscine Electronique, an open-air party with a vibrant crowd and golden disco lights, blending global sounds and mindful energy.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-La-Piscine-Electronique.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-La-Piscine-Electronique-767x511.jpg 767w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-La-Piscine-Electronique-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-La-Piscine-Electronique-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-La-Piscine-Electronique-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 959px) 688px, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-402542\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">HIMMAT playing at La Piscine Electronique<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><b>You grew up in Amsterdam, one of the most creative cities in the world. What was it like growing up there, and how did that shape your creative side?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> One thing that\u2019s really cool is because I come from multiple cultures and I grew up in the most multicultural cities in Europe. For example, in my class alone, there were thirty kids with nearly 18-19 different nationalities. Having influences from so many different cultures is what drives my music. And if you ever hear me play live or listen to my SoundCloud sets, it&#8217;s a journey through the world because it&#8217;s how I like to experience life. It\u2019s honouring all the different cultures that inspire me.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What does your name \u2018HIMMAT\u2019 mean?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2018Himmat\u2019 means courage in Punjabi. So, Punjabis are known to do things with courage, they are the warriors of India and Pakistan. Not just the physical fighters, but also spiritual fighters. For me, the name is related to courage, like dare to do whatever you feel is right. In my case, being a DJ from a Muslim family, that takes courage, it\u2019s doing things because your heart is in it. My mum used to tell me this phrase in Urdu: whatever you do, do it with courage. It stuck with me.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>You\u2019ve played everywhere from Burning Man, Bali Spirit Festival to the jungles of Colombia. Do the crowds or cultures change the way you play?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Yeah, totally. I\u2019ve had the pleasure of playing festivals all over the world, and every single one is completely different. One huge highlight for me was playing at Kaleidoscope Festival in Kenya last year. The energy on that dance floor was unreal! I couldn&#8217;t believe what I was seeing. The way people moved, the connection, the joy. It reminded me why I do this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Burning Man, on the other hand, is a whole different world. The last time I went was actually our honeymoon. Totally unplanned. We decided two days before the burn to just go. I wasn\u2019t even planning to play this time around, but it happened, and it was beautiful. The thing about Burning Man is that it really changes your philosophy on life. It\u2019s not just about music, it\u2019s about radical participation, about giving rather than taking. Everyone contributes something, and that energy of co-creation stays with you.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even back home in Bali, you feel that influence everywhere. We host gatherings on our rooftop where everyone brings something to share: a guitar, a breathwork session, homemade kombucha. That\u2019s the spirit I try to bring into my sets too. Wherever I play, the essence is the same: I bring who I am, and I hold space for people to connect through sound and through each other.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_402544\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-402544\" style=\"width: 451px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-402544\" src=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-Rise-Shine-in-Bali.jpg\" alt=\"DJ HIMMAT performing at Rise &amp; Shine Bali, bringing soulful morning energy to a tropical venue with lush greenery and conscious community vibes.\" width=\"451\" height=\"734\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-402544\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">HIMMAT playing at Rise &amp; Shine in Bali<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><b>There\u2019s been a lot of conversation around sober parties and ecstatic dance lately. As someone who\u2019s played both traditional club sets and conscious events, what\u2019s your take on it?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Yeah, so from a personal angle, I stopped drinking over a year ago. For me, playing at 3am in a club when I\u2019m sober and everyone else is f***** up is completely different from playing at 10am for a fresh, present audience. At sober parties, I personally feel more connected; I can actually see the journey people go through, from discomfort to freedom. Both kinds of parties have important values. You absolutely need the night and the day, both energies. The problem only comes when people start judging one as better than the other. There should be space for everything, both are powerful and important.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Speaking of creation, tell us about HAYAQI, the fashion brand you and your wife Livy founded.<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b> <a href=\"https:\/\/hayaqi.life\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HAYAQI<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> was born during our honeymoon in northern Pakistan. It\u2019s my favourite place in the world. We were standing by Attabad Lake, this surreal turquoise expanse surrounded by mountains, and behind us was the Pakistan\u2013China Friendship Wall. She\u2019s Chinese, I\u2019m Pakistani, and it just hit us. We were literally standing at the intersection of who we are. It felt like the universe saying, you two need to do something with this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A lot of our love story has been about educating people on our cultures and celebrating what makes them unique. So we thought, why not build something that honours where we\u2019re from and brings together what we love: fashion and sustainability? Our brand is really a reflection of who we are, together we come from six different cultures. \u2018HAYAQI\u2019 comes from \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hayat\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which means life in Arabic, and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cQi\u201d<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which means energy in Chinese, so it represents the things that give you energy in life. Each year, we create one collection inspired by one of the cultures we\u2019re from. Livy had already been running a creative agency for sustainable brands, and I was looking to pivot into sustainability. So we decided to create a fashion brand that fuses both worlds.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then something wildly synchronistic happened. Two of our close friends asked us to design their wedding outfits. We had very little design experience, but it felt like no coincidence. It was the perfect pilot. We made an entire first collection in flow, flew to Marrakesh for their wedding, chanced upon an incredible photographer, and shot our entire first campaign there. People loved it. It was that moment of validation where we thought, okay, maybe this is something real. Since then, we\u2019ve been building the brand with purpose. Fashion that carries energy, culture, and meaning in every piece.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_402540\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-402540\" style=\"width: 451px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-402540\" src=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Aaqib-and-Livy-dressed-in-HAYAQI-in-Marrakech-Morocco-during-the-first-campaign.jpg\" alt=\"DJ HIMMAT (Aaqib Hasnain) and his wife Livy wearing matching HAYAQI sustainable fashion pieces in Marrakech, Morocco \u2014 their first brand campaign inspired by cultural heritage and conscious design.\" width=\"451\" height=\"941\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-402540\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aaqib and Livy dressed in HAYAQI in Marrakech, Morocco during the first campaign<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><b>You and Livy seem to balance each other naturally. How do your roles differ when it comes to running HAYAQI together?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> To be honest, in the beginning this was a challenge, but through communication and focusing on our strengths, we&#8217;ve found a way that works for us. With HAYAQI, Liv is more hands-on in the creative side, and I take on more of the operations and business direction. It works really well because I can bring in the skills I developed over seven years at Google. The systems, the organisation, the leadership side while she brings this incredible vision and artistry. Working together is powerful, because we understand each other\u2019s strengths, not just in business, but also in life. And honestly, the balance is beautiful.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_402543\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-402543\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-402543\" src=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-one-of-the-parties-by-Manifest-Singapore.jpg\" alt=\"DJ HIMMAT playing a rooftop sunset set for Manifest Singapore, blending deep house, Afro beats, and organic electronica with panoramic city views.\" width=\"1210\" height=\"806\" srcset=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-one-of-the-parties-by-Manifest-Singapore.jpg 1210w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-one-of-the-parties-by-Manifest-Singapore-767x511.jpg 767w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-one-of-the-parties-by-Manifest-Singapore-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-one-of-the-parties-by-Manifest-Singapore-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/HIMMAT-playing-at-one-of-the-parties-by-Manifest-Singapore-768x512.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 959px) 688px, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-402543\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">HIMMAT playing at one of the parties by Manifest Singapore<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><b>You left a decade-long corporate career, with 7 years at Google for this creative life. How did that decision feel?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> : Man, it\u2019s been a journey. I\u2019d been at Google for over 7 years, working across Europe and then leading marketing for South Asia. My mission was to set up Google Pakistan, which felt full circle because I\u2019m half Pakistani, and the project was finally coming to life. But at that point, Livy and I had just gotten married, and we started asking ourselves where we really wanted to be. We were both in this very masculine, go-do, corporate rhythm, and we wanted something more creative, more connected to nature and flow. We both felt a strong pull to Bali, and wanted to follow our intuition. So I chose courage. I quit, and we came here with no idea what would happen next, trusting that things would unfold, and they did.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>What\u2019s your dream for HIMMAT and HAYAQI in the next five years? And what kind of impact do you hope someone feels when they encounter your work, whether that\u2019s dancing at your set or wearing HAYAQI?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Yeah, for sure. So I\u2019ll start with HIMMAT. What I\u2019m doing a lot now are hybrid acts. I love the potency of performing alongside other musicians and it\u2019s about understanding the collective intention of the creation and making something that really flows, with no egos, and lots of trust. My dream is to evolve the musicality of what I do through co-creation, to collaborate with other artists and keep showing my sound across the world. Every time I play in a new country, it feels refreshing for people like I\u2019m bringing a new way of experiencing music, and that\u2019s inspiring.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And for HAYAQI, it\u2019s exactly this. To keep telling the stories of the different cultures we represent, to put faces to the people making these beautiful pieces, to show where it all comes from and why. We work with local communities, and our whole supply chain is local, which brings real positive impact. I hope we can keep doing that. It\u2019s also about cultural storytelling, going a layer deeper. When we wear something, can we ask: where does it come from? What makes it unique? I want people to be more aware and conscious about what they wear and why, just like I want them to feel that same presence and connection when they dance to my music.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>If HAYAQI were a DJ set, what would it sound like?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><b>HIMMAT:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> It would 100% be a journey across the world, weaving the sounds and the rhythms of cultures that inspire me into one groovy story. I hope you can hear this back in the mix I prepared for City Nomads!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/player-widget.mixcloud.com\/widget\/iframe\/?hide_cover=1&amp;feed=%2Fcitynomadsradio%2Fcity-nomads-radio-himmat%2F\" width=\"100%\" height=\"120\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grounded and self-assured, HIMMAT is finding the rhythm between creativity, mindfulness, and purpose, building a life that feels fully his own. His mix for City Nomads Radio reflects that same spirit: a global journey through sound, where melodies, voices, and textures from around the world meet in harmony. It\u2019s something to groove to, unwind with, and simply let carry you a reminder of how music connects us across cultures and moments.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listen to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mixcloud.com\/citynomadsradio\/city-nomads-radio-himmat\/\"><b>HIMMAT\u2019s exclusive City Nomads Radio mix<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/withhimmat\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">follow him on Instagram @withhimmat<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for his latest projects and performances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>With roots in Amsterdam\u2019s electronic scene and a cross-cultural perspective shaped by his Indian and Pakistani heritage, Aaqib Hasnain who goes by his DJ moniker \u201cHIMMAT\u201d, brings a worldly depth to modern house and organic electronic music. From Burning Man and Afrikaburn to Bali Spirit Festival, his sets are journeys through rhythm and identity, blending &hellip; <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/from-google-to-groove-himmats-journey-through-courage-music-and-mindfulness\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;From Google to Groove: HIMMAT\u2019s Journey Through Courage, Music and Mindfulness&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":402541,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[7239,5662],"class_list":["post-402539","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","tag-city-nomads-radio","tag-interviews"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402539","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=402539"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402539\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":402549,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/402539\/revisions\/402549"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/402541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=402539"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=402539"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/citynomads.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=402539"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}