MUMBAI: In many ways, electronic duo Shaa'ir+Func was the finest affair to have happened to Indian music scene in a short time. The buzz now is that the electronic indie rock duo is not together any longer.
Shaa'ir+Func’s last live act was on 1 April 2016 at Bluefrog, Mumbai. They used the feed on each other's diverse musings and presented the world with some exploding melody. Their cosmopolitan vibe, the approach of fusing poetry, funk, R&B, electronica, and a vigorous side of jazz served up out of the box music for enthusiasts.
It would seem that act was the duo's swan song. When Radioandmusic.com contacted Monica, she said, “I am not the same anymore. I don’t know when/whether Shaa’ir + Func will perform together again. I’ve developed my audience, and also over time, I am making art and music to cater to it. Everyone is engaged with new sets of things and I can’t repeat the same what I have done already. Right now, I know what I'm worth, my work is legitimately popular and I am in a position, where I need to achieve more than just performing on-stage (smiles).”
Monica's music has crossed boundaries and has reached people across the globe. Recently, Monica recorded for a UK based label release at the Sweet Sound Studios in Soho, where she collaborated with UK-based D-Code and his brother Psylence.
In addition to that, Monica released her debut solo album ‘Spit’ on 29 January 2016 on Universal Music. ‘Spit’ comprises nine tracks that revolve around the idea of re-inventing one's inner self and emotions. Does the name ‘Spit’ point towards their split? Well, we have to wait for an official announcement.
The other half of Shaa'ir + Func - Randolph Correia is a multi-talented musical genius, guitar wielding maverick and graphic designer extraordinaire. Of late, Correia, the lead guitarist of Pentagram also launched his brand new EP Beast as ‘FUNC’ on 22 July 2016. Randolph is at his crest when it comes to producing live sets, breaking down genres, creating new sounds and bridging cultural similarities.
Randolph and Monica collaborated for the first time in 2006 and the duo hit it off after that. Shaa'ir + Func’s debut album ‘New Day - The Love Album’ was released on 7 May 2007.
Monica has signed a deal with Universal Music, starting her year on a new note. She is also judging a talent hunt show ‘The Stage’ (Season 2) along with Vishal Dadlani, Devraj Sanyal, and Ehsaan Noorani on Colors Infinity, which will start airing from October 2016. In recent times, Monica's international docu-series “Woman With Gloria Steinem” which is based on gender-related violence has been nominated in the Outstanding Documentary or Non-Fiction Series category at the upcoming 68th Emmy Awards.
While both artistes appear to be doing well for themselves individually, the + in their band identity seems to be on shaky ground. The Shaair + Func website too has not been functional in the last few weeks, displaying a 'Database Error' message.
Here's hoping the music does not wind to a stop.