<div>My name is Rahul Sharma, founder &amp; bassist/sitarist for <strong>Chicago-based music group Funkadesi</strong>. We are celebrating 30 years together in 2026. Despite the band having more than an album's worth of new material, the expense of music production as well as the challenges of monetizing new recordings have been challenging. <strong>But now, we would love to invite you all to help us make this possible. See details below!</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Help Us Record the Next Chapter</strong>
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<div>For 30 years, Funkadesi has been building a truly intercultural community through music. From Chicago stages to festivals, conferences, cultural celebrations, and historic civic events, we’ve always believed music is more than entertainment. It’s belonging. It’s joy. It’s connection across difference.
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<div><br />
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<div>In 2026, we turn 30. And it’s time we return to the studio.
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<div>It’s been over 15 years since our last full-length studio album. Yes, we’ve had the occasional soft-launch of home studio songs &amp; videos, but we have not had a dedicated retreat into the studio for a full album. This came at exactly when the economics of recorded music has changed, where streaming platforms pay fractions of pennies per play. Meanwhile, studio time, engineering, mixing, mastering, artwork, distribution — and the labor of a 10-member band — still require real investment.
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<div>So we chose to prioritize live performance. We also have brought our art to unique spaces: Community-building. Education. Healing.
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<div>And what a beautiful journey it’s been.
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<div><br />
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<div>But now, as we step into our 30th year, we have so much new material we want to share with all of you. At the end of March, we’ve blocked out two focused days in the studio to begin recording this new chapter.
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<div>And we’re inviting you to be part of it.
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<div><br />
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<div><strong>Why We’re Asking for Support</strong>
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<div>Our goal is to raise funds by March 25 to make our first studio sessions possible. Funding helps cover:
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<div>Studio time
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<div>Mixing &amp; mastering
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<div>Musicians &amp; engineering
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<div>Artwork &amp; design
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<div>Distribution
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<div>Video documentation of the creative process
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<div><br />
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<div>This isn’t about making a profit. It’s about making the project sustainable and community-powered.
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<div>If Funkadesi has ever meant something to you —
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<div>a dance floor memory,
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<div>a festival moment,
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<div>a cultural bridge,
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<div>a love story —
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<div>this is your invitation to help bring the next record to life.
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<div><br />
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<div><strong>A Unique Part of This Project</strong>
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<div>We’re not just recording songs.
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<div>We’re documenting the journey.
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<div>Backers will receive behind-the-scenes studio access — songwriting reflections, live-in-studio moments, cultural backstories, laughter, mistakes, and magic.
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<div>You won’t just hear the album.
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<div>You’ll watch it being born.
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<div><br />
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<div>As always, thank you for your support.
</div>

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Support Funkadesi's 30th Anniversary Album

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