Freak funk Band ‘Run Pussy Run’ wins Project Aloft Star competition

Project Aloft Star, a platform for up and coming musicians across the globe witnessed Pune-based ‘Freak’ Funk band Run Pussy Run runaway (excuse the pun) with the honours in the second edition of the India cluster.

Aloft hotel tied up with MTV Asia to try and create a medium for hitherto unknown bands, to help them get an audience, experience, and more importantly, money. In its second year, the finals of the music talent discovery competition were held at Aloft hotel in Bangalore, and were witnessed by a crowd comprising the crème de la crème of Bangalore’s social circa, musicians, journalists and music bloggers.

The event was judged by singer-composer Clinton Cerejo, Head of Programming and Artist Relation of MTV Indies Bobin James, and Manager, Brand Management in the Asia-Pacific Region of Starwood Hotels, Hazel Ooi.

The evening began with the hotel’s in-house talent performing for the audience that was building up despite the sudden rains in Bangalore. Somehow, the so called ‘sudden rains’ aren’t all that unexpected and sudden anymore, don’t you think? Coming back to the music, the two lovely ladies, who call themselves Heart To Heart performed a range of covers of Coldplay, Bob Dylan, to Adele, setting the crowd up nicely for an evening of music.

The competition began with Nashik based Veda, a band made of working professionals who carve out their weekends to jamming up and practicing every weekend. Next up was Divya Venugopal from Mumbai, who had the crowd enthralled with her rendition of a ‘thumri’ originally by Shafqat Amanat Ali. Rohan Negi, who had the ladies interested in his style and chutzpah, had the men grooving when he sang his own composition about the radio, and a cover of the title song of the movie Wake Up Sid.

Run Pussy Run, who had people smiling and shifting due to their name were next. But more about them a little later. The last act of the evening was 19-year-old Sylvio Olvin and his associate John Rozario who played their own composition and a cover of Jason Mraz’s ‘I’m Yours’.

And finally the winners – Run Pussy Run. Fronted by Pune-based Gowri Jayakumar, the band was easily the most prepared, funky, and loved band of the evening. Described by themselves as Freak Funk, their sound had an overwhelming funk tone, with pleasant blends of blues as well. Speaking exclusively to Folomojo, singer-songwriter Jayakumar, bassist Anjo John, and drummer Abhishek Debsikar explained that the trio identify with each others’ musical sensibilities and are more than accommodating of each others’ suggestions and experiments. This writer was amazed at the fact that there was hardly any reverberation during Run Pussy Run’s set, which Debsikar described as “wanting to keep the sound raw”.

Jayakumar and Debsikar operate out of Pune, while John lives in Mumbai. Despite being in different cities, the unit ensures that they meet to jam as often as possible. Of course, the trio collaborate with other musicians and artists in the country as well, lending their creative conviction to other projects. This keeps the band in practice and in sync with their music.

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