Apart from the usual suspects in the blues and funk scene in India, the larger audience is often unaware of the magic of these genres. Aditya Veera is a good example of someone who takes his passion to another level. His Instagram Lives and a radio show in Aizawl and Shillong, have gone a long way into making these genres accessible to more Indian listeners. “The idea of this show was to bring the roots of the genre to the general public. Being a musician myself, I realised this genre had the potential of exploding at a national level. India is a diverse country, and the dynamic nature of funk blends well with that of blues,” explains Veera.  Veera is a vocalist for blues/funk band Thayir Sadam and he juggles his time playing gigs, working as a software developer and now, as a modern-day broadcaster. “I keep these interviews for the weekends when I have the time, and can pay full attention to the chats,” he shares.

“I was in Coimbatore with my family when the lockdown struck and I pondered over the idea of an interview-based show in this musical genre. I knew there was more to explore in these genres and I began reaching out to over 100 labels and representatives to connect with some of my idols in blues and funk,” says Veera. The process which began slowly, swept through Instagram with major names such as Robben Ford, Lee Ritenour, Mark Lettieri, and others.