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Karisha & The FunKaars

Karisha and The FunKaars, a world music band hailing from Canberra, Australia, offers a unique blend of Eastern and Western musical traditions. Specialising in live performances and interactive shows, the band showcases a diverse range of instruments and multilingual vocals. Through their fusion music, they aim to share the richness of Indian subcontinent culture and spirituality with their audience. FunKaars, meaning 'Artists' फनकार in Indian language, create an exciting experience of fusing Indian classical cultural spiritual folk music based on Hindustani Indian ragas with jazz mash-ups and the flavour of Bollywood.  

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Karisha

Karisha was raised in Mumbai, India where she received her training in Indian classical vocals. Growing up, Karisha’s musical influences ranged from Classical Indian, Folk, Bollywood, to English rock and American Jazz music. Karisha performed at various venues in Mumbai but spent most of her adult life in the USA where she won the Voice of Florida singing contest in 2008. She recorded her first single in 2014 in California.

 

Since her move to Australia in 2019, Karisha has released 4 new singles and continues to record new music with her band, FunKaars. The music video for one of her singles was nominated for the Canberra Short Film Festival 2024.

 

Lyrics in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Kannada, Malayalam, Gujarati, Farsi and Marwadi are translated by Karisha on stage adding to the audience’s cultural experience and insights.

Karisha hooks up with a diverse mix of talented musicians in Canberra who have performed together at various venues in Canberra as well as Music festivals.

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Prominent past performances include:

​IMAC Gala Dinner (2025)

Cowra festival of International understanding (2025)

National Multicultural Festival (2023, 2024 & 2025)

ACT Multicultural Volunteers night (2025)

Floriade (2024)

ACT Multicultural Awards night (2024)

ACT Chief Minister's Diwali reception (2024)

ACT Government’s Harmony Day event (2024)

Gujarati Samaj of ACT Navratri night (2024)

The Street Theatre, ACT (2023)

Diwali with FunKaars at Margaret Dimoff Art Gallery (2023)

Artist Shed (2023)

FunKaars at Abbeys (2024)

ABC Canberra radio (2023 & 2024)

Radio Manpasand (2023 & 2024)

Artsound radio (2024)

The band members:

Lead vocals: Karisha Shah

Tabla: Adnan Isaac  

Drums/ Synth: Kyle Kirkpatrick 

Saxophone/ Flute/ Dobro/ Didgeridoo: Callum Richens 

Keys: Kian Shayan  

Electric Guitar/ Mandolin: Col Bernau 

Electric Bass: Alan Lee

Jiya Jale live cover at Cowra festival 2025
05:24
Cowra festival of International Understanding Mar 2025
42:12
Saari Raina (official video)
03:05
Wings (official video)
03:03
Karisha & The FunKaars live at the National Multicultural Festival 2024.
13:59
Tainted Veil (Official video)
03:19
FunKaars Live at The Street Theatre Canberra
18:08

Indian Medical Association of Canberra Gala Dinner 2025

"Karisha & The Funkaars live performance was appreciated by 120 + attendees comprising of Doctors practicing in Canberra. The band had come fully prepared and enthralled everyone. The dance numbers after dinner were a hit. One had to be present to see the enthusiasm the music generated for people to be attracted to the dance floor. Keep up with entertaining the Canberra community"

-Dr. Sanjeev Jain, President IMAC

Upcoming Events

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Contact Us

Canberra ACT, Australia

Follow us

  • Youtube
  • Facebook
  • Karisha Instagram
  • Spotify
  • FunKaars Instagram

Acknowledgement of Country

 

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Karisha & The FunKaars acknowledge the Ngunnawal People, the traditional owners of the ACT and region. We recognise the continuing connection of the Ngunnawal people to the mountains, waterholes, rivers, caves, rock formations, flora, fauna, wind and air since time immemorial. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded from Indigenous people and that this continent always was and always will be Aboriginal land. We pay our respect to the Ngunnawal Elders and Ancestors past and present and thank them for their teachings and knowledge passed down through generations. We also acknowledge the important role that music has played and continues to play on these lands since the very first sunrise.

 

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