“Most Outstanding Group”
-Chicago Music Awards
“Best World Music Group”
-Chicago Reader
Celebrating 29 years in 2025, Funkadesi has been wowing crowds with their blend of Indian bhangra, Bollywood & folk with reggae, funk, and Afro-Caribbean grooves, Funkadesi emphatically personifies inclusive joy. Winer of this year’s Chicago Music Award for Most Outstanding Group, Chicago-based Funkadesi delivers a virtuoso high energy musical experience. With members who are unprecedentedly diverse (Indian-American, African-American, Jamaican, Latino, and European-American), their music expresses their motto: “One family, many children. . . . Insisting we all belong.”
UUPCOMING PERFORMANCES & WORKSHOPS:
2025 SHOWS & WORKSHOPS:
Workshop Sat 2/22 "Affirming Our Humanity: Playing, Sharing, and Experiencing Inclusive Joy" with Dr. Rahul Sharma & the Rhythm Ambassadors of Funkadesi" 11am-2pm Elastic Arts
Sat March 1st @ FIitzgerald's
Congrats to the legendary nightclub, recently designated "Historical FITZGERALDS Nightclub" by National Park Service!
Sat March 15 Private Event
Sat March 22nd Holi @ Navy Pier, 1-5pm. Funkadesi plays 4pm
4/2 Highland Park HS Focus On The Arts
Workshop Sat 4/5 "Affirming Our Humanity: Playing, Sharing, and Experiencing Inclusive Joy" with Dr. Rahul Sharma & the Rhythm Ambassadors of Funkadesi. FREE, but REGISTRATION REQUIRED! More info: 11am-2pm Elastic Arts
4/11 Moran Center "Justice Belongs" Gala 6-9pm @ Sketchbook Skokie
Sat 5/3 "Funkadesi Celebratory Concert & Community Drum Circle" with PHENOM & Sonal Aggarwal. (Free for 2/22, 3/15, or 4/5 workshop participants.) A unique, intimate, and semi-unplugged experience.
Thank you family, friends, and fans for the Chicago Reader "Best of 2023" award for "Best World Music Group," and consecutive Chicago Music Awards "Most Outstanding Group" honors!
“There’s a lot of funk in that desi!”
– Barack Obama
“Funkadesi knows how to be fun and accessible, while grooving your socks off with their
reggae / Bhangra / roots music brew.”
– Latin Beat Magazine, Los Angeles
Photos courtesy of TEDx Chicago
Funkadesi on the TEDx Chicago stage
leading the TEDx crowd in a guided meditation with live improvised music.
Funkadesi had the honor of leading the TEDxChicago crowd through a guided visualization set to live music, followed by a performance. All band members are gifted healers, educators, and community advocates who are passionate about combining entertainment with education, experiential learning, and becoming better global citizens. Learn more about interactive workshops here.
Flashback to Our 25th Anniversary
In December of 2021, Funkadesi turned 25! Here’s a snippet of a feature documentary we showed that year, as part of the grand celebration! Thanks to filmmaker Sree Nallamothu for this collaboration!