When Madboy met Mink

Their music is a fresh mix of funk- disco, rock, electronica, swing, and jazz, and does not conform to a particular genre. They can well be called the Khichdi duo, but they prefer Madboy/Mink. An electronica outfit comprising theatre actor/musician Imaad Shah and actor/vocalist Saba Azad, Madboy/ Mink’s music draws inspiration from their love for a dance-funk-jazz vibe. And to give Pune a feel for their ‘dancy and funky non-pretentious music’ (as Imaad puts it), the duo will do what they do best tonight at High Spirits.

Speaking at length about their jamming sessions, both Imaad and Saba reveal that each of their sessions has been very interesting so far. “Jamming is a spontaneous activity, and the entire experience is magical. Nothing is decided beforehand. You pick up a guitar and start off; the next thing you know, you have a song. Imaad and I love to jam at night. I believe some sleep deprivation helps, as you’re not conscious of what you’re doing, and whatever comes out of your mouth sounds great,” chuckles Saba.

The duo balances the two worlds effortlessly for musicians who are also actors, giving equal time to both. “Anyone interested in cinema will be interested in music as well. Both filter into each other.

Old friends and actors Imaad and Saba had worked together in a few theatre productions and films earlier, but their similar musical tastes got them to form a band. It helped that both were associated with the music world much before Madboy/Mink came into being. While Imaad was the lead vocalist of The Pulp Society, followed by his solo project under the moniker Mad-boy in 2010, Saba lent vocals for various projects, including the Petri Dish Project and Blackstratblues, among others.

“It was a natural collaboration. We liked each other’s styles. While I’m more into rock and funk, Saba likes jazz, blues, and swing. A few jamming sessions later, we realized that we sounded great together. Saba’s voice has an amazing jazz and fervid vibe to it,” says Imaad, adding that their love for disco and punk also led to their association.

For instance, our films are incomplete without music. So it’s not that difficult to balance the two. If you love something, you automatically make the time for it. It doesn’t feel like a task,” Saba opines. Imaad seconds her, “It is challenging, but not difficult. One needs to have a lot of focus. And because we love what we do, we manage time for both. As a result, we end up working the entire day. But that’s our lifestyle — a lifestyle of constant work.”

The two are currently working on their EP (Extended Play), which will likely be released in a few months. “We are working on our single, which will be released next month. Our EP, too, will be released in the months to come,” Saba says.

Try to probe a little more, and Imaad quips, “We haven’t yet decided on the name and the date. We can only say that it’ll be out soon, and we will be touring a couple of cities then. Pune will surely be one of them.”