Monica Dogra’s Takes A Solo Leap With “Rise Up And Run”

Monica Dogra during the video shoot for “Rise Up and Run” Photo: Neville Sukhia/Red Bull India

Anybody who’s been to a Shaa’ir+Func show knows that the electro rock band’s frontwoman Monica Dogra is a colossal force on stage, ensuring that her performance is as immersive an experience for audiences as it is for her.

We didn’t expect any less from her video for her solo album. Shot against the spectacular backdrop of lake Pawna in Maharashtra by cinematographer Sachin Pillai and directed by Manoj Jadav, the video adds fire to the rhythmic rousing anthem that is “Rise Up And Run.”

The track “Rise Up and Run,” was produced by UK electronic artist Prashant Mistry aka Engine Earz. Says Dogra about the song, “It’s like an African spiritual [sound] meets a marching band and some electronic music too.” While the single is “big and heavy,” Dogra says the prominent mood on Spit, slated to release later this year, is quiet and stripped down, with more emphasis on vocals and lyrics.

Dogra is yet to fine tune her live solo sets at the upcoming festival shows at the Bacardi NH7 Weekender in Kolkata, Pune and Delhi NCR through November, but says it will be “completely original,” right down to her onstage collaborators. Says Dogra, “I want to use musicians who aren’t in every other band, I want to put together a performance unlike anything I’ve done, and I’ve done so much so that’s actually really hard.”

For now, however, Dogra wants as many people to see the video to “Rise Up and Run,” which she describes as a labor of love. Says Dogra, “We literally danced on rocks in the rain, bleeding, without toilets. I can’t explain to you that process it took to arrive at the video that people are going to watch. But what I wish for people to take from this is the crazy capabilities of a single person enraptured in passion.”

Behind the Scenes photos: Neville Sukhia/Red Bull India

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Watch the video for “Rise Up and Run” here