Kula Shaker
The band are known for their interest in traditional Indian music, culture, and mysticism, with a number of their most famous songs, including "Tattva" and "Govinda", featuring lyrics written in Sanskrit. The name Kula Shaker was itself inspired by King Kulasekhara, an Indian emperor from the 8th century. In addition, many of the band's songs feature traditional Indian instruments, such as the sitar, tamboura, and tabla, juxtaposed with guitar-heavy, Western rock instrumentation. Despite achieving commercial success, Kula Shaker were unpopular with many critics, with "The Observer"'s Simon Price describing them in 2014 as a "joke band".
Shira Shaked
In 2014 Shira Shaked was invited to perform with violinist Maxim Vengerov at the Culture Palace in Tel Aviv. Shaked performed duo pieces with Vengerov and also together with the Soloists Orchestra of the International Menuhin Music Academy, Switzerland. Several hundred residents of the Gaza envelope were in attendance, invited as a tribute following operation Protective Edge, which had taken place not long prior. In 2015 Shaked performed another duo concert with Vengerov at the Culture Palace in a unique setting: titled 'Music and the Universe', the program in its entirety was performed in total darkness and twice in a row, in order for listeners to experience live music with minimal distraction and be given an impression that beyond that of a first listen.