Striking A Chord: Girish and the Chronicles Take Northeast India To A Global Stage

It was a big moment for Northeast India. Four men from Sikkim, with their signature rock star-like appearance of long, untamed hair, walked onto the stage of America’s Got Talent, blowing the judges and the audience away with their energy. The Northeastern band Girish and the Chronicles’ recent performance on Season 20 of the famed US reality show gained popularity for their spirited rock version of Adele’s Set Fire to the Rain. With the performance earning them a standing ovation from all the four judges, Girish and the Chronicles became the first Indian rock band to have made it to America’s Got Talent.

Among all the comments, one by Howie Mandel stood out and connected with the region the band comes from. He said, “You came from the other side of the globe to do something traditionally American, which was beautiful.” The comment shows how far the band has come—both in distance and culture—to reach such an international platform. Northeast India is known for its love for music and its hidden talents. However, it’s still rare to see artists from this region gain international recognition. With the band Girish and the Chronicles, the region can now hope to gain global attention and promote its rich music culture.

Formation of the Band

 Girish and the Chronicles (GATC) is an Indian Rock Band formed by Girish Pradhan, the lead vocalist, in 2009 in Sikkim. Originally from Gangtok, Sikkim, GATC is currently based in Bengaluru. The band, with four band members—Girish Pradhan on vocals/guitars, Suraz Karki on lead guitars, Yogesh Pradhan on bass guitars/Chief studio producer/keyboards (Studio), and Nagen Mongranti on drums—has been an important part of India’s Hard Rock scene for more than ten years. They are known for their strong vocals, energetic performances, and classic 1980s metal style. Their move from Gangtok to a bigger city helped the band grow and reach more people in India and abroad. Pradhan believes that other bands from the Northeast might also benefit from relocating to larger cities to expand their reach and opportunities.

Girish grew up in a musical family. His brother Yogesh, now the band’s bassist, had been into rock music from an early age. Their mother sang folk, classical, and traditional songs, creating an intense musical atmosphere at home. Girish started playing music at a young age with his brother. As a teenager, he became deeply interested in rock music, listening to bands like the Eagles, Bon Jovi, UFO, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden. Girish recalls spending hours recording himself with a tape recorder, trying to copy the sound of his favorite artists. He believes those early recording sessions were critical in helping him grow as a musician. He and his younger brother Yogesh used to jam in their room. Yogesh would play drums made from buckets, while Girish tried to create a distorted guitar sound by attaching a chain to his acoustic guitar, not knowing what guitar pedals or processors were.

Even with this basic setup, they managed to play difficult songs like Symptom of the Universe. These early years shaped Girish’s voice, his love for the guitar, and his connection to Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. They were passionate and dedicated, often playing loud music that would shake the neighborhood. After each session, they would listen to their recordings repeatedly to learn from their mistakes. Over time, Girish improved his singing and explored different vocal styles. What started as casual jam sessions became live performances at small shows and metal festivals. As their popularity grew and more people came to watch them perform, they officially became Girish and the Chronicles. In interviews, Girish has also shared that their guitarist, Suraz Sun, came from a musical family—his father was a professional tabla player. “Seems like each of us had music in the family in some way,” he reflects.

Girish’s journey into music began when a friend uploaded a video of him covering Aerosmith’s ‘I Don’t Want To Miss a Thing’ on a digital platform. The positive feedback from listeners across different places greatly impacted him and inspired him to create his own YouTube channel in 2008. In a media report, Girish said, “I realised I needed a platform to share my work.” He started collecting recordings from different performances and uploading them. What began as a personal collection is now GATC’s official channel, with nearly 28,000 subscribers and over 1.8 million views—a sign of the band’s growing influence and loyal fan base.

Talking about early struggles and the music scene in the Northeast, Girish told Metal Assault that many bands in the region remained isolated because of poor access, few event organisers, and little media support. Many had talent but no platform. He also said he only became part of the wider rock scene around 2009-2010. He explained that without regular shows or media coverage, bands from the region often disappear. Stressing the need for better networks and national support to showcase regional talent, Girish has emphasised the importance of participating in music festivals for the growth of a band. He believes such events are helpful because bands perform and connect with other musicians.

The Band’s Music

Girish and the Chronicles is a hard rock/melodic rock/heavy metal band whose music belongs entirely to this genre. Their songs are inspired by rock music from the 1970s and 1980s, with intense vocals, loud music, and powerful energy. Their first promotional demo single was Angel, released in 2009, which featured on VH1 (regularly played on air since July 29, 2014). After that, they released songs like The Golden Crown, Loaded, A New Beginning, and Yesteryears from 2011 to 2013 on YouTube.

In 2014, they released their debut album, Back on Earth, with Universal Music Group, India. Later, they released Rock the Highway in 2020 with Denmark’s Lion’s Pride Music, followed by Hail to the Heroes in 2022 through Frontiers Records. Both albums helped the band get attention from international listeners and build a strong fan base among classic heavy metal and hard rock lovers. They have also performed at major events with big international bands like Guns N’ Roses, Skid Row, Nazareth, Alter Bridge, Bullet for My Valentine, Hoobastank, Poets of the Fall, and Destruction. Sharing the stage with these legendary names has been one of the band’s most significant achievements till date.

They also toured across India with Chris Adler, a famous drummer known for his work with Lamb of God and Megadeth. In 2023, GATC performed at global events, starting with a big show at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, where they played alongside Guns N’ Roses. That year, they toured across Europe and the Middle East, performing in Switzerland, Spain, France, Belgium, and Dubai, where they were part of major festivals with famous bands like Alter Bridge, Bullet for My Valentine, and Hollywood Vampires. Their album Rock the Highway was often listed among the best rock/metal releases of 2020.

“We started GATC at a time when everyone was chasing newer subgenres in the country, but we stuck with the sound we loved: classic hard rock. That choice set us apart, and maybe that’s what made moments like this possible,” said Girish, after the band’s entry into America’s Got Talent. “Yes, the spotlight does feel more intense. But it also feels like a celebration of staying true to who we are, and where we come from.” The band, their music, and their growing international recognition are helping to break the common stereotypes about people from Northeast India. Although rock music has always been a strong form of expression in the region, it often exists along with misunderstandings and stereotypes from the rest of the country. People from the region are usually seen as outsiders or culturally different, which affects how their music is received. Compared to artists from metro cities, musicians from the Northeast have faced challenges like poor access to national platforms, lack of media support, and fewer opportunities, even though the region has a vibrant rock and metal scene. These problems come not from a lack of talent but from continued neglect and bias, despite producing some of India’s most talented and passionate artists.

Music has become a powerful outlet for people from the region to express their culture, challenge stereotypes, reclaim their identity, and connect with global audiences, who often relate to them more than their domestic audiences. As awareness grows and platforms become more inclusive, there is hope that the stereotypes will slowly disappear, allowing the Northeast’s contribution to Indian rock the recognition it deserves finally.

 Akishe L. Jakha is a Film and Media scholar from Nagaland, specializing in popular cinema and regional cinematic culture.