Girish and the Chronicles during their ‘America’s Got Talent’ audition round. Photo: Trae Patton/NBC
Hard rock/heavy metal band Girish and The Chronicles are no strangers to viral fame. Frontman Girish Pradhan’s hair-raising vocal range, showcased in covers and most recently at soundchecks, has garnered millions of views.
It was a November 2023 video of Girish just exercising his vocal cords ahead of their set at Mahindra Independence Rock festival in Mumbai that caught the attention of one of the producers from the TV talent show America’s Got Talent (AGT). “It clearly struck a chord. One thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history!” Pradhan says, referring to how the band ended up becoming part of the 20th season with a performance in Pasadena that aired earlier this week.
The Sikkim-origin, Bengaluru-based band—comprising Pradhan, guitarist Suraz Sun, bassist Yogesh Pradhan, and drummer Nagen Nags—delivered a powerhouse version of Adele’s “Set Fire To The Rain,” making it their own to the point that all America’s Got Talent judges were on their feet. Yes, that includes the notoriously harsh Simon Cowell, plus actor Sofia Vergara, actor-comedian Howie Mandel, and pop artist Mel B.
Girish and The Chronicles’ America thus made their American debut to an awe-struck audience, earning the unanimous approval of the judges to move forward in the competition. Prior to the full performance airing, the band had hinted at their AGT appearance, as seen in the season 20 trailer as well as social media posts about being in the US. Pradhan acknowledges that part of the reason they traveled to California to perform was because they felt like it was the right moment to take their music to a “wider stage” like AGT.
He adds, “While we’ve been fortunate enough to build a strong fanbase across Europe and Asia, we’ve always believed that rock music knows no borders. So yes, it was definitely a chance to introduce our sound to new ears, especially in the US. But more than anything, it was about sharing what we love with as many people as possible.” The vocalist also recalls that seeing their heroes in glam metal band Steel Panther perform on AGT “definitely planted a seed in our minds.” He adds, “It showed us that a rock band can still bring the house down on such a mainstream platform, and that really inspired us to take the leap.”
It was a conscious decision to perform a cover even they have several albums’ worth of original material to pick from—including hits like “Rock ‘n’ Roll Is Here To Stay” and “Hail to the Heroes.” “We wanted to stay true to our roots while also showcasing our versatility as musicians,” Pradhan says, explaining their song choice. “It’s a cult favorite, and we thought it would be exciting to reinterpret it through the lens of our sound.”
As Pradhan mentioned on the show, after slogging it out for more than 16 years, they’ve finally worked their way up to the top of India’s rock scene, playing major festival stages, opening for Guns N’ Roses twice, and touring Europe on the regular. This AGT performance, which has already been viewed over a million times on YouTube, is further validation of the years of hard work, according to the vocalist. Asked about moving forward in the show, Pradhan says, “We’ve always believed in staying true to who we are, and that’s exactly what we’re going to keep doing. Just taking it as it comes, while staying focused and ready for whatever lies ahead.”
Currently on an India tour after a run of Summer shows in Europe, Girish and The Chronicles are also heading out to Portugal in August to perform at Milagre Metalaero Open Air.
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