For those people who haven’t heard of MANGAS could you tell us a bit about the band and your story?
For those who haven’t heard of MANGAS, let me give you a brief overview of the band and our story. MANGAS initially started as my indie pop project, drawing inspiration from iconic artists like David Bowie, Michael Jackson, and Prince. As I transitioned from acoustic folk to indie pop, I was captivated by the 80s pop style and started experimenting with my sound.
After performing a few shows as MANGAS in local clubs and venues, the sound evolved into a more rock-oriented direction. I then invited some friends to join me, and that’s when MANGAS and the Mango Men came to life—a raw rock band with energetic vibes. The chemistry between the band members was excellent, and we began writing and developing our ideas. We had the opportunity to perform at festivals such as the Covelong Classic, Octavia, and Festember. Currently, our sound is in a hard rock phase, drawing inspiration from legendary bands like Papa Roach, System of a Down, and Rage Against the Machine.
Who inspired you to get on stage and perform?
When it comes to the inspiration behind getting on stage and performing, my dad, who is also a musician, played a significant role. Growing up, I constantly witnessed bands jamming in our home studio. Music has always been in my blood however, it was only recently that I fully embraced music as my main focus. Watching live bands, especially those with immense energy and a captivating stage presence, inspired me and made me envision myself performing someday.
During my last two years of school, I switched to the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, where I met people who encouraged me to pursue music. It was during that time that I not only grew as a drummer but also as a musician overall. I started drumming for local bands in and outside of school. After finishing school, the lockdown began, and that’s when I developed an interest in production and songwriting. I released “Shattered Reflection” as my first single during that period.
Fun fact, I still to date have never performed Shattered Reflection live, maybe someday, who knows?
One artist who has always been an inspiration to me in terms of music and performance is Tyler Joseph from Twenty One Pilots. I admire his on-stage energy and the way he connects with fans.
Are there any artists/albums that inspired your sound and stuck with you?
There are several artists and albums that have influenced my sound and continue to resonate with me. Led Zeppelin has always been one of my admired bands from the early rock and roll era. I draw inspiration from other iconic bands like Guns N Roses, Deep Purple, Nirvana, and Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as relatively newer bands like System of a Down and Bullet for My Valentine. However, I believe that seeing local bands live is equally important for inspiration. Bands such as Skrat, RJD, Junkyard Groove, my dad’s band 7even, and The F16’s. I make it a point to attend as many local band performances as possible to expose myself to new sounds as well as support the local music scene.
As for albums, “Blurryface” by Twenty One Pilots, Led Zeppelin’s self-titled debut album, “The Battle of Los Angeles” by Rage Against the Machine, “Lithium” by Nirvana, and “Toxicity” by System of a Down are some of the albums that will always stay with me.
Could you tell us a bit about the writing/recording of the Songdew Music Competition winning competition track “Shattered Reflection”?
For me, “Shattered Reflection” was an experiment. It represented a sound that I wasn’t familiar with and hadn’t produced before. I stumbled upon this sound and thought, why not explore this direction? Writing the song was a process of delving into new topics in songwriting, aligned with the new genre I was exploring.
Recording it posed a challenge since it was my first time properly recording a song. I handled all the instruments, including guitars, bass, synths, drums, and vocals, as well as the mixing and mastering.
What have been some of your favourite places to perform?
Regarding our favorite places to perform, we have played at various festivals, colleges, local venues, and clubs during the year we’ve been together.
Personally, I love performing at colleges because of the hyper and energetic atmosphere, where everyone is ready to have fun. I’ve also had the opportunity to open for some of the bands I love, and I’m extremely grateful for those experiences.
Local venues in Chennai, where we are based, are special because our loyal crowd always supports us, creating a great vibe. Performing outside of Chennai gives us exposure and allows us to connect with other bands and concert-goers from different cities. Festivals, although we haven’t played many, are always a lot of fun, with a loving crowd.
What has been your best experience as a band?
It was when we participated in our first festival, The Covelong Classic. We received notice just four days before the festival that they wanted us to perform only original songs. The funny thing was we hadn’t written any originals yet. So, the band and I spent three consecutive days and nights brainstorming ideas and turning them into four full songs. Although it was an intense couple of days, it was an experience none of us will ever forget.
Another memorable moment was when we qualified for a professional band competition and traveled to Rajasthan. We had to wait for eight hours overnight for our turn to play and, almost at the point of exhaustion, quickly performed our set and rushed to the airport to catch our flight. Overall, it has been an eventful year for us, to say the least.
Do you have any plans for an EP or an album?
Regarding our plans for an EP or album, the idea is to rent out a secluded place in the near future, travel there with the band, and focus on writing an album with raw material. We aim to create something complete and cohesive.
Here at Artistic Echoes, we are always on the lookout for new artists do you have any to recommend?
Absolutely! Some local bands and artists that you should keep an eye on are Sunflower Tape Machine, Gooth, and Oddsox.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
I want to continue exploring different genres and see where that takes me. Although the band is currently focused on hard rock, my acoustic and indie pop influences still emerge from time to time, so we’ll see how things evolve.
