Hyderabad’s eight-member band ‘Voice of Strings’ makes waves in Telugu indie music scene

The two branches of the music school, located in KPHB and Gopal Nagar, are actively enrolling students, playing their part in nurturing Hyderabad’s dynamic music scene.

Hyderabad: Envisioning a typical music band, one might imagine experienced musicians performing at wedding venues or pubs. Yet, this Hyderabad- based indie fusionrock band ‘Voice of Strings’ has a 14-year-old lead guitarist capturing everyone’s attention. Rishi, aka Chotu, is a ninth-standard aspiring musician who is already making waves in the music scene.

His musical journey began at the age of five, sparked by the influence of his uncle Joel Rajesh, an accomplished rhythm guitarist. Rajesh not only established a music school called ‘Voice of Strings’ in 2011 but also formed the band under the same name a decade later, in 2021.

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Apart from Chotu and Rajesh, the band of eight features Prathusha as the lead vocalist, while Justin and Vishanvi are the other singers. Mahesh manages the acoustic guitar, and the drumming expertise consists of Naveen Joshua and Benhur. The band’s repertoire spans both Indian and Western music, catering to diverse tastes.

“As a student of ‘Voice of Strings’ music school, I started giving shows from the age of ten and have learnt music production during the pandemic. Initially, I was not much into Telugu music, but due to the exposure to music production I’ve realised the importance of every kind of music,” says Chotu revealing that his personal favourites lie within rock and metal.

Rajesh says the journey of the band has been a gradual evolution, starting from engaging audiences with covers performances to now composing their own Telugu originals, which are currently in the final stages of post-production. “We prefer to cater to what audiences want. Five years ago nobody would listen to a Telugu band or indie music, but now a lot of things are changing. I’m happy to witness this evolution in Hyderabad’s indie scene, which greatly boosts artistes,” Rajesh says.

Making original songs is a collaborative process for the band. Chotu contributes by composing riffs, chord progressions, and melodies, while Justin tackles the lyrics. The band considers individual inputs to shape collective masterpieces that resonate with listeners. ‘Voice of Strings’ is planning to release their original compositions next year.

The two branches of the music school, located in KPHB and Gopal Nagar, are actively enrolling students, playing their part in nurturing Hyderabad’s dynamic music scene.