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Tejas Menon, better known by his stage name Tejas, is an Indian singer-songwriter and guitarist from Mumbai, India. He has released two studio albums – Make It Happen (2017) and Outlast (2021). “Make It Happen” reached No. 1 on the Indian Pop Charts on iTunes upon its release,[1] while “Outlast” was featured among the top 10 Best Indian albums of 2021 by Rolling Stone Magazine.[2]
Tejas | |
|---|---|
| Born | Tejas Menon 1989 (age 34–35) |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 2011–present |
| Musical career | |
| Genres |
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| Instruments |
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| Labels | Independent |
| Member of | Geek Fruit |
| Website | musicbytejas |
Tejas gained nationwide fame for his contributions to the soundtrack of the Netflix film The Archies (2023) by Zoya Akhtar.[3] He has performed extensively across the country, headlining sold-out shows at major venues and music festivals such as Lollapalooza India, NH7 Weekender, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, VH1 Supersonic, among others.
Early life
editTejas was born in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India. His father hails from Palakkad, while his mother is from Thalassery. He has one older brother. Following his birth, his family relocated to Dubai, where he spent his formative years. Tejas later moved to India after completing high school, residing with his cousins. He holds a degree in economics from Nowrosjee Wadia College, Pune, and a master's degree in Media and Communication from Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication, Pune.[4] Apart from his academic pursuits, he joined Radio One at 19 and worked there for three years, immersing himself in the Indian indie music scene.
During this period, he began writing and composing songs. Influenced by artists such as Gowri Jayakumar, Something Relevant, Them Clones, Indus Creed, and Blackstratblues, who were independently releasing music, along with the emergence of the NH7 Weekender music festival in Pune, Tejas ventured into showcasing his own music online and performing live shows around Pune.
Career
editEarly Career, Small Victories, Make It Happen (2013 – 2019)
editAfter completing his master's degree, Tejas made the decision to shift to Mumbai and leave Pune. The initial days were a struggle for him in Mumbai, and that's where he started to write his first EP named "Small Victories", which was released in 2014. His then-manager, Krish Makhija, made videos of Tejas, which brought him fame and later secured him shows such as Ragasthan Music Festival, the Vans New Wave Festival, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, and Escape Festival Ladakh.[5]
He also founded and runs Geek Fruit in 2015, which is a community for Indian pop-culture geeks and enthusiasts. The podcast now has over 300 episodes and is one of the first-ever pop-culture podcasts to come from India. He now performs at Comic-Con across India and hosts events like ‘Super Scary Awesome,’ their annual Halloween Party, along with co-founders Jishnu Guha and Dinkar Dwivedi.[6]
Tejas released his first studio album “Make It Happen” in 2017 which went to No. 1 on the Indian Pop Charts on iTunes on its release.[7]
Outlast (2020 – 2022)
editIn the COVID-era of 2020, Tejas released three singles, namely “Lead”,[8] “The Bombay Doors”,[9] and a remastered version of “Ruby.” Ruby happens to be a song from his first EP, Small Victories,[10] while Lead and The Bombay Doors were collectively released in Tejas’ second album, Outlast, which was released in 2021.[11] Longtime bandmates Jehangir Jehangir and Adil Kurwa worked alongside Tejas for the album at Island City Studios, Mumbai.[12] Even before the pandemic hit, Tejas had been active on social media, spreading his music. Along with Dinkar Dwivedi, he released a 12-minute YouTube video named “Conference Call: The Musicall!” It's a parody-drama video on YouTube that stresses the corporate world and the online work-from-home system.[13]
The Archies – present (2023 – present)
editTejas released a single named “Some Kind Of Nothing” in 2023.[14] Along with that, Tejas performed at the debut edition of Lollapalooza India . Additionally, Tejas embarked on an India tour in 2023. One major highlight of the year was his contribution to “The Archies,” a 2023 teen musical comedy film directed by Zoya Akhtar, which garnered immense popularity among audiences. The film features an extraordinary soundtrack composed by renowned musicians Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Ankur Tewari, The Islanders, and Aditi “Dot.” Saigal.[15] Tejas, with his incredible vocal range and versatility, lent his voice to most of the tracks in the movie.
Musical style and influences
editTejas’ lyrics are inspired by events from his own life and stories from his journey to find his identity. Though he admits that he started off by writing about love and girls, he seems to have found his true spirit in writing about things that are deeply rooted in his own experiences. His unique music and sounds have blended several genres into his own signature brand of pop.
Tejas considers KT Tunstall and Sara Bareilles as his influences in writing songs. He also cites John Mayer, The Police, Matchbox Twenty, Michael Jackson, Blackstratblues, and others as his inspirations. Apart from this, Tejas takes great influence from Richard Branson's thinking and perspective on the music industry, along with being inspired by science fiction and adventure books and films, and musical theater.[16]
Band Members
editCurrent members
- Tejas – lead vocals & guitars (2011 – present)
- Adil Kurwa – backing vocals & bassist (2014 – present)
- Jehangir Jehangir – drummer (2014 – present)
Other touring musicians
- Mallika Barot – Vocals (2019 – present)
- Aria Nanji – Vocals, guitar and mandolin (2022 – present)
- Sharad Rao – Guitar and backing vocals (2022 – present)
Discography
editStudio albums
- Outlast (2021)
- Make It Happen (2017)
EPs
- Small Victories (2014)
Singles
- Va Va Voom (From “The Archies”) (2023)
- Sunoh (From “The Archies”) (2023)
- If I Could Fly (2023)
- Some Kind Of Nothing (2023)
- As I'm Getting Older (2022)
- Down and Out (2021)
- Ruby (Remastered) (2020)
- The Bombay Doors (2020)
- Lead (2020)
- River (2019)
- Make It Happen (2017)
- Evidence (2015)
References
edit- ^ "All About the 'Outlast' Singer & Indie Artist Tejas". indigomusic. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "10 Best Indian Albums of 2021". Rolling Stone India. 27 December 2021. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Live music has the ultimate power, shares Tejas". Times Of India. 6 January 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
- ^ "Tejas in the right groove". Deccan Chronicle. 12 August 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "The Alter Egos Of Indie Musicians Who Pursue Multiple Creative Disciplines". Homegrown. 8 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Making It Happen: An Interview with Tejas". Top Five Records. 12 June 2019. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Tejas". beehype. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Indie musician Tejas on releasing his new single 'Lead' in the lockdown phase". The Hindu. 20 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Tejas Returns With A Vivid And Confident Album". Rock Street Journal. 7 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Musician Tejas talks about his new single Lead, the upcoming album Outlast, and his love for pop culture". Indian Express Indulge. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "The album by Tejas is going to outlive and 'Outlast' your monsoon favourites: Score Indie Reviews". High On Score. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Tejas Proves He's In It For The Long Haul With His Contemporary-Pop LP 'Outlast'". The Indian Music Diaries. 7 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "A Sound New World". Open The Magazine. 19 June 2020. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "The 15 Best Indian Singles of 2023". Rolling Stone India. 26 December 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Tejas: The Rising Musical Star of Bollywood, From The Archies to Stardom!". Jay-Ho. 16 December 2023. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ "Up, close and personal with Tejas". Red Bull. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2024.