HYDERABAD ROCKS: Regional Telugu Band Merakee Is Rewriting Hyderabad’s Live Music Playbook
This Telugu band has not just earned its local stripes, they've tuned an entire city into their frequency, one singalong at a time.
Published : May 29, 2025 at 11:03 AM IST
If you're the kind of person who believes the golden age of live music in Hyderabad happened somewhere between the Biryani and the Bollywood covers of 2010, then Merakee is here to remind you that the best part of the song is still ahead. Formed in 2018, this Telugu regional band has not just earned its local stripes, they've tuned an entire city into their frequency.
Telugu at Heart
Ganesh Krovvidi, Merakee’s charismatic vocalist who shares the stage with Abhikya, started singing at the age of four. Trained in classical music and inspired by legends like A.R. Rahman, Sonu Nigam, S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, and Mani Sharma, his voice carries the warmth of nostalgia with the clarity of someone shaping the future.
“I grew up listening to Telugu songs,” Ganesh tells ETV Bharat. “People often ask me to try other languages, and I do sing in Tamil too, but my childhood is rooted in Telugu. That's where my heart lies.”
Merakee, with that extra 'e' born out of necessity (the original ‘Meraki’ was taken), includes co-vocalist Abhikya, Sai on keys, Sunny on bass, George on guitar, and Tony on drums. All full-time musicians, many with prior film experience, they have found their groove as a band both tight in harmony and loose enough to improvise.
From Empty Tables to Packed Houses
The journey hasn’t been instant. “Ten years ago,” Ganesh recalls, “you could barely hear a Telugu song at an orchestra, it was all Bollywood.” When Merakee first hit the stage, tables emptied as soon as the first Telugu note was played. Fast forward a few years, and the tables aren’t just full... the audience is standing, swaying, singing.
“Hyderabad is welcoming,” says Abhikya. “Once people realised we were serious about our music, we found our crowd. We see them at every show now.”
Mic-less with Merakee
If Merakee has a calling card beyond their originals and crowd-favourite covers, it’s their revolutionary concept Mic-less with Merakee. “We saw the Motta Maadi project in Chennai and reached out for permission to adapt it,” Ganesh says. What started in 2019 as an intimate cafe session with 20 people has since ballooned into 2500-seat spectacles like the one at Shilpakala Vedika. It’s music therapy with strangers.
Participants pay a small fee, receive lyrics the night before (complete with rhythmic gaps), and sing from their seats while the spotlight finds them in the crowd. “The first few minutes are awkward,” says Ganesh. “But once one person starts, the whole place turns into a wave of voices.” The beauty of Mic-less with Merakee is that it’s a family event. “No drinks, no food. Just singing. We’ve had 10-year-olds next to couples in their 70s,” he smiles.
Merakee’s originals follow a fluid, collaborative process. “Usually the person who has the idea leads,” Ganesh says. “Then we shape the song together.” Their already released track O Seliya is just the beginning. Three more tracks are on the way—one techno, two mellow melodies. The songwriting, like the band itself, is shaped by life.
Food, Friends, and Rahman Medleys
Offstage, the band is held together by more than music. “We bond over food,” laughs Ganesh. “Every third day, it’s biryani.” Their non-musical rituals aside, Merakee is hard at work sharpening their sound. And they have dreams. Collaborations with Nawab Gang’s Bharat and Asura are high on the wishlist. Playing at the Sydney Opera House in Australia is on the vision board. Until then, there are gigs to play and voices to harmonise with. This week alone, they’re playing Moonshine, Cu2 Brewhouse and Heart Cup Coffee (Gachibowli) in the city.
(This feature is part of the column HYDERABAD ROCKS that documents the movers and shakers in the city's music scene. Watch this space every Thursday for more)
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