Birthday jam to the Blues, this Bengaluru band is set to defy cliches in Bandra

On Oct 10, 2024, Grace Maureen—a music teacher in Bengaluru—received an unusual birthday gift. Ashwin Yung Chen, the guitarist she often sang with across hotels and cafés in the IT city, called three friends over for a casual jam session. "And we officially formed a band called ‘Grace n' the Cliches' as a gift to Grace," he recalls.

Today, another birthday later, the year-old Bengaluru band—with roots in Shillong—is all set to perform at the Mahindra Blues Fest in Bandra after flooring judges Ehsaan, Loy Mendonsa and Zubin Balaporia at the Mahindra Blues Hunt recently. Their winning set included electrifying renditions of Etta James' I'd Rather Go Blind, The Allman Brothers Band's Black Hearted Woman, and their unreleased original, Feeling Good Today.


"It's exciting, a little surreal, and deeply inspiring all at once," says Grace, who did not expect to win. "To be on such a big stage and to share it with so many incredible artists is a completely new and humbling experience for us." Looking ahead to their Garden Stage performance at Mehboob Studios, she adds, "People can expect honesty in our music and the joy of seeing our dreams slowly coming to fruition."

Growing up in Shillong, Grace—named by the mother who adopted her in 1998—listened to Shania Twain, Whitney Houston and Celine Dion, later discovering Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin and Etta James. Alongside Chen, a fellow music teacher, she spent evenings attending gigs, immersing herself in Bengaluru's independent music scene and performing at cafés and hotel lobbies. Over time, music strengthened their bond. Bar stool, chair or floor—every space she occupied seemed to become her own as Grace closed her eyes and crooned into the mic while Chen strummed away.

Though they performed across genres, blues cast a unique spell on the duo. "Whenever I hear Robben Ford play, there's nothing else I can do in life but listen," says Chen. Stevie Ray Vaughan and Buddy Guy have a similar effect. While blues may sound formulaic to the untrained ear, Chen stresses individual expression, drawing nuanced inspiration from artistes.

Named Grace n' the Clichés "just because it sounded nice," the band--with one foot in Shillong and the other in Bengaluru--has performed widely across cities. "With every rehearsal and performance, we continue to evolve not just as individual musicians but as a cohesive unit," says Grace. Their music—a mix of covers and originals—aims "to heal the world" as Grace puts it. Chen, on his part, believes "music is the language that conveys every emotion."

"Of course, don't share OTPs and bank details. But other than that, don't be afraid of vulnerability."

Before every gig, Grace eats very little—maybe a banana or two— drinks lots of water. A vocal coach who teaches children, Grace is mindful of the strain performances place on her voice. "I'm very conscious about taking care of it," she says. Advice from mentor Sandra Oberoi : "When you have a good sleep, you will have a good voice."

The Mahindra Blues Festival in association with The Times of India is co-sponsored by Mahindra Group of companies, and promoted and produced by Hyperlink Brand Solutions. Tickets are available on BookMyShow.


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