India’s Girish and the Chronicles Ignite ‘AGT’ Stage With Adele Rock Rendition

Indian hard rock outfit Girish and the Chronicles turned up the heat on America’s Got Talent this week with a thunderous, riff-heavy cover of Adele’s “Set Fire to the Rain,” earning a standing ovation and four yeses from the judges during Tuesday night’s (June 3) episode.

The audition marked the group’s AGT debut and quickly stood out as one of the most explosive performances of the night. Stepping onto the stage with long hair, leather jackets, and confidence to spare, Girish and the Chronicles proved that rock is alive and well — and ready for primetime.

Hailing from Gangtok, Sikkim, and now based in Bengaluru, India, the band gave the pop ballad a dramatic makeover, transforming Adele’s chart-topping hit into a full-fledged rock spectacle complete with wailing guitar solos, gritty vocals, and thunderous drums. With frontman Girish Pradhan commanding the stage, the band’s charisma and precision lit up the room and earned them a unanimous four yeses from the judges — Sofia Vergara, Simon Cowell, Mel B, and Howie Mandel.

Formed in 2009, Girish and the Chronicles (often abbreviated as GATC) have become one of India’s leading hard rock exports. They’ve previously opened for artists like Poets of the Fall and Destruction, and they’ve toured internationally in places like Nepal and the U.S.

“Set Fire to the Rain” became Adele’s third consecutive No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2012, spending two weeks at the top. The track also surpassed 2 billion streams on Spotify and won the Grammy for Best Pop Solo Performance.

Elsewhere in the June 3 episode, AGT featured a wide mix of acts vying for a coveted spot in the next round. Ethiopian acrobatic troupe TT Boys wowed with a gravity-defying display of flips and balance work that earned a standing ovation. Dance group Kid Clippers, known for their work with the LA Clippers, delivered an energetic hip-hop routine full of charisma and synchronized choreography.

Phobias, a silent clown duo with a horror twist, brought eerie theatrics to the stage — complete with balloon popping and unsettling surprises — and successfully freaked out the judges (especially Howie Mandel). Meanwhile, the Messoudi Brothers stunned with a shirtless knife juggling act that had the judges on edge.

Also on the docket: Citilimitz, a trio of singing brothers who brought a nostalgic boy-band vibe; Amanda Badertscher, a gym teacher who nailed a trick football-throwing stunt; and Cole Swensen and his mother, who delivered a sweet family rendition of Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida.”