An inside look at Bay Area band Truancy

By Staff Writers Erika Liu & Finn McCarthy

An airy, rhythmic cover of Arctic Monkeys’ “505;” a funny skit filmed outside a suburban garage; five teenagers finding camaraderie over music — in fleeting glimpses on social media, MSJ student-founded indie-rock band Truancy has already begun to assert itself as a recognizable addition to the local indie music scene. With members drawing from years of interest and experience in alternative music, Truancy, despite the band’s novelty and members’ youth, rises with a strong passion and hopes of experimentation and expansion alike to redefine what it means to be a high school band.

Truancy’s inception can be traced back to a summer camp bassist Junior Elka Lichman attended, where she first played and fell in love with bass. “Afterward… I [wanted] to play this for more than just this camp,” Lichman said. She, along with the Truancy guitarist Sophomore Naman Chitlur — whom Lichman had been in a band with before — began the creation of the band more than six months ago, finalizing recruitments in early 2026. Junior Sunny He was brought in as the drummer, with prior experience on percussion instruments. Chitlur and Sophomore Aarav Ahuja were friends before the formation of Truancy, and with a shared love for guitar, Ahuja became the band’s second guitarist. Senior Nishita Deshpande, who had been singing Indian classical music since they were young, had performed with Chitlur in the past and subsequently became the front singer of Truancy in January. 

Truancy owes its inception not only to the web of connections but also to its members’ common passion for alternative music. Chitlur found his inspiration locally, emphasizing the role that the former MSJ rock band Oddity played in his decision to create the band. Oddity posted a mix of covers and original songs on their social media and music platforms across four years before releasing one last project in September 2025. “One of the things, at least for me, that kept me going and wanting to complete having a band was Oddity,” Chitlur said. Outside of high school bands, though, other inspiration for keeping the band alive can be found. Lichman, an avid fan of Canadian indie rock band Good Kid, had the opportunity to attend their May 6 concert in Oakland along with Chitlur and He. Using their VIP passes, the trio was able to head home with more than just memories. Chitlur now practices with Good Kid’s guitar picks, and He exchanged drumsticks with Good Kid’s drummer. Being able to see a band live that holds influence over their sound and path is inspiring, especially for nascent groups like Truancy.

So far, the five-person act has only posted covers of songs from established bands on their Instagram. In the future, however, Truancy has more ambitious plans. Deshpande wants to branch out into multilingual songs; He would like to take a stab at metal; Ahuja and Chitlur want to find a distinct musical style for Truancy, release original songs, and catch bigger gigs. Despite these varying musical interests, all members emphasized a sense of cohesion within Truancy. “It’s a little cliche, but [the most important part of Truancy’s identity] is definitely the feeling of community,” He said. 

On May 29, the band will perform at C120 with MSJ Syncos and then as a solo act at Hops and Beans Cafe the next day. The cafe has its own indie artist scene as it hosts local musicians to play live. Truancy members, frequent visitors to the cafe, are familiar with the indie scene there and want to find opportunities to collaborate and connect. Deshpande recalled seeing the performance of one band called Laughing Face at Hops and Beans Cafe. “After their show, we were able to approach them. We’re probably going to get together and jam with them,” Deshpande said. They did mention, however, the age barrier Truancy faced as a newer act trying to enter the local scene. With most local bands being college-aged, Truancy has found it difficult to garner momentum as teenage artists.

The band has plans to expand their base, though — by adopting a unique style, posting to social media, and taking advantage of each member’s diverse musical background, members are confident that the band will be able to grow in the future. At its core, Truancy remains grounded in passion. “We like school, we definitely value our education,” Deshpande said, regarding the band’s name. “[The name Truancy] applies to every aspect of life, not just school.”