Gifton Elias

Gifton Elias (గిఫ్టన్ ఎలియాస్) born 14 February 1987, is an Indian composer and musician who works in Telugu-language films. He is from Hyderabad, Telangana and an alumnus of Trinity College of Music, London, United Kingdom.

He made his debut as a film composer for the 2016 Telugu film Janaki Ramudu.

Early life Gifton Elias accompanying on Viola for the Hyderabad Chamber Orchestra with his Violin Guru Sri. John C Marthand (2002)

Gifton was born and brought up in Ramnagar, Hyderabad (then united Andhra Pradesh, present-day Telangana), India, to Sri. Vuppula Krupaiah Elias (a well-known Telugu Gospel Music Director, graded artist, composer & music director at All India Radio, Doordarshan, Music Teacher, Honoured as Eminent Person in Music & Fine Arts on 21 December 2018 by the Honourable Chief Minister of Telangana Sri. K. Chandrashekar Rao) and Smt. Regina Pushpa Hatagale (Teacher).

He did his schooling at Little Flower High School, Hyderabad. He has a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication from Loyola Academy, Secunderabad and a master's degree in Visual Communication from Loyola College, Chennai.

Gifton's tryst with music began when he was just five. Gifton hails from a musically affluent family. Under the guidance of his father Sri. V. K. Elias, Gifton started singing, playing electronic keyboards, guitars at his church (Baptist Church Ramnagar, Hyderabad) and school band (Little Flower High School, Hyderabad).

After his third standard, he got into the most prestigious Trinity College of Music, London. He started learning classical piano & violin from Sri. John C Marthand. As a child prodigy, he would assist his father sometimes for recordings at All India Radio, Doordarshan & other cultural shows.

He was a part of the Hyderabad Chamber Orchestra (founded & conducted by his Violin Guru Sri. John C Marthand), Festival Choristers (a group of music lovers and senior Bureaucrats of Andhra Pradesh like Smt. Aruna Bahuguna IPS, Smt. Rachel Chatterjee IAS, and others), other Fusion bands accompanying with his violin, viola, piano & synths.

Career

While pursuing M.Sc Visual Communication, Loyola College, Chennai, Gifton joined as an Intern & later continued as an Assistant Director to the Ace Film maker Geetha Krishna for a few Commercials, Adfilms & Films for the then Government of Andhra Pradesh (2007–08).

In 2008, he did his first independent project as a Music Composer for the renowned South Indian Actress Jayasudha. Since then, he regards her as his "Godmother". Later, he composed music for several ads, jingles, commercials, documentaries, short films, music videos.

On 30 April 2010, at the age of 23, during the communal riots in Hyderabad, Gifton conducted a Peace Concert at the Royal Chowmahalla Palace, Hyderabad featuring a 50-member symphony orchestra live with the stage name "Gifty". The orchestra included a few students from Young Stringz School of Music (YSSM - started by Gifty in 2009), a few musicians from Andhra Pradesh Police Band & others.

The concert was graced by Smt. Jayasudha (the then MLA, Secunderabad Constituency), Sri. Noel Swaranjit Sen, IPS (Retd) other local leaders & Media.

Discography

Gifton debuted as a Film Music Composer with the film Janaki Ramudu (2016 film), which released on 16 December 2016. He composed 5 songs & scored BGM for the film.

Independent work

2007 - "Priya Raaga" (private album) 2011 - "The Indian National Anthem" (a video single, released by the then Honourable Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh Smt. P. Sabitha Indra Reddy 2012 - "Love You Maa" (Sand Art Video Single for Mother's Day) sung by Malavika Sand Art by Kanth Risa 2012 – "The Fiddler" 2013 - "Love You Maa" (Cello Cover) 2014 - "Vande Mataram" sung by Mohammed Irfan, Geetha Madhuri 2017 – "Oh My Valentine" (Single for Valentine's Day) sung by Noel Sean, Sravana Bhargavi 2021 - "Desi Superstar" - India's first ever Music Series celebrating 75 years of India's Independence 2024 - "Drug of Dance" featuring "Yashwanth Master", Produced by Sekhar