Be it the “Break Up Song” playing in tandem with our feelings after a break-up or the surge of emotions after listening to “Kahan Hoon Mein”, Jonita Gandhi has given us some memorable songs in her distinct voice. “It’s always helpful to have a unique voice like a USP because there’s so much competition. A unique voice helps to stand out but it also depends on how you make the song yours,” says the 28-year-old singer who is known for her sui generis voice and charming looks. After starting as a YouTuber, Jonita has sung for many Bollywood movies, the latest being the title track of Race 3.
Talking of “Allah Duhai Hai” , she says,“I was at a gig when I got the call. Next day, I reached the studio at 7 in the morning. It took me 40 minutes to record the song and I have a completely morning voice in the song. Many of you might think that it’s not even me,” she giggles. Scathing remarks about the film doesn’t make her regret her decision. “It’s a big franchise and I’m happy to be a part of it. By the way it has done well at the box office,” she reminds.
Born in Delhi, Jonita left for Canada when she was not even a year old. She still manages time to savour Delhi food which, she says, is the best. Jonita got her first break in Chennai Express when she was visiting India. “I was at Vishal-Shekhar’s studio to meet their engineer who happened to be a friend of mine. Vishal knew me because he had heard my covers on YouTube. He asked me what I was doing in India, and offered me the title track. It was a case of perfect timing.”
Jonita surprises us when she says singing was not her first passion. “Dancing was my ultimate passion but as I grew up, seeing my father who is a musician himself, I got inspired and after 11, it gradually became a passion.” Smirking at the fact that she can sing in almost 10 languages, she relates how she always tries very hard to sound authentic. “Honestly, I just mimic. They teach me in the studio and I make sure someone who is a native speaker of the language is there. With practice it gets better; now I can sing many of the Tamil songs without much support.”
For Jonita, her parents have been her greatest inspiration. “They pushed me into the grind My father might not admit it, but he built a studio for me in our house so that I could practice. Music played a crucial role in his hard times and that is what inspires me.”
According to Jonita, in the west, singers could become brands on the strength of the uniqueness of their voices. They don’t have to prove their versatility. “Whereas in Bollywood playback singing, one has to be both a 16-year-old singing cheerfully and a seductress in a party number. It’s like acting through your voice. It's better in the West because the singers get better recognition.” In an unwavering tone, she proudly claims that she is a good example of having come up in Bollywood without a godfather. “It helps but even if it opens up doors for you, you have to do good work to cement your place.”
With success, come gimmicks and rumours, and Jonita wasn’t spared as well. Laughing aloud, she says, “I never knew I was on Indian Idol. I once googled to see which of my videos stream the most and the top search result showed ‘Jonita Gandhi Indian Idol’. I was like...what?” “Kahan Hoon Main” from Highway is her personal favourite. “I learnt a lot about how to work with my voice while recording that song.”
She is going on a tour with A.R Rahman and is waiting for the release of her new Tamil song from Madras Gig . “I’ve sung some Bollywood songs too but let’s see if it works out. Otherwise I’m trying to focus on my YouTube channel because my fans know me because of my covers. I love doing it, I can be myself in the videos and I get creative satisfaction through it,” says Jonita, who emerged on the scene as a Youtuber. “It’s all about being honest and unique.”
