The Indo-Canadian singer, who has made a mark in films with her unusual voice, extends her repertoire with her solo in a reality show, says Siddhika Prajapati
Be it the Break Up Song consoling us after a heartbreak or an energetic rhythm of Sau Tarah Ke to groove on during weekends, Jonita Gandhi has crooned some unforgettable songs in her soulful voice. “It’s always helpful to have a unique voice since there’s so much competition. It undoubtedly helps to stand out but it also depends on how you give the song an exotic feel,” says the 29-year-old singer.
Gandhi has sung for many Bollywood films and her latest number is for the forthcoming season of Royal Stag Barrel Select MTV Unplugged Season 8. This has extended her repertoire beyond films and she is also enthusiastic about making her debut on the show as a solo performer. She says, “I was a part of Season 6 but it was in collaboration with Amit Trivedi, which was a great experience.”
According to Jonita, in the West, singers get established as “brands” as they have a unique voice and they don’t have to prove their adaptability and versatility. However, she believes, “In India, the playback singer has to target both the youth through peppy numbers as well as play a enchantress in a party-themed song. The music industry is separate and independent abroad since the singers get better acknowledgment for their work solely.”
There are many musicians and singers that inspire Gandhi to be the best version of herself and widen the ability in improving her performance. She believes that the biggest challenge for an aspiring singer today is to stand out among the bunch of contenders today. She says, “Being yourself in terms of trends but more so applying your own versatile personality to explore artistic opportunities can help to make a mark.”
She feels that there’s a long way to go before anything changes in a noticeable manner. The audience is enormous and there is a lot of variety and diversity globally. One can’t impress everyone with every song. “There are people who acknowledge me for my unplugged albums and there are others who will still talk about the songs where I’m singing in a low pitch and in English. I just want to explore myself and the atmosphere,” she says.
She claims to be a good example of making a mark in Bollywood without a godfather. “It definitely helps in opening up doors but you have to show efforts and hard work to cement your position. I am still learning to work on my voice while recording any song,” she says.
Gandhi is developing her YouTube channel further because that platform has given her a remarkable recognition. “My fans know me because of my covers. I can be myself in the videos and it gives me satisfaction,” she says.
The singer promises to bring new content for her fans. She considers returning back to Youtube because that is where she has gained recognition. She says, “I will continue making singles on that platform as that is where my fans had started acknowledging and accepting my work. I would simultaneously work for Bollywood, single music albums and unplugged covers, the only challenge really is to manage both in time. But apart from that, they all co-exist in harmony,” says she.
