JOIN USJonita has a trick to help her sing in any language
Her infectious smile and bubbly personality instantly light up the room. Even when on a phone interview with her between Bengaluru and Canada, Jonita Gandhi’s positivity shines through.
She’s a product of YouTube. She was one of the few who were handpicked from the digital world by the industry experts making her the big star she is now. But she says that she enjoys the offline world more.
“I know that people wouldn’t know who I am if it weren’t for YouTube. I was all the way in Canada! I can’t deny the importance of the internet but I do prefer the offline world. I get to explore, learn and meet people through this,” she says.
It’s probably her zest for trying new things that enables her to sing in multiple languages. Her latest release is her first collaboration with music director Harris Jayaraj. She lent her vocals for ‘Hey Amigo’ alongside Lesle Lewis for the Suriya-starrer ‘Kaapaan’.
“I really liked working on the song. The language wasn’t too alien as I have been listening to Tamil songs for years now. I also have Tamilian friends, which made it kind of easy to grasp the language. I think that rubbed off of me a little bit,” she adds.
Jonita has a secret trick that helps her tackle new languages. “There is a sound that exists in each language. I have developed my own way of understanding that. I write all my songs in English. So when I write ‘L’, I know it’s ‘laa’ and ‘l’ for ‘la’. These notes have become a universal way for me to understand.”
So could Jonita become the new Shreya Ghoshal? “Oh my god, that would be amazing,” she exclaims.
“Growing up in Toronto, I would often sing for various occasions. You wouldn’t believe it but people used to tell me that I sound just like Shreya Ghoshal; she was the golden standard for me. I have always been in awe of her and she inspires me to learn from the way she sings,” she adds.
Jonita is also a key member of AR Rahman’s team. In fact, after her short break in Canada for her brother’s engagement, she’s heading straight to Chennai to join the team.
She shares that her favourite thing about Rahman is that she never knows what to expect when she walks in.
She says, “I grew up ready to do anything and even as a playback singer, I wanted to be able to do anything, fit into any mould, situation or song. I think that’s what makes me a strong member of the crew. And being around him, I feel like I am able to fit into the project required. He always keeps things fresh.”
Though not on tour, the ‘Rajvaadi Odhni’ singer is always on the road. She loves meeting people, learning about the culture, and most importantly, explore the food.
“I usually go on a day trip which includes the show. But my team members are also foodies like me. So we make sure that we try the local cuisine as much as we can,” she laughs. If time permits, she extends the trip by a day just to explore the place.
Now that she will be heading to Chennai soon, she looks forward to the filter coffee and meals at Saravana Bhavan and Dakshin.
However, travelling for shows does not give her enough time in the studio. “I want to be in Mumbai so that I don’t miss out on studio work. It’s quite stressful to balance all that.”