Pump up the jam

Jonita Gandhi started out as a cover singer and carved a successful career in film playback singing. Tanisha Bhattacharya takes notes as the singer recounts her journey

- Tanisha Bhattacharya

Jonita Gandhi grew up listening to soulful music because her brother and father both played music as a hobby. She is a multifaceted performer who has made a name for herself by singing in a variety of languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi, Telugu, Gujarati, Malayalam, and Kannada. The Breakup Song from Ae Dil Hai Mushkil, the title track from Chennai Express and most recently, Deva Deva from Brahmastra, are some of her songs in Hindi. These songs further upped her popularity. She started recording cover songs at an early age, including popular ones like Pani Da Rang, Tum Hi Ho, and Yeh Honsla, to mention a few. She has since become a YouTube sensation. The singer talks about jamming with talented artistes like Salim Sulaiman, Sonu Nigam, and Amit Trivedi, both in recording studios and on tours. Collaborating as a playback singer with the likes of AR Rahman and Pritam has been nothing short of a dream come true for her. When she was nine months old, her family relocated to Canada. While she was surrounded by a lot of Bollywood music during her growing-up years, the singer has also been influenced by ABBA, Beyonce, and Lauren Hill. In a candid conversation, Jonita discusses her big break with the title track of Rohit Shetty's Chennai Express, the versatility in her body of work, and how being nominated for a Filmfare Award was a career-defining moment for her. Excerpts: 

How exposed were you to Indian music while growing up?

There was always Bollywood music playing in my home while I was growing up. I would sing and dance along to the songs my parents played, from the golden oldies to the latest Bollywood releases. My dad is also a musician by hobby and his band would often rehearse at our house. They played Bollywood songs at local events, and that's how I started performing when I was a child.

How has your family helped shape your musical talent?