Jonita Gandhi: Tenacity has been a key contributor to my journey

The Break-Up Song crooner, Jonita Gandhi, is all set to perform at the Festival of Bharat in Rajpath, New Delhi (April 4-8), which is a tribute to India’s history and culture. The singer talks about the fest, why she likes fusion music and more.

What led you to the Festival of Bharat?

I thought it was an ideal platform to celebrate India and its essence. Performing to famous Bollywood tracks is always an appealing opportunity as that plays an essential role in defining our culture. And when you think of India, you think of Bollywood!

What’s on your setlist?

We will perform a variety of songs and mashups, including some of my popular film tracks like The Breakup Song, covers we’ve done, and some of our favourite English and Bollywood numbers.

As one of the few artistes who perform Bollywood and English songs, do you attribute your success to your experience in singing both?

Above all else, tenacity has been a key contributor to my journey so far. There’s a lot of trial and error that comes along the way. But one of the things I learned early on is that every artiste has a strength they’re recognised for, or something unique about their sound that makes them stand apart from another. I’m grateful to have had training in Western vocals, which helps me use some of the techniques even while singing Indian songs.

Who are your favourite artistes?

I find it interesting when different styles of music are fused together effortlessly to create something new and wonderful. Some of my favourite artistes span from East to West and from AR Rahman to Bruno Mars…