Singer Jonita Gandhi’s first Christmas release caught award-winning singer and composer A R Rahman’s attention and that inspired her to keep working and making good music. The talented singer is back with her new track This Christmas and promises to fill the festival with happy vibes. Hear it from Jonita. Excerpts:
Is this your first Christmas special?
I’ve done a couple of Christmas releases in the past, and actually, my first one, a rendition of Silent Night, was noticed by AR Rahman. He tweeted about it and I was floored! I’ve done a couple of other collaborative Christmas releases which can all be found on my YouTube channel.
Tell us about the song and its music.
I’ve always had an affinity towards RnB music. ‘This Christmas’ has a lot of RnB influences, which is part of what makes it so much fun for me to sing. The track was produced and arranged by David Joseph and Alok Merwin who both feature with me in the video. I’m so happy we were able to shoot together.
What does Christmas mean to you?
Christmas time means family time to me, and it’s a time to spread joy and cheer. Even though Christmas isn’t a religious observation for us, we enjoy celebrating the festivities by gathering with the family - especially since the Christmas holidays usually means most people have time off work/school at the same time and are able to spend quality time together.
What are your memories of Christmas?
Every year, my family and I make it a point to watch Miracle on 34th Street together. We all love the movie a tonne. We also normally host a karaoke party at my house in Canada on Christmas Day every year and those parties have been quite memorable, lasting till the next day!
What are your other upcoming projects?
I’ve got a few covers coming up soon for my YouTube channel and a few independent singles will be out soon too! Be sure to follow me on Instagram and YouTube @jonitamusic.
You also dropped Kaun Tujhe with Arjun. Tell us about that.
Kaun Tujhe is such a beautiful song, no doubt a treat to sing. In our version, I especially enjoyed the additional English bits that Arjun and I wrote. The genre and theme of the song both resonated a lot with me and I’m happy to have collaborated with Arjun after quite some time. 2020 woke a lot of crucial discussions about mental health. It’s something that affects so many people, and it’s often forgotten that the people around those afflicted are also affected. It’s important to keep these conversations going and get rid of the stigmas around mental health and wellness.