Jonita on Chicchubuddi, breaking boxes and finding a more collaborative voice in Indian music

When Jonita first heard Chicchubuddi for Dacoit, her instinct was not an immediate yes. The track felt offbeat, a little eccentric, and far removed from the kind of sound she naturally gravitates towards. It didn’t feel familiar or easy to place. If anything, it felt like the kind of song she might usually hesitate to take on.

From Highway to Chicchubuddi, Jonita on resisting boxes, singing beyond language and claiming a more collaborative role in her songs

A voice that has consistently shaped the soundscape of contemporary Indian music, Jonita moves fluidly across languages, genres, and industries. From tracks like The Breakup Song, What Jhumka?, Arabic Kuthu, and Kahaan Hoon Main, her work resists easy categorisation, defined instead by emotional clarity and tonal versatility that feel distinctly her own.

But instead of walking away from Chicchubuddi, she stayed with it a little longer.There is something about the song that lingered, even if it doesn’t fully make sense at first. And then there was the energy around it. The team at Annapurna Studios didn’t approach the track with uncertainty — they were completely convinced of what it can become. That kind of belief shifts how you listen. Slowly, what first feels unusual begins to feel interesting.

“When I was approached to do this song, I was both excited and apprehensive. Honestly, I thought the song was quite quirky when I first heard it. It’s not necessarily the kind of sound I gravitate towards instinctively, but there was something about its energy and character that stood out. I was convinced by the amount of passion that the team had, that this would be a track that people across different spaces could connect with,” Jonita recalls.

That sense of connection becomes important. It is no longer about whether the song fits neatly into her existing body of work, but whether it can reach people in a way that feels unexpected. Sometimes, the songs that sit slightly outside your comfort zone are the ones that stretch your identity in the most interesting ways.

There is also another factor that makes the decision feel more personal. This time, she is not just the voice behind the song, she is seen as well. “In addition, they wanted me to feature visually in the song. That really drew me in, because as singers we rarely get the opportunity to appear on screen and be the face of our own voice,” she adds.

It is a simple shift, but it changes the relationship between the singer and the song. Playback singers are often present without being visible. Here, she steps into the frame, bringing her interpretation not just through voice, but through presence.

Even though she works across multiple languages, her approach to singing remains consistent in one important way. It is not the language that defines how she performs a song. “I don’t think the approach changes as per the language; it mostly changes as per the meaning. When I was recording the song, I was fortunate to have Adivi Sesh in the room with me, guiding both my diction and expressions,” Jonita explains.

That process becomes especially important when working in a language that isn’t entirely familiar. The technical aspects can be guided, but the emotional clarity still has to come from within — and she is candid about the fact that it isn’t always seamless. “Singing in languages I do not know definitely expands my identity because I get to explore different sounds and reach new audiences, but it also challenges me. Ultimately, when I sing in foreign languages, it’s kind of like singing gibberish. That balance between challenging and rewarding is what keeps things exciting for me,” she says. There is honesty in the way she describes that experience. It is simply part of the process .

Over time, her role within a song has also evolved. Earlier, it may have been about stepping in and delivering what was required. Now, there is a stronger sense of involvement. “I think now I naturally look for a bit more involvement than I did earlier. Even in subtle ways like phrasing, texture, or energy, I like being part of shaping how the song comes across. It’s very collaborative, and I do value having that space to contribute,” Jonita notes. These are not dramatic shifts. They are small, precise decisions that influence how a song feels when it reaches the listener, the way a line is held, the way a word is softened, the way energy moves within a phrase.

At the same time, this growing awareness also makes her more selective. Not every song needs to be a yes. “I think over time you realise that not everything has to be the right fit. It’s important to feel connected to what you’re putting your voice to, and sometimes that means stepping back from things that don’t align,” she reflects. There is clarity in that approach. It allows her to stay connected to her work in a way that feels honest. Saying no becomes part of maintaining that connection, rather than something to avoid.

When she reflects on her journey, a few songs stand out as defining moments — not necessarily because of their scale, but because of what they shift internally. One of them is Kahaan Hoon Main from Highway. “There have been a few, but I think singing Kahaan Hoon Main from Highway is an unforgettable milestone. It has shaped the way I approach singing a song, and I’m so grateful to have had the experience of singing it,” she says.

Over the years, she has become aware of the patterns within the industry. There is often an expectation for female voices to fit into certain categories. “I think those perceptions definitely exist. But I’ve always tried to approach music with a sense of openness and not limit myself to one space. I’m sure some people only think of me as suiting specific types of songs, but I think my discography proves that I don’t belong in just one box,” Jonita points out. Rather than pushing against those expectations directly, she allows her work to expand beyond them. By moving across genres and industries, she creates her own range instead of being defined by one.

This openness extends to how she thinks about femininity and identity as well. “For me, it’s not one fixed thing. I don’t put too much emphasis on needing to express femininity per se. I like to go with the flow. It can be playful, strong, vulnerable, understated — it really depends on the song and the moment. I like the idea of it evolving rather than being defined too rigidly,” she shares.

Like many artists, she has also had to unlearn certain ideas along the way. “I think that’s a continuous process. When you start out, you absorb a lot of ideas about what works or what’s expected. Over time, you strip that back and focus more on what feels natural and honest to you,” she admits.

Looking ahead, she keeps her plans open. “A mix of things — more music, definitely, some collaborations I’m really excited about, and hopefully more opportunities to explore different kinds of performance as well. I think this year is about continuing to evolve and try new things,” Jonita says. That idea of evolution feels central to her steady movement forward.

And that is why Chicchubuddi fits into her journey in a way that feels natural. It comes with hesitation, questions, and uncertainty, but also with the possibility of becoming something unexpected.

Chicchubuddi is streaming on all major music platforms.

Mail ID: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com

Twitter: @indulgexpress

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