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Jonita Gandhi Talks New Single ‘Beparwai,’ and Why She's Not Afraid of AI
The ‘Vida Karo’ singer opens up about her relationship with the industry, and why she’s okay with machines in music.
Jonita Gandhi has a voice that’s everywhere and yet unmistakably her own. Her cool, confident, and genre-fluid artistry threads through the Indian music landscape with surprising agility. For her new single, Beparwai, Gandhi has chosen an affirmation of self: part confessional, part rebuke, and entirely unbothered. It’s bold, groovy, unapologetically Punjabi, and a sharp detour from the film numbers that first launched her career.
But then again, Gandhi has always been more than playback. From her breakout via YouTube covers, to touring with Sonu Nigam, to becoming an A.R. Rahman and Anirudh Ravichander favourite, she has shaped herself into a multilingual star whose repertoire stretches from The Breakup Song to Mental Manadhil to indie earworms like Channa.
The singer-songwriter spoke to The Hollywood Reporter India about her new single, what she tries to learn from being around Rahman, and why she isn’t threatened by AI being used in music.
Edited excerpts from a conversation:
THR: You’ve worked closely with A.R. Rahman. Is there something he’s said to you that really stuck?
Jonita Gandhi: I wish I wrote these things down... I have the worst memory. But what’s stayed with me isn’t a quote, it’s his energy. He’s incredibly self-aware. He knows people talk about his work all the time — sometimes even negatively — but he carries this calm acceptance about it. He’s not oblivious. He just doesn’t fight it. There’s this Zen mindset he lives by: never force anything. That’s something I’ve tried to carry with me.
THR: Has a song with him ever changed how you viewed your own voice?
JG: Absolutely. Kahaan Hoon Main (from Highway, 2014) was a turning point. Even earlier, on Maaloom from Lekar Hum Deewana Dil (2014), the vibe was very Western pop, bouncy and light. I was singing it like that until he suddenly asked me to “turn on my Lata Mangeshkar plugin.” He was joking, but it made me rethink everything. He encouraged me to infuse Indian harkats (inflections) into what felt like a Western song. I used to think that would sound fake or forced. But when I tried it, it felt… honest. That moment helped me embrace the duality in my voice, and of my personality — the classical and the contemporary. Now, almost all my music blends both.
THR: India is well and truly in its gig era, so what’s your relationship with live performances? Has your voice ever surprised or betrayed you on stage?
JG: Oh, all the time! But that’s the beauty of it. Some nights your voice shows up, other nights it humbles you. For me, live means live. People deserve that. Sure, I use pre-recorded harmonies because I can’t physically layer vocals on stage, but my lead vocal is always real. That vulnerability, even the mistakes, connect you to the audience in a way nothing else can. I genuinely think people like knowing you’re human. When I hit a bum note, they’re like, “Ah, it’s definitely live.” And honestly? That’s kind of comforting.
THR: Speaking of tech, AI is everywhere in music now. Have you heard these AI-generated covers? Including one of Vida Karo in Mohammad Rafi’s voice? Are you afraid that we might be losing attention and intention in our music?
JG: Yes, I’ve heard that one! We’ve already lost so much attention and intention in music. Songs are practically built for Reels now. So when I hear something like that, I think: wow, technology’s giving us a new way to experience music. But AI didn’t create that song, it couldn’t have. It’s just reimagining it. For me, AI is a tool and not a threat. It’s one of those “if you can’t beat them, join them” scenarios. This is the future and you have to accept it at some point, so you might as well use it to your advantage. I think that’s what people like Rahman sir are doing. I would honestly rather a composer use an AI version of my voice to decide if they want me or not.
Because ultimately, if they do want me, they’ll still call me. AI is never going to fully replace the human element, at least not for people who are actually pursuing artistic expression. And I think most of us are. Otherwise, why are we even here? But yeah, that’s my take.
THR: Let’s talk Beparwai. What makes this single different for you?
JG: It’s definitely the bolder side of me. It’s loud, unapologetic, and rooted in this feeling of not giving a damn. The song’s about being okay with not always being liked or understood. That’s new for me. I’ve always been a people pleaser. But Beparwai is my attempt at letting that go. There’s a whole verse about people judging me no matter what I do — whether I’m kind or assertive, someone’s always got something to say. So the track became this anthem of self-liberation. And the music video is full of high-energy, badass choreography. I’ve never shown this version of myself before. But it’s still me. It’s another side of me.