That the number of female songs in Bollywood is at an all time low is not an unknown fact, and perhaps because of this, female singers and musicians including Jonita Gandhi are trying to establish a niche in the independent music space. On the heels of her recently released single, Humraahi, via the music streaming platform Spotify, Jonita feels that the non-film music space is a “brilliant opportunity” for singers to come to the forefront.
“ It’s a way to be away from the male dominated industry that Bollywood is and I think everyone knows that. Yes things are changing slowly, but scripts are [still more or less] male-oriented. So, independent music is a great way for us women to bring out powerful songs, and bring our music in the forefront,’ she says.
The 29 year-old , known for hits such as Sau Tarah Ke (Dishoom, 2016), Lagdi Hai Thaai (Simran, 2017) and Bas Tu Hai (3 Storeys, 2018) among others, feels that independent space enables musicians to create an identity for themselves.
“It is great to see that the non film music space is growing right now. So many musicians are coming to the forefront and are becoming household names. Audiences now know who these musicians are, and know the names of those who were unheard of till now,” she says, adding, “I think its really important, that you are the face of our song. Because if you look at it, independent space is all about shaping our brand, and the kind of song we do. So you do things that are different and unique, and something that will help you establishing that brand”.
