Nikhita Gandhi: Music is a slice of life
Ullu Ka Pattha, and Ishq Vishk Pyaar Vyaar to Telugu songs like Naa Gundello and Yedetthu Mallele, playback singer Nikhita Gandhi has carved quite a niche for herself across film industries. Her fans cannot get enough of her versatile vocals and captivating performances. After singing at Royal Stag BoomBox Season 3, which kicked off in Hyderabad’s Boulder Hills, she gives CE a window into her melodious journey.
Excerpts
Tell us about your performance at Royal Stag BoomBox.
It is my third season with Royal Stag BoomBox and I felt really nice performing here. The concert was a mix of melody and hip hop, which is what my music is all about. I am from Tamil Nadu and started my journey with both Tamil and Telugu music. So, it was really nice to be in Hyderabad and perform for such a large audience here. I included a little bit of Telugu songs for my Telugu fans.
Out of the songs that you’ve sung, which is your favourite?
My favourite is Ordinary Person, an English song I sang with Anirudh Ravichander for the movie Leo, released in both Tamil and Telugu. They had to release this song early because people were so eager to hear it — that is the power of the fandom here.
What kind of changes have you seen in the music industry since the start of your career?
The southern industries have always been ahead of their time. I feel that Tollywood is way ahead of Bollywood in many ways, so I am proud to have started my career here. It took some time for the rest of the country to see that but now, Bollywood and Hollywood want to remake the regional films and work with actors and musicians here. This makes me very proud too.
Can you tell us about your collaborations with independent artistes?
I have worked with a huge range of independent artistes, including R&B artiste Pink Sweats and Bluegirl. Of course, I have also worked with Anni (Anirudh) and AR Rahman sir. I got my career break with him. In the non-film space, I have collaborated with rappers like Divine and Badshah.
What does music mean to you?
That’s tough. (laughs) Everything, nothing, and sometimes, a lot of things. Music is like a slice of life. In life, things make you sad, happy, angry and feel a whole range of emotions. Music is also like that — it makes you go through so many emotions.
What are the challenges that you have overcome in your career?
I think the biggest challenge is that I wasn’t mentally prepared to be a musician. I was actually studying dentistry in Chennai, so though I just loved music, I never thought of it as my career. But once I started singing for Tamil, Telugu and Hindi films, the challenges became more internal, like how to dress or represent myself in public.
Can you speak about your fashion choice or mantra?
That is something that really excites me because I don’t hire a personal stylist. For me, style is an extension of who you are as an artiste. This may sound weird but as a child, I loved wearing sarees with boots. Even now, I sometimes wear a saree with a belt and boots. People started liking that aspect of me, so I started bringing my personal fashion sense to shows and events. So many times, my friends tell me, ‘I love what you are wearing, only you can pull this off.’ I feel like that is who I am and as long as you are being you, it looks natural.
What is the message you would like to give your fans?
In both music and fashion, the one thing I’ve learned is authenticity. Be as authentic as you can — that is the most important mantra for anybody.
