Bollywood’s YouTube crooner enthrals city

BHUBANESWAR: It was Sunday evening. Youngsters and music lovers in the city were tapping their feet to the best of Bollywood hits at Utkal Mandap. In a first, Bollywood’s ‘Break Up’ crooner, Jonita Gandhi, treated Bhubaneswarites with her melodious voice at the event organised by The New Indian Express. The YouTube fame, who is the country’s latest singing sensation, forced the crowd to twist and twirl to match up her electrifying performance.

The audience remembered her YouTube covers as she set the evening rolling with some soothing pieces from her old albums. With slight alterations in the pitch of the songs, she presented Asha Bhonsle’s classics in her own style. Not just that, she definitely let the audience fall in love with her voice by presenting a more intense version of Ayushman Khurana’s ‘Pani Da Rang Dekhke’. As the evening progressed, she unfolded her peppier side to the audience.

Best known for being a multi-lingual singer, Jonita pushed a booster dose of excitement into the evening with fast-paced and catchy Punjabi hits. Adding a charming twist to her performance with her surprise dance steps on stage, she compelled the crowd to join her on ‘Laung Gwacha’ (a Punjabi folk song) and the ‘Jugni’ song. Dressed in a white umbrella top and black denims, she made an instant connection with Bhubaneswarites. The crowd turned the space in front of the stage into a mini-dance floor. They acknowledged her efforts and energy by swaying the lights of their smart phones.

The evening reached its climax with Jonita’s impromptu mix of Ed Sheeran’s Shape of You with Arijit Singh’s ‘Itna Sona’ from Ok Jaanu. “We have never experienced such a concert in Bhubaneswar. There was not a single moment when we felt disconnected or detached from the show. Jonita held the crowd’s attention with her interactions and instant mixes. The event was well-organised,” said Reema Naik, a student.

Jonita was elated with the audience response in Bhubaneswar. Speaking backstage, she revealed her fondness for YouTube covers even after lending her voice to Bollywood chartbusters.