Singer Jonita Gandhi, known for her soulful voice and seamless transition between independent releases and major collaborations, recently shared a deeply personal side of her journey in a candid interview. While today she commands massive crowds and has even opened for global icon Ed Sheeran, the Sitara singer revealed that her path to confidence was anything but easy.

Recalling her childhood, Jonita spoke openly about facing racism and body-shaming while growing up in Canada. “I used to get a lot of racist comments about my facial hair,” she said. “They used to call me Godzilla, and even the Punjabi boys in my class would make fun of me.” What hurt more, she shared, was that many of the taunts came from people of her own community. “I couldn’t understand why people from the same background were treating me like an outsider.”

The impact of that bullying extended far beyond the classroom. “Growing up, I was convinced I was never going to have sex because of the same issues,” Jonita admitted. “I couldn’t accept my own body—how could someone else? I still have some of those issues; I still avoid swimming sometimes. But music made it better. I feel like I’m the ugly duckling who became the swan.”

After finding recognition in Canada, Jonita moved to India to pursue her music career—a move that brought its own set of stereotypes and misunderstandings. “By the time I came to India, I had the glow-up and transformation. Suddenly, I was the ‘cute’ girl. But some people assumed that just because I was a firang, I was easy,” she recalled. However, she credits the music industry for ultimately giving her strength: “I met people who made me feel credible. They made me feel like no one could mess with me.”

Jonita’s career continues to flourish with an expanding discography. Her latest track, Beparwahi, dropped on June 13 and is now available on streaming platforms.