[FEATURE] VIPER PRESENTS: JHONNI

You may recognise her from Love & Hip Hop but Jhonni is on a new journey. Get familiar with her new music with this VIPER interview…

What five words define your sound?

Unexpected, brilliant, relatable, classics, Jhonni.

Tell me something unique about your creative process?

I hear by ear. I play six instruments so everything around me – even when people talk – it’s like a sound and a feeling. I go off what I go through and see and begin to write notes on my phone. Once I get into the studio I express it through the music. We all need relatable music so that’s what I do. 

Which song of yours would you like people to hear first?

‘Fumble’ is my new single and it’s been going amazing. 

What inspired you to make that song? 

My ex kept fumbling me by talking to me crazy, verbal abuse, not understanding that if you keep on making me sad and hurt how can we ever be amazing? So I gave up on it ‘cause it placed me into depression and I wrote about it. 

What’s the most vulnerable you’ve allowed yourself to be when writing/making music?

I almost tried to take my life one night because my depression got the best of me and life and I went instead to the studio and “cried on track” is what they call it when you place your feelings on record. Sometimes our most vulnerable states of mind can be your biggest! 

What’s the best/worst experience you’ve had on stage? 

My microphone went out and I had to sing without. That’s the bad part, but then I had the bros sing an R&B record they all knew and it was all good [laughs]. 

What is your favourite song to perform?

All of my records and placing 90’s throwbacks in between to grab the audience.

Which artist/song/album made you want to make music? 

Brandy and Whitney Houston are my top two favourite artist. Their range and riffs are unmatched! 

What’s the meaning behind your name?

Jhonni, I just like how it sounded. My real name is the the real T. Jzapal vonkrishna [laughs] I’ll wait for someone to pronounce it right.

If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing instead? 

I really don’t know because I have so much talent inside of me I don’t think God wanted anything else but got me to perform.

What’s success to you?

Touching people with music that’s everlasting. People fall in love with your spirit which is amazing but to connect through music and it’s not just thrown away is an amazing feeling and my definition of success.

What moment in your life/career forced you to change direction?

I was my own liability. Got tired of people telling me no! Telling me no because I was looked at as a female who fights and drama. Praying and changing for yourself is everything. Everything falls into place after that.

Where can people keep in touch with you?

Follow me on Instagram @jzapalvonkrishna @bigjhonni. Or IAMJHONNI.com thanks so much!

Photography: @iam_365_photography | MUA: @deleeece_  | Styling: @jzapalvonkrishna @bigjhonni  | Hair: @missyhairboutiqueatlanta