‘Indian Idol 16’ winner Jyotirmayee Nayak on Shreya Ghoshal’s Generosity, Vishal Dadlani’s Advice and Lifting the Trophy (EXCLUSIVE)

"Indian Idol 16" winner Jyotirmayee Nayak is still soaking in the moment she lifted the coveted trophy. The finale capped 11 months of grueling rehearsals, endless performances and maintaining a certain discipline. While viewers saw the applause and emotional moments on screen, Nayak says the journey was far more demanding behind the scenes. While speaking to Variety India, she opens up about her winning moment, the advice from Shreya Ghoshal and Vishal Dadlani that she’ll never forget and the realities of shooting a television singing competition.

Looking back at the moment she was announced the winner, the singer from Odisha says, “I was overwhelmed because I was not prepared for it. I was always prepared to give my best in the performances. I have been declared the winner after 11 months of hard work.” Interestingly, the celebrations that followed were equally emotional. The first person she embraced was one of her biggest inspirations. “I hugged Shreya Ghoshal. She also congratulated me on winning the title. That moment mattered,” Nayak exclaims.

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Long before she stood on the "Indian Idol" stage, she had gone through several rounds of auditions. She recalls spending three intense days trying to stay calm while waiting for the opportunity to perform in front of judges Shreya Ghoshal, Vishal Dadlani, and Badshah. “There were many rounds before the television round. After those, I got the chance to sing in front of the judges. It was a three-day audition. I had to keep myself calm and focused. I had to warm up my voice and concentrate,” she recalls.

While viewers only see the polished performances on television, Nayak says life behind the scenes isn’t a cakewalk. “In the final product, people see us always happy and enjoying ourselves. That’s not the case. The fact is that we always worked hard and remained disciplined. If we had an episodic shoot, we would get one day of rehearsals. We had to prepare for that. We had to prepare two to three songs for every show. There were other rehearsals too,” she explains.

Unlike many contestants, Nayak was comfortable in front of cameras, having already established herself as a singer in Odisha and judged several competitions in her hometown. However, the show introduced her to an entirely different scale of production. “I’m an established singer in Odisha and have faced a lot of cameras there. I have also judged many competitions. My knowledge helped me navigate this platform. But you get to learn something every time you face the camera. You get to learn about new people, projects, bigger cameras, lights and everything in between,” she adds.

Apart from being a singer, Nayak has also worked as a music therapist. This role, she believes, changed the way she views music and people. According to the winner, she learned to be empathetic through these sessions as a music therapist. “Music is not just for entertainment; music is for healing as well. People cry and laugh to music. These emotions are important to be nurtured and that is what music therapy does,” she reasons.

When asked about the artistes who shaped her musical journey growing up, she names three icons. “I would have to say Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle and Shreya Ghoshal,” the singer states.

Ghoshal left a lasting impression on Nayak. “Shreya Ghoshal was really nice to us. She is my inspiration. She was also like a parent to me. In fact, whenever she would be there, I would be mesmerized by her aura. I remember when I wasn’t doing well because of a throat infection, she gave me a list of medicines and advised on what one should avoid while battling a severe throat infection. Her generosity will always stay with me. Vishal Dadlani, on the other hand, gave me many tips, so I don’t get nervous before or while performing. He reminded me that we are all only humans, but it is also important to give our best.”

Amongst the many memorable moments during the season was receiving a standing ovation from veteran actor Hema Malini. She recalls, “It had a huge impact on me because I was working hard every day. We didn’t get much time to talk with her as we were shooting. But she advised us to keep practicing, doing riyaz and stay inspired.”

As for what’s next, Nayak says several projects are in the pipeline, but she’d rather let them materialize before making any announcements. She shares, “There are a lot of things, but now I would want the opportunities to work out before anyone gets the world getting to know about them.”