Priyanka Chopra Reveals Details of Her Short-Lived Pop Music Career
Global superstar Priyanka Chopra has opened up about her brief and ultimately unsuccessful foray into the pop music industry during a revealing cover interview for Marie Claire. The actress, who first gained fame as Miss World 2000 before becoming a Bollywood icon, described the "fearless unwavering confidence" that led her to attempt a singing career in the early 2010s.
The Pop Music Experiment That Fizzled Out
Chopra's musical journey peaked with two notable singles: In My City featuring will.i.am in 2012 and Exotic featuring Pitbull in 2013. While In My City achieved success in her native India, Exotic failed to resonate with global audiences, and her fusion pop tracks generally proved disappointing commercially.
"Sure, I can't hit the note because Pitbull or Dr. Dre is sitting right there," the 43-year-old joked during the interview, poking fun at her own vocal limitations. "I quickly realized that I wasn't made for it and should go back to my day job of acting."
Unreleased Tracks and Musical Secrets
Despite her marriage to pop star Nick Jonas of the Jonas Brothers since 2018, Chopra revealed she has never allowed her husband to listen to the 40 unreleased tracks still archived from her musical endeavors. "They're in a vault somewhere until I find the confidence to bring them out again," admitted the daughter of two military doctors.
Remarkably, her pop career struggled despite having legendary Interscope co-founder Jimmy Iovine as her personal Artists and Repertoire representative, highlighting how even top industry connections couldn't guarantee success.
Shifting Priorities and Motherhood
Chopra's perspective has evolved significantly since becoming a mother to daughter Malti, born via surrogate in January 2022 with husband Nick Jonas. "I used to want to juggle all the balls and do all the things, but now I listen to my gut a lot more," explained the Bajirao Mastani star.
"I'm more instinctive, and I've found power in being able to say 'no,' which used to be hard for me," she continued. Any acting role she now considers "has to touch my heart" to justify time away from her family.
Return to Indian Cinema with Ambitious Project
Chopra is preparing for her return to Indian cinema with Varanasi, her first feature film in her home country since 2021's The White Tiger. Notably, this isn't a Bollywood production but comes from the Telugu-language film industry based in Hyderabad.
Directed by S.S. Rajamouli of RRR and Baahubali fame, with a scheduled 2027 release, Chopra described the project as "going to be a spectacle like never before." The film, shot in both Kenya and India, will "travel across the world, and we travel across time, which is what makes this movie really interesting."
Finding Balance in a Demanding Career
Reflecting on the constant pressure of acting, Chopra noted: "Our job is literally gig to gig as an actor, so there's an internal anguish: 'I have to keep doing it and I have to be the hamster on the wheel.' But at least in this season of my life, I'm giving myself permission to not run as much."
She acknowledged her privileged position in being able to be selective about projects: "Maybe it's because I'm in a position where I'm able to make choices and seek the work that I want. I still want to build. I still dream big. I am very ambitious, but I feel like I can now operate with a sense of balance."
The Marie Claire feature showcased Chopra in designer outfits from Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, Carolina Herrera, Dior, Zimmermann, and Issey Miyake, accessorized with Bulgari jewelry and Jimmy Choos, presenting the multifaceted star at a new stage of her personal and professional evolution.
