Highlights
- Singh declares he will no longer accept new playback singing assignments for films-.
- The 38-year-old artist will complete existing commitments and continue creating independent music.
- Announcement comes while Singh holds position as Spotify's most-followed artist with 151 million followers.
Bollywood's reigning playback king Arijit Singh has stunned the music industry by announcing his withdrawal from film playback singing a decision that arrives at the zenith of an extraordinary career spanning over a decade.
The 38-year-old vocalist shared the unexpected news via his social media platforms on Tuesday, leaving millions of fans reeling from the revelation.
"I am calling it off, it was a wonderful journey," Singh stated, confirming he would cease accepting new film assignments while emphasising his gratitude for years of unwavering support.
However, the singer clarified that his artistic journey remains far from over. Singh assured fans he would honour all pending commitments and continue producing music independently.
"Just to be clear that I won't stop making music," he wrote, adding that forthcoming releases would still emerge throughout the year.
The announcement sparked immediate disbelief amongst his devoted following, with fans flooding the comments section expressing shock and dismay.
"Too soon sir, can't be real," wrote one user, whilst another pleaded, "We need you for atleast 20 more years."
Career and legacy
Singh's ascent through the Indian music industry reads like a fairytale. From his beginnings as a "Fame Gurukul" contestant in 2005 to his playback debut in "Murder 2" (2011), his trajectory accelerated dramatically following the 2013 phenomenon "Tum Hi Ho" from "Aashiqui 2", which catapulted him to household-name status.
Subsequently, Singh became Hindi cinema's go-to voice, delivering chart-toppers including "Channa Mereya", "Kesariya", and "Chaleya".
His versatility saw him recording across Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Marathi, collaborating with top composers whilst lending his vocals to superstars from Shah Rukh Khan to Ranbir Kapoor.
His achievements include multiple Filmfare Awards and, remarkably, surpassing Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran last July to become Spotify's most-followed artist globally.
While Singh hasn't disclosed specific reasons behind this decision, his legacy as one of Bollywood's finest vocalists remains secure.
