Arijit Singh announces retirement from playback singing, says ‘It was a wonderful journey’

Renowned singer Arijit Singh has announced that he is stepping away from playback singing, a decision that has come as a shock to fans across the country.

The acclaimed vocalist shared the news through an emotional note on his Instagram handle, thanking listeners for their unwavering support over the years.

He wrote, "Hello, Happy new year to all. I want to thank you all for giving me so much of love all these years as listeners. I am happy to announce that I am not gonna be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey."

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Arijit Singh’s announcement has sparked widespread surprise, given his immense contribution to Indian cinema. He is known for lending his voice to some of Bollywood’s most memorable and soul-stirring songs.

He first came into the spotlight as a contestant on the reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005 and made his playback singing debut in 2011 with “Phir Mohabbat” from the Emraan Hashmi–starrer Murder 2.

His major breakthrough arrived in 2013 with the soulful track “Tum Hi Ho” from Aashiqui 2, a song whose immense success turned him into a household name.

Following this, Singh emerged as one of the most versatile voices in the industry, effortlessly capturing emotions ranging from romance and heartbreak to joy. He went on to deliver several chart-topping hits, including “Channa Mereya”, “Agar Tum Saath Ho”, “Raabta”, “Kesariya”, “Gerua”, “Ae Dil Hai Mushkil” and “Chaleya”.

Over the years, he has lent his voice to almost every leading star in Hindi cinema, from superstars Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan to actors such as Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh.

Singh has also recorded songs in multiple Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Marathi, and has collaborated extensively with some of the country’s top composers and filmmakers.

His contributions to music have earned him numerous Filmfare Awards, including several wins for Best Male Playback Singer.

In July last year, Singh surpassed global pop icons Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran to become the most-followed artist on music streaming platform Spotify, with an impressive 151 million followers.

Over the years, Singh has received numerous accolades, including two National Film Awards, and was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025 for his contribution to Indian music.

However, the singer did not provide details about the reasons behind his decision, nor did he share any information regarding his future plans.