Singer Arijit Singh’s announcement of his retirement from playback singing on Tuesday took fans and industry peers by surprise and shock. While many listeners expressed disappointment that the voice which helped redefine contemporary Hindi film music through chart-topping hits like Tum Hi Ho (2013), Hawayein (2013) and Kesariya (2022) will no longer be heard in films, some others fans welcomed the move as an opportunity for Singh to focus on independent music.
As the news continues to spark conversations across social media and fan communities, Singh’s admirers in Kolkata have shared why he holds a special place in their lives, expressing both nostalgia for the Padma Shri awardee’s cinematic legacy and excitement about his upcoming projects under his independent record label Oriyon Music.
‘Respect his decision but difficult to accept’
Indrajit Dhar, a 34-year-old senior training manager at an insurance company, said Singh epitomises vocal versatility for him.
“I would always want to continue listening to his new melodies. I do respect his decision to retire, but somewhere, as a die-hard fan, it is difficult to accept that a singer of such stature should stop recording playback out of the blue,” he said.
‘A constant companion through countless moments’
Suprin Roy, a 27-year-old advocate, said Singh’s voice has guided him through love, loss and healing, making the sudden decision hard to come to terms with.
“Some voices don’t just sing; they stay. Arijit Singh’s voice has been a quiet witness to love, loss and healing; a constant companion through countless moments for millions of us. I respect his decision, but acceptance doesn’t come easily. As a listener, it hurts to imagine playback music without a voice that defined a generation,” he said.
‘Singh bridges genres through sheer vocal mastery’
Arijit Singh has redefined playback singing in a way not seen since the golden era, said Subham Dasgupta, a 38-year-old research scientist and teacher.
“With effortless command, he bridges genres through sheer vocal mastery, and he has done so across languages. His rendition of Channa Mereya evokes as much pathos as Tum Kya Mile brings romance, while Mon Re Krishkaj or Khawne Gora Chand invoke divinity,” he said, adding that he was eager to see what lies ahead in Singh’s ever-evolving musical journey.
‘His vocals speak to your soul’
For Debayud Basak, a 26-year-old IT professional, it is not just Singh’s voice, but also his journey and resilience that strike a chord.
“Arijit Singh began with a singing reality show and couldn’t make it to the top three, but he persevered and became an established name in the industry. His voice is unique, and his vocals speak to your soul. Whether it is Aashiqui 2, Kesariya or Khawne Gora Chand, his voice always gives me goosebumps,” he said.
‘A quiet rebellion led by him’
Supporting Singh’s decision, Sayan Dutta, a 25-year-old Rabindrasangeet singer from Kolkata, described the move as a quiet rebellion.
“There is no chaos or clamouring, just a shift away from the commercialisation of music shaped by algorithms. It was evident that he was overused, not a lot of his songs were actually hits, because they sounded pretty similar to each other. Because all those compositions fell under the pattern to satisfy the growing impatient nature of the people, that has been nurtured by social media and its spontaneity. People do not wait anymore. And art cannot be spontaneous. There has to be freedom, involvement of heart, brain and soul in the creation of an art. This freedom can be channelised through his own music label,” he said.
Reflecting on what makes the 38-year-old singer special to him, Dutta added, “He is my first idol from any field. More than his music, it is his humanity. Despite immense success, he remains a servant of the art, something evident in every performance. That surrender to the moment is rare in today’s artificial world.”
‘He transformed every song into the ‘navarasa’ of music’
Sukanya Dey, a 26-year-old Kolkata-based artist, said Singh’s music is nothing short of the sublime.
“Arijit Singh has sung extraordinary songs. Through his voice, he has transformed every composition into the navarasa of music. If singing were the key to communication, he would rule the world just as he rules our hearts,” she said.
‘Not just music, but an emotion my heart lived in’
Asmita Mitra, a 26-year-old advocate, said Singh’s announcement left her deeply saddened.
“The news of Arijit Singh stepping away from playback singing fills me with disappointment and quiet grief. As a die-hard fan, his voice was not just music to my ears, but an emotion my heart lived in. It feels like losing a melody that once understood my soul,” she said.
However, she also expressed optimism about his upcoming independent projects. “He has confirmed that he is not stepping away from music and cinema is not the only avenue for us to listen to him. I am sure he will come out with equally heartwarming hits independently and I cannot wait for what is to come,” she added.