Arijit Singh, one of Bollywood’s most recognisable and enduring voices of the past decade, has announced his retirement from playback singing, bringing the curtain down on a career that redefined the sound of modern Hindi film music.

The 38-year-old singer confirmed the decision on January 27 through a post on his private X account and a Facebook message, clarifying that while he will no longer take up new film assignments, he is not stepping away from music altogether.

“Hello, Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you for giving me so much love all these years as listeners,” Singh wrote.

“I am happy to announce that I am not going to be taking any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it off. It was a wonderful journey,” he added.

The announcement came days after the release of Maatrubhumi, his latest song from Battle of Galwan, which surfaced on social media. Singh does not operate an official X account, and the message was shared from a private handle known to be used by him.

While the singer did not spell out the reasons behind his decision, he stressed that his creative journey was far from over.

“God has been really kind to me. I am a fan of good music and in future will be learning more and do more on my own as a small little artist,” he wrote. “Just to be clear that I won’t stop making music.”

Singh added that he still has pending commitments, which will be honoured, and confirmed that listeners can expect new releases in 2026. However, he made it clear that he will not be signing any new film projects going forward.

Arijit Singh shot to overnight fame with Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2 (2013), a song that cemented his status as the voice of a new generation of Bollywood romance.

The success of the track opened the floodgates to a string of chartbusters, including Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (title track), Hawayein, Apna Bana Le, Ve Maahi, Sajni, Gehra Hua and Kesariya, among many others.

Over the years, his expressive, emotionally restrained style came to dominate Hindi film soundtracks, making him one of the most in-demand playback singers of his era.

Singh’s career has been marked by critical acclaim as well as popular success. He won two National Film Awards for Best Male Playback Singer — for Binte Dil from Padmaavat (2018) at the 66th National Film Awards, and for Kesariya from Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva (2022) at the 70th edition.

In January 2025, he was also conferred the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, for his contribution to Indian music.