Indian music icon Arijit Singh has announced his retirement from playback singing, leaving fans across the country surprised.

The celebrated vocalist shared the news on Instagram in a New Year message to listeners. “Hello, Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you all for giving me so much love all these years as listeners,” he wrote.

“I am happy to announce that I will not 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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A post shared by Arijit Singh (@arijitsingh)

Immediate reaction

The announcement sparked an immediate reaction on social media, with fans expressing shock and disbelief.

One of the netizens wrote: “Bollywood music is empty without him.” Another commented: “End of a golden era.”

Arijit Singh is widely regarded as one of India’s most influential contemporary singers. His breakthrough song 'Tum Hi Ho' from 'Aashiqui 2' defined a generation of romantic film music and established him as a dominant voice in modern Bollywood.