Arijit Singh, one of the most celebrated voices of contemporary Indian cinema, has announced that he is stepping away from playback singing. The singer shared the news with his followers through an Instagram post on Tuesday, marking the end of an era in Bollywood music, even as he confirmed that his journey as an independent musician will continue.

According to a UNI report, the 38-year-old singer expressed deep gratitude to his listeners for the love and support he has received over the years, while making it clear that he will no longer take up new assignments as a playback vocalist. “I want to thank you for giving me so much 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,” Singh said in his statement.

Reflecting on his long and successful association with Hindi cinema, Arijit described his playback career, spanning over a decade and a half, as a “wonderful journey.” He noted that the decision was a personal one and came after much thought. At the same time, he reassured fans that he would honour all his existing professional commitments. “I still have to finish some pending commitments, will finish them. So you might get some releases this year,” he added.

Arijit Singh made his Hindi film debut as a playback singer in 2011 with ‘Phir Mohabbat’ from ‘Murder 2’ and went on to become one of the most sought-after voices in the industry. Songs such as ‘Tum Hi Ho,’ ‘Channa Mereya,’ ‘Agar Tum Saath Ho,’ and more recently ‘Kesariya’ cemented his position as a defining voice of a generation, known for emotional depth and melodic restraint.

Despite stepping away from film playback, the Padma Shri awardee emphasised that music remains central to his life. He said he plans to continue creating and learning as an independent artist. “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. Just to be clear that I won’t stop making music,” Singh said.

Over the course of his career, Arijit Singh has received two National Film Awards and eight Filmfare Awards, among numerous other honours. His decision marks a significant moment for the Indian music industry, even as fans look forward to his future work beyond the world of film soundtracks.