The music trade, a world of its personal inside the Bollywood bubble, has been going by means of powerful instances since early 2026. Consideration intensified when Alka Yagnik, who has been battling a uncommon hearing-loss situation, was seen in public after years to obtain her Padma Bhushan. Clips of the veteran singer wanting frail quickly went viral on social media, prompting conversations about what number of of our favorite singers and composers are hitting a low level – and the way that’s unleashing an uncalled-for silence within the music realm.
Alka Yagnik shouldn’t be the one case to set off this dialogue. Sonu Nigam just lately opened up about affected by a compressed neck and the intensive medical evaluations he has undergone. He has needed to rely closely on muscle relaxants and painkillers to assuage strained muscle tissues and nerves, which has invariably impacted his throat, since vocal cords and neck muscle tissues are intricately entwined.
Veteran South Indian playback singer Sujatha Mohan has additionally spoken about her debilitating throat downside that considerably sidelined her singing profession.
If these medical emergencies weren’t worrying sufficient – particularly when senses like listening to and the functioning of the throat play such an important function for any singer – we even have fan favourites similar to Arijit Singh and Pritam, who’ve introduced a kind of break from the business facet of their music careers.
This factors to a bigger pattern. Whereas Alka Yagnik’s and Sonu Nigam’s conditions are unlucky, Pritam’s and Arijit Singh’s selections are voluntary. Is it exhaustion? Or a renewed drive to pursue one thing extra private, extra pushed by ardour?
NDTV spoke to trade veterans to get their views on the altering panorama of Bollywood’s music trade.
In an unique dialog, versatile playback singer Mahalaxmi Iyer, who has sung throughout Hindi, Tamil and Telugu cinema, joined Gino Banks, a celebrated drummer famend for mixing jazz, rock, fusion and Bollywood, and skilled sound designer and recording engineer Bishwadeep Chatterjee, whose current acclaimed work contains Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar.
Why The Farewell?
Arijit Singh, the pioneering voice behind numerous heartbreak songs and lots of peppy tracks for this era, shook the nation when he introduced he would now not take assignments as a playback vocalist. His “retirement” unleashed an emotional outpouring on social media from followers who’ve crooned to his melodies for years.
Composer Pritam, on his fifty fifth birthday in June 2026, shared a reflective Instagram observe explaining that he would give himself day off to discover untraversed paths. Setting apart the lethal mixture of Arijit Singh and Pritam, the latter did point out the explanation behind the Kesariya singer ‘quitting’ was as a result of artistic exhaustion.
Ace singer Mahalaxmi Iyer concurs. She says generally it is burnout, and generally it is the strain of churning out fixed chartbusters to fulfill producers’ whims, which might take a toll. The singer has over time given us unimaginable songs similar to Aaj Ki Raat, Bol Na Halke Halke, Falak Tak, to call a couple of.
Mahalaxmi Iyer tells NDTV, “Generally, like every other occupation, there may be burnout. Somebody like Arijit in all probability felt too pressured by the identical type of output day in, day trip. He’s nonetheless the number-one male singer in the present day, however the strain of continually having to ship – and even not with the ability to do one thing else he needs to – meant much less time for different pursuits, as a result of manufacturing homes and music administrators converge on that one individual.”
She continues, “You must be obtainable. So it was a really acutely aware determination for him to maneuver away and do one thing else. The pool of singers and alternatives has change into very large. As a succesful musician, he has learnt quite a bit and was already exploring. It was an exquisite time for him to department out and do his personal factor.”
The veteran singer expresses sympathy for Alka Yagnik’s listening to situation, calling it “unlucky and one thing all singing artists concern”.
“Some artists, like Pritam, need to take a break as a result of it generally will get an excessive amount of,” she provides. “I, too, have consciously taken a backseat at instances. It is a acutely aware determination to be picky so I can do higher justice to what I am doing. Sometimes, when a singer or music director turns into fashionable, all people converges on them, and the strain turns into an excessive amount of.”
She explains how instances have modified and lots of artists now do lots of dwell exhibits, which they get pleasure from and need to pursue extra deeply.
Drummer Gino Banks believes it is a mixture of tiredness and a want to begin anew. “From a musician’s perspective, there are two methods to work. One is business work – you do it to generate profits, as a job. There’s additionally the facet the place you make music you actually love, no matter finance, for the love of it. Some individuals attain a degree the place they’ve performed the music they needed to. Additionally, the toll on the voice may be drastic for those who’ve been performing for a very long time and not using a break.”
The Debate On Overexposure To Loud Music And Headphones
Circling again to Alka Yagnik, she has shunned recording classes, live shows and public occasions since revealing her wrestle with sudden sensorineural listening to loss (SSNHL) after a viral assault. She warned youthful musicians about extended, extreme headphone use at excessive quantity or overexposure to booming music, which might trigger everlasting harm to the interior ear.
Recording engineer and sound designer Bishwadeep Chatterjee, with intensive expertise spanning 4 many years, gives a measured view. “Overuse or abuse of any type of headphones or audio system does carry a sure danger. However I have never come throughout many singers who developed listening to circumstances solely due to headphones; they primarily use headphones for dubs, not all day. It is solely once they report songs in studios.”
He provides, “In the event you’re listening at very excessive volumes in studios, there’s a danger of gradual listening to loss.”
Each Gino Banks and Bishwadeep Chatterjee observe how music in Bollywood is usually very loud. Gino says, “The irony is that business Bollywood music, despite the fact that it is not heavy music, is performed actually loudly. That may have an effect on your listening to. From a drummer’s perspective, drums are loud, so while you practise you must shield your listening to with earplugs or in-ear screens. On stage, you should guarantee monitor ranges aren’t too excessive.”
Bishwadeep provides, “As Indians we choose loud music. After we work, we’re suggested to watch at 85 decibels as a result of, technically, listening to is comparatively flat in that vary. In the event you pay attention louder, the highs enhance; for those who pay attention softer, recordings and mixes sound much less sharp. 85 decibels is commonplace and mustn’t harm listeners at that quantity.”
He agrees with Alka Yagnik that restricted earphone use is sensible, noting that he now avoids sporting headphones for too lengthy to “save his ears” and will get periodic ENT checks. “There are circumstances of listening to harm within the trade, however I’ve not seen many brought about solely by extreme headphone use. It could possibly be genetic, however you should keep away from phenomenally loud ranges.”
Mahalaxmi Iyer additionally prefers listening to music on audio system relatively than earphones and advises towards overexposure. “It is not really helpful in any respect,” she says.
Reside Live shows And Riyaaz
For singers, riyaaz is key. In easy phrases, it is sort of a bodily exercise for the throat that builds vocal endurance, expands vary and refines breath assist. Mahalaxmi Iyer emphasises its significance.
“And so far as vocal cords are involved, no matter whether or not you’ve got discovered classical music, fundamental vocal workouts – good respiration, pranayama, yoga, lengthy notes – are quite common and necessary. Some riyaaz is important, no matter how a lot you’ve got discovered,” she says.
Concerning dwell exhibits and hours of publicity to booming music, Bishwadeep notes, “Total loudness is dependent upon the venue and the way large it’s. We should always analysis setting ranges for venues higher. For professionals, studios are the quietest locations – soundproof, no exterior noise, solely listening to music.”
Gino Banks factors out that volumes at live shows overseas are sometimes decrease than in India, and technical settings are fairly superior right here. “There is a sound engineer dealing with the stage. They feed the singer what they’ve of their in-ear screens by way of a wi-fi bodypack, which has a quantity management. Singers should make sure that is not too loud, as a result of extended excessive ranges trigger harm in the long term.”
These specialists ship a transparent message about the place and when to cease, and the way precautions generally is a saving grace. Whereas followers await Alka Yagnik’s hoped-for comeback and crave extra music from Pritam and Arijit Singh, this is hoping Bollywood’s music trade re-engineers itself and returns to its former glory.
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