From Shreya Ghoshal to Zepto, celebs and brands react to Arijit Singh’s retirement post

On January 27, 2026, singer Arijit Singh stunned fans and the music industry by announcing he would no longer accept new assignments as a playback vocalist for films.

In a heartfelt post shared on Instagram, he wrote, “Hello, Happy new year to all. I want to thank you for giving me so much of 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. It was a wonderful journey.” 

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He quickly clarified that this is not a full retirement from music: “Just to be clear that I won’t stop making music.” Arijit emphasized he will honour pending commitments, and plans to focus on independent work, composing, and reconnecting with Indian classical traditions for fresh inspiration from emerging artists.

Arijit Singh has evolved into one of India’s most valuable music brands. His voice defines modern Bollywood romance, with timeless hits like Tum Hi Ho (Aashiqui 2), Channa Mereya, Kesariya, Hawayein, Shayad, Satranga, O Maahi, and many more.

On Spotify, he was India's most-streamed artist for seven consecutive years (2019–2025), per Spotify Wrapped 2025. As of January 2026, he holds 171 million followers on Spotify, surpassing global giants like Taylor Swift (150 million) and Ed Sheeran (124 million).

Tributes Flood Social Media from Brands and Celebrities

Zepto commented, “Who is cutting onions”

JioSaavn: “Pal bhar there jao, just became a little heavier.”

Jio HotStar Telugu: “Somebody fix this.”

Youtube India: “will always remain in our playlist.”

Amazon Music India: “We hope "Ras na aaye aapko rehna dur" 

Armaan Malik commented on Arijit's Instagram post: "love and respect, always ❤️ thank you for giving your everything to the craft!”

B Praak reacted: "Fan For Life"

Badshah wrote: "Sadiyon mein ek ."

Shreya Ghoshal commented: "It’s the start of a new phase of @arijitsingh and I am truly excited to hear, listen and experience what this genius churns out!! I can never call this the end of an era. An artist of his calibre can never be defined by the traditional means and medium and be boxed in to fit in the set formula. Time to soar higher my dear Arijit,"

Sona Mohapatra: “To @arijitsingh & #India with #Love, I’ve walked the path of putting music out of my own year after year & it’s a very fulfilling & incomparable road. Exhausting also but exhilarating for sure.”

The overwhelming sentiment across social media is one of gratitude mixed with bittersweet acceptance. Fans have flooded the comments and stories with heartfelt messages that capture what his music has meant to millions:

“The end of an era Your songs were there for every heartbreak, every confession, every late-night drive. Thank you for healing us all these years.” And, “Who will heal our hearts now? But I respect your decision to choose yourself. You’ve given us enough magic to last lifetimes.”

A user commented, “Feels like Virat Kohli retiring from cricket-shocking, but you’re leaving at the peak. Legend forever.”

In the end, Arijit’s decision isn’t a goodbye to music, but a graceful pivot toward independence and creative exploration. As one fan summed it up: “Thank you for being our voice when we couldn’t find the words.” The journey may shift, but the voice that soothed so many will echo forever.