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When Arijit Singh 'tortured' himself to change his voice
29 Jan 2026

On Tuesday, singer Arijit Singh shocked fans by announcing his retirement from playback singing.

The news came as a surprise to many, considering his immense popularity and the emotional depth he brings to his songs.

As fans come to terms with this decision, an old interview has resurfaced where Singh candidly spoke about the struggles he faced early in his career and how he "tortured" himself to gain acceptance.

Singh's early career and struggles
Career beginnings

Singh's journey in the music industry started long before he became a household name.

He first participated in the reality show Fame Gurukul in 2005. Although he didn't win, his talent was recognized by industry insiders.

However, this recognition didn't immediately lead to acceptance as his voice was initially met with resistance and criticism.

Singh revealed 'people hated my voice'
Voice change

In a candid conversation on The Music Podcast, Singh opened up about his early struggles and the extreme steps he took to alter his voice.

He admitted, "People hated my voice. When I started singing in that voice, they didn't like it at all."

Instead of giving up, he decided to reshape himself mentally and physically.

Singh's rigorous practice routine and breakthrough moment
Hard work pays off

Singh described his transformation process as "sculpting your voice," revealing that he had to "change my voice, kind of broke my voice to make this texture."

"Practice a lot, your voice should be tired at the end, and you sleep," he advised aspiring singers.

His big break came in 2013 with Tum Hi Ho from Aashiqui 2, which won him his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer.