- Arijit Singh announced he will quit playback singing and not take new assignments
- He prefers slow living in his hometown Jiaganj, Murshidabad, West Bengal
- Neelesh Misra highlighted a growing trend of artists returning to rural roots
Arijit Singh, one of the most popular singers of his generation, has sparked conversation on and off social media for his slow living in his hometown Jiaganj, Murshidabad, West Bengal. The singer mostly works from his hometown. Stars such as Aamir Khan and Ed Sheeran have also paid him visits at his home.
Radio storyteller, scriptwriter and lyricist Neelesh Misra shared his thoughts on slow living after he took a retreat to Kunaura, a village near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for a recent podcast. He hosts The Slow Interview with Neelesh Misra from that village. His rural newspaper, Gaon Connection, also has its roots there.
Drawing a parallel with Arijit Singh, who chose slow living over the din and hustle of Mumbai life, Neelesh Misra told Shubhankar Mishra on his podcast, "I could not connect with my village from Mumbai. Gaon Connection Goregaon se chalana mushkil hai. So the immediate reason was I had to live life in its true form. And I saw it wasn't only me — lakhs of people have been choosing slow living and want to return to their roots.
"Arijit Singh fakir aadmi hain (he is like a nomad). He is very dear to me. You could say this decision has come out of self-respect. It's not about pride; nor is it about judgement."
What Arijit Singh Wrote in His Post
"Hello. Happy New Year to all. I want to thank you all for giving me so much love all these years as listeners. I am happy to announce that I am not going to take any new assignments as a playback vocalist from now on. I am calling it quits. It was a wonderful journey," Arijit Singh shocked fans across the country and abroad with his decision of quitting film music.
Reactions from Music Fraternity
Veteran singer Kumar Sanu commented, "I am really sad to hear this because your voice and talent are one in a million. I always loved your voice, and I always admired you as a person. So proud of you-you have the guts to announce this at such a young age. God bless you, and I know you are a huge global star."
Shreya Ghoshal wrote, "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."
Rapper Badshah wrote, "Sadiyon mein ek (one in a century)."
B Praak kept his message short and simple: "Fan for life."
Amaal Mallik, who recently appeared on Bigg Boss 19, wrote, "So lost after hearing this... I don't get it, but I respect your decision! Just know that I was, I am, and will always remain an Arijit Singh fan."
Echoing similar sentiments, Armaan Malik wrote, "Love and respect, always. Thank you for giving your everything to the craft."
Arijit Singh's Hit Songs
For more than a decade, Arijit Singh has established himself as the undisputed king of melody and heartbreak for new generations.
From Shah Rukh Khan to Salman Khan, Ranbir Kapoor to Ranveer Singh, Arijit has remained composers' first choice over the years.
His hit songs include Tum Hi Ho, Laal Ishq, Raabta, Kabhi Jo Baadal Barse, and Aaj Phir, to name a few.