- Arijit Singh announced quitting playback singing on January 27
- Sona Mohapatra praised his decision as 'brave, generous, and disruptive'
- She spoke about the industry's reliance on 'zero-risk formulas'
Arijit Singh decided to quit playback singing and wrote a note announcing the same on January 27. Needless to say, the music industry and his fans have been left stunned following his announcement. Now, singer and composer Sona Mohapatra praised Arijit's decision and described the move as "brave," "generous," and "disruptive in the best way."
What Sona Mohapatra Wrote In Her Post
She started her post with, "Stepping away from playback singing feels less like an exit and more like an arrival into freedom, authorship, and possibility. Not speculating on why. I'm sure the reasons are deeply personal and entirely valid. What matters is the choice. None of his predecessors even imagined this path: stepping aside to make space."
She added, "For himself first, to explore, to create, to sing his own songs on his own terms. And yes, whether intended or not, this will create space for newer voices who today remain "scratch singers" on demos... for songs they'll never be allowed to sing."
Soon after Arijit's announcement, social media was flooded with shocked and emotional reactions. Many users expressed sadness and urged him to rethink his decision, while many called the announcement 'the end of an era' across multiple social media platforms. Reacting to these reactions, Sona wrote, "Honestly, why are we treating this like an obituary?"
She added, "The man is making music, not disappearing. Why are we so terrified of more flavours, more voices, more imagination? Why do we enjoy a creative famine of just one flavour of ice cream in a store? Here's to artists choosing freedom over fear. That's how new eras begin. Here's to the Artist that Arijit is & will become in the coming years. Here's to original music which is not a subset of a film eco system but exists and thrives on its own."
At one point in her post, Sona wrote, "Let's be honest, this industry thrives on zero-risk formulas. Producers overuse one voice, don't pay demo singers at all, avoid paying most established ones too with the carrot of 'opportunity' even after two decades of being around, try 10 voices, killing the music director in the exhausting process & then record Arijit and everyone keep an exploitative cycle alive because it's convenient. Not because it's right."
"So this choice? It's brave. It's generous. It's disruptive in the best way. Big cheer to you, Arijit. May this new road be full of joy, fulfillment, and abundant creativity," added Sona, praising Arijit's decision.
Arijit Singh's Playback Exit
"Hello, Happy new year to all. I want to thank you all 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," wrote Arijit in his announcement post.
Also Read: On Arijit Singh's Playback Singing Retirement, Shreya Ghoshal Says "Time To Soar Higher"
