Arijit Singh, one of India’s most celebrated playback singers and a prominent figure in contemporary Hindi film music, is known for his soulful voice and versatility. Singh has garnered numerous accolades over the years, including two National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards. In 2025, he was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, by the Government of India.
Early Life
Arijit Singh was born in Jiaganj, Murshidabad, West Bengal, to a Punjabi Sikh father, Kakkar Singh, and a Bengali Hindu mother, Aditi Singh. His paternal family had migrated from Lahore during the Partition. Singh was immersed in music from an early age—his maternal family had deep musical roots. His grandmother and mother were singers, his uncle played the tabla, and his aunt was trained in Indian classical music.
He received formal music training under the Hazari brothers: Rajendra Prasad Hazari taught him Indian classical music, Dhirendra Prasad Hazari trained him in tabla, and Birendra Prasad Hazari introduced him to Rabindra Sangeet and pop music. By the age of nine, Singh had earned a government scholarship for training in Indian classical vocals.
He completed his schooling at Raja Bijay Singh High School and later studied at Sripat Singh College, affiliated with the University of Kalyani. Despite being academically sound, music remained his primary focus.
Musical Influences
Singh grew up listening to a diverse range of music, from Bengali classical and Rabindra Sangeet to Western classical icons like Mozart and Beethoven. His musical idols include Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustad Rashid Khan, Zakir Hussain, Anand Chatterjee, Kishore Kumar, Hemant Kumar, and Manna Dey.
Career Beginnings (2005–2009)
Arijit’s professional journey began in 2005 when his guru, Rajendra Prasad Hazari, encouraged him to audition for the reality show Fame Gurukul, where he finished sixth. Although he didn’t win, his talent caught the attention of filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali, who recorded a song with him for Saawariya. However, the track was later dropped from the film’s final cut.
He subsequently won another reality show, 10 Ke 10 Le Gaye Dil, and used the prize money of ₹10 lakh to build his own recording studio in Mumbai. This decision marked the beginning of his journey as a music producer, working on jingles, ad scores, and background scores for various platforms.
During this period, Singh worked closely with renowned music composers such as Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, Vishal–Shekhar, Mithoon, Monty Sharma, and Pritam. His collaboration with Pritam in particular played a key role in his evolution as a music producer and eventually as a solo artist.
Rise to Fame
Singh made his playback debut in Bollywood with the song “Phir Mohabbat” from Murder 2 (2011). However, it was the 2013 chartbuster “Tum Hi Ho” from Aashiqui 2 that catapulted him to stardom. The song earned him his first Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer.
Since then, Singh has delivered countless hits and memorable melodies, becoming the go-to voice for romance, heartbreak, and soul-stirring numbers in Hindi cinema.
National Recognition & Global Impact
Arijit Singh has won the National Film Award for Best Male Playback Singer twice—for “Binte Dil” (Padmaavat, 2018) and “Kesariya” (Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, 2022).
From 2020 to 2024, Spotify named him the most-streamed Indian artist for five consecutive years. As of April 2025, he holds the distinction of being the most-followed artist globally on Spotify, with over 142 million followers—a testament to his widespread popularity and enduring influence.