As Arijit Singh Quits Playback Singing, Netizens Call Him `The Nihilist Penguin`
Updated on: 28 January, 2026 12:26 PM IST |Shweta Shah
Why did Arijit Singh quit playback singing?
Just when the little penguin made us humans realise it is okay to leave the world where we actually belong, Arijit Singh took over the internet as he announced his retirement from playback singing.
Netizens are now comparing the two for doing something ordinarily brave.
For the uninitiated, Arijit Singh shocked his fans and industry folks after he announced quitting playback singing in a social media post on Tuesday night.
In his Instagram post, Singh wished his fans a happy new year and shared the heartbreaking news, informing them of his decision to voluntarily step away from the singing business in movies as a vocalist.
Also Read: 5 Songs By Arijit Singh That Are Instagram Caption Worthy
The post read, "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."
View this post on Instagram
This comes days after the song Maatrubhumi – a song sung by him and Shreya Ghoshal from Salman Khan`s Battle Of Galwan – was revealed on social media on the occasion of Republic Day.
Why did Arijit Singh quit playback singing?
His decision made fans wonder that despite a successful career as a playback singer across the Indian film industry, what forced Arijit to take this decision?
After Sonu Nigam, Abhijeet Bhattacharya, Shaan, and Udit Narayan, it was Arijit Singh who ruled the industry as a vocalist with his phenomenal voice that became every composer`s favorite.
In his post, the Raabta singer shared the reason and revealed that there were not one but many factors that influenced his decision, which he had been pondering upon for quite some time.
"There is not one reason behind this; there are several reasons, plus I have been trying to do this for a long time. Finally I have gathered the right courage. One of the reasons was simple: I get bored pretty quick. That`s why I keep changing arrangements of the same songs and perform them on stage. So here is the thing, I got bored," Arijit Singh wrote.
Netizens are calling Arijit Singh `The Nihilist Penguin`; but why?
Remember the little penguin whose video went viral for choosing the mountains over his ordinary life? While the waddle chose to move towards the ocean for survival, he chose to move in the opposite direction, knowing he wouldn`t be able to survive.
The ary was shot in 2007, but it became relatably viral in 2026, leaving the internet questioning, "But why?"
Also Read: Best of Arijit Singh -7 Soulful & Timeless Melodies to Revisit
The similar sentiment was resonated for Arijit Singh`s sudden retirement.
While fans are heartbroken about missing one of the finest voices in India, some are lauding his brave decision to step away from a successful career.
One user wrote, "Arijit Singh`s sudden retirement needs to be studied," while another wrote, "Acha chalta hu, duaon mein yaad rakhna."
Arijit Singh `s sudden retirement needs to be study
— DilRaj Dadar (@DilrajDadar) January 27, 2026
#arijitsingh#ArijitSinghRetirement pic.twitter.com/HUEJFjV5bz
अच्छा चलता हूँ, दुआओं में याद रखना… #arijitsingh #ArijitSinghRetirement #Arijit pic.twitter.com/cJWUfc3PDc
— Sanjay Kishore (@saintkishore) January 28, 2026
Some fans even recalled how his songs redefined romance and heartbreaks.
A third user wrote, "He was there in the 2 AM silence when I couldn`t sleep. He was the background score to every first date and every final goodbye. We aren’t just losing a vocalist; we’re losing the person who knew exactly how our sadness sounded."
He was there in the 2 AM silence when I couldn`t sleep.
— Still Learning (@Still_learner) January 28, 2026
He was the background score to every first date and every final goodbye.
We aren’t just losing a vocalist we’re losing the person who knew exactly how our sadness sounded.#arijitsingh #ArijitSinghRetirement pic.twitter.com/HyCaoDGT2F
Arijit Singh`s career trajectory
To understand the Tum Hi Ho singer`s decision, it is necessary we understand where his journey started from. He was one of the finalists in the 2005 reality singing show, Fame Gurukul.
While Singh made his Bollywood debut with Phir Mohabbat from Murder 2, which he sang alongside Mohammed Irfan, it was Aashiqui 2 that gave him his glorious Bollywood break as a playback singer.
Also Read: O Maahi To Chaleya, 5 Times Arijit Singh Sang For Shah Rukh Khan
To date, Arijit Singh has lent his melodious voice to over 800 songs, a mix of tracks from movies and his singles. That averages around 53 songs per year.
No No No Arijit ....you cannot do this .... Bro just say it`s prank ... #arijitsingh #whoami pic.twitter.com/JrYB7XujHh
— VIRENDRA SHAH (@Virendr36129334) January 27, 2026
Top that with a continuous spree of ongoing tours and concerts across India and the globe. There`s not been a single year since 2015 that music lovers didn`t get the pleasure of listening to Arijit`s magic.
Those close to him have seen his rise and fall, ups and downs, successes and failures. But after 15 years of being a constant entertainer, it is understandable for any artist to reach the point of exhaustion.
Thank you, Arijit Singh, for making us feel butterflies when in love and understanding the silent pain when hearts were broken. Radio City will always celebrate your legacy.
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