Arijit Singh has long been one of Bollywood’s leading playback singers, delivering one banger after another and cementing his place as a hitmaker. His recent announcement about stepping away from playback singing to focus more on independent music marks a sharp decision at his peak.
But, in hindsight, this decision also feels like a natural progression, as the singer always had a self-led mindset; he even mentioned it in The Music Podcast on December 14, 2023.
What did Arijit Singh say?
“I cannot follow anybody. First of all, I have to follow myself. That is the first thing I learn, you make your own rules, you can do it, aap kuch bhi kar sakte ho (you can do anything), there are no rules, iss duniya mein kahi bhi aisa rulebook nahi hai ki aap ye kar sakte ho aur ye nahi (There is no rulebook anywhere in this world that says you can do this and not that). You have to do something; if you don’t do it, it will do it. Ya toh aap past ya future mein nahi rahna chate ho, toh kahi toh rahoge, toh present mein rehne ke liye ek hi tarika hai — aab aap kuch karo (if you don’t want to live in the past or the future, then you will have to exist somewhere, so the only way to stay in the present is to do something now).”
What did Arijit Singh mean?
Life sometimes feels like there is a script to follow to the tee, one big checklist after another. But in reality, as Arjit Singh said, there is no rulebook one needs to follow; you simply have to follow your own heart, like how he asserted, “I follow myself.” Most importantly, if you don’t take control of your life, circumstances will decide it for you.
Life is fast-paced, and at no point will it slow down for your indecisiveness or fear of ‘what if something goes wrong.’ If you don’t act, life will still push you forward, just not on your own terms. Moreover, this indecision keeps you in a limbo, stuck between the past and the future, constantly looking back at past experiences to justify your choices or worrying about what could go wrong ahead.
The only real way to stay present is through action. You may never feel fully ready, but you just need to start. Somewhere along the way, you become ready.
Arijit’s take on life is practical, as it is true, life does not pause as you wait for the perfect timing, plan, or validation; it moves anyway. Only thing you have in your hand is to take the leap of faith, and move forward on your own terms, or let life carry you like deadweight- ball is in your court.
