His simple demeanour and a shy smile belie the fact that Arijit Singh is the voice behind most of the chartbuster songs of 2013.
From being a participant of Fame Gurukul to being the talk of the country, the 20-something sensation has wowed listeners with songs like “Tum Hi Ho”, “Dilli wali Girlfriend” and a soul stirring “Kabira”.
Belonging to Murshidabad, Arijit got into singing for films after being associated with his favourite music director Pritam in 2010. With expectations riding high on him, the singer’s priority has always been to deliver a song well. ‘’When I am singing a song, I begin by figuring out how each frame will be picturised and accordingly give a natural feel to the song,’’ he said, adding, ‘’luck has been exceptionally kind to me this year.’’
Ask him about a memorable moment with a fan and he immediately recollects,’’While I was in South Africa, a girl flew in from another city to see me and tell me that after her father died, my song tum hi ho became a reminder for all his memories. It was then that I realised the reach of the song,’’ he said.
Trained in Indian classical music, he attributes his success to his guru Rajendra Prasad Hazari. ‘’Indian classical music is a form of meditation which helps me not only in my career but also brings in discipline and focus in life.’’
What many people may not be knowing about him is that Arijit likes producing a song more than singing it. The programming for song Kabira was done by him and remains one of his favourite compositions till date. ‘’I have been producing songs for quite some time now. In fact in the long run, I do not see myself as a playback singer, but more as a song producer,’’ he asserted.
After achieving the celebrity tag, he misses the freedom that he had. ‘’I miss having Paani Puri or simply roaming around. At times if people come up to me, I risk it by saying they are mistaken and they leave, utterly confused. But wo saamne wale ki confidence dekh ke karna padta hai,’’ he said. An ardent Kishore Kumar fan, Arijit hopes to sing for Aamir Khan some day.