
Arijit Singh: Biography, Career, Marriages & FAQs
There’s something about Arijit Singh’s voice that stops you mid-scroll. For a generation of listeners across India and beyond, his songs are the soundtrack to heartbreak, celebration, and quiet evenings alike. This guide takes a closer look at the man behind those hits — his rise from reality TV to record-breaking Spotify stats, his private life, and the rumors that keep circling back.
Born: 25 April 1987 ·
National Film Awards: 2 ·
Filmfare Awards: 8 (record-equalling) ·
Spotify monthly listeners: Over 100 million (as of 2025) ·
Marriages: 2
Quick snapshot
- Indian playback singer, composer, music producer born 1987 (Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia))
- Winner of two National Film Awards, eight Filmfare Awards (Guinness World Records (official record keeper))
- Most followed artist on Spotify globally (2024) (Guinness World Records)
- Exact reasons for divorce from first wife (Times Life (entertainment news))
- Why he took a temporary break (speculated burnout) (The Indian Express (news daily))
- Exact net worth (estimates vary widely) (Times Life (entertainment news))
- Reality TV contestant (2005-2006) (Wikipedia)
- Playback debut 2011 (Wikipedia)
- Married Koel Roy 2014 (Times Now News (news outlet))
- Became most followed on Spotify 2024 (Guinness World Records)
- Return to touring after brief 2024 hiatus (The Indian Express)
- No confirmed retirement plans (India TV News (news channel))
- Continues to dominate streaming charts (The Indian Express)
Eight key facts, one pattern: a career built steadily from reality-show contestant to global streaming record-holder.
Here are the core details that define the artist.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Arijit Singh |
| Date of Birth | 25 April 1987 |
| Birthplace | Jiaganj, West Bengal, India |
| Profession | Singer, composer, music producer |
| National Film Awards | 2 |
| Filmfare Awards | 8 (record-equalling) |
| Spouse | Koel Roy (m. 2014) |
| Children | 1 son |
The pattern: a career built on consistent output, not flashy headlines.
Why did Arijit Singh quit singing?
The short answer: he didn’t. In mid-2024, Arijit Singh took a short break from live performances, sparking rumors of a permanent exit. According to India TV News (news channel), the singer said he was exhausted and needed time off, but he never announced a retirement. By late 2024 he was back on stage and in the studio.
What happened to Arijit Singh?
- Brief hiatus in summer 2024 due to burnout (The Indian Express (news daily))
- Resumed touring and recording by autumn 2024
- No official retirement statement ever issued
The implication: the “retirement” story is overblown. Arijit Singh remains active and in demand.
Has Arijit Singh retired?
No. A 2026 report from India TV News frames retirement as a topic of discussion — not a decision. The singer has said he would only retire when Pritam, his longtime composer, does (The Indian Express).
How many wives does Arijit Singh have?
Arijit Singh has been married twice. His first marriage, to fellow Fame Gurukul contestant Ruprekha Banerjee, reportedly ended in divorce within about a year (Times Life (entertainment news)). He later married former actress Koel Roy in 2014 (Times Now News (news outlet)). The couple lives a private life away from the Mumbai spotlight.
Why did Arijit Singh leave his first wife?
- No official reason has been given
- Reports suggest the marriage lasted less than a year (Times Now News)
- Both parties have maintained privacy
What this means: the public does not know why the first marriage ended. Any claim about specific reasons is speculative.
Why did Arijit Singh get divorced?
Same answer — no confirmed reasons. The Times Life report indicates a quiet separation without public drama.
Two marriages, one public family. The first wife’s identity and divorce reasons remain private — and likely will stay that way. For fans fixated on the divorce, the lesson is that not every celebrity story needs a tabloid ending.
Why does Arijit Singh wear a turban or cover his head?
Arijit Singh is a Sikh, and wearing a turban (dastar) is a core religious practice. According to Wikipedia (user-edited encyclopedia), he was born into a Sikh family. The head covering is not related to hair loss or medical reasons — it’s an article of faith. Singh has not publicly discussed the practice, but it aligns with his observed Sikh identity.
The pattern: as his fame grew, so did curiosity about the turban. But the explanation is straightforward — faith, not fashion or health.
Did Arijit Singh surpass Taylor Swift?
Yes — on Spotify. In mid-2024, Arijit Singh became the most followed artist on the platform globally, overtaking Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran. Guinness World Records (official record keeper) confirmed that as of 10 September 2025, he had 158,133,893 followers — the highest of any musician. This milestone placed an Indian artist at the top of a global streaming chart for the first time.
Did Arijit Singh surpass Taylor Swift as most followed artist on Spotify?
- Yes, as per Guinness World Records (2025 data)
- He also remains Spotify’s most-streamed artist in India for seven consecutive years (2019–2025) per Wikipedia
Why this matters: it signals the growing global reach of Indian music. For a playback singer from Jiaganj, West Bengal, to top the Spotify charts is a cultural shift worth noting.
Global follower count doesn’t equal global recognition. Arijit Singh’s audience is heavily concentrated in India and the diaspora. Still, surpassing Swift and Sheeran in followers is a genuine streaming-era achievement.
Does Arijit Singh have a child?
Yes. Arijit Singh and his wife Koel Roy have one son, born in 2017 (Times Now News (news outlet)). The child’s name has not been publicly disclosed, and the family keeps him out of the media spotlight. Some reports (including Oneindia Hindi (news portal)) suggest three children total, likely including Koel’s daughter from her previous marriage.
Timeline
- 2005–2006: Contestant on Fame Gurukul and Indian Idol (Wikipedia)
- 2011: Playback debut with “Phir Le Aya Dil” for The Dirty Picture (Wikipedia)
- 2014: Married Koel Roy (Times Now News)
- 2017: Son born
- 2024: Became most followed artist on Spotify (117M+ followers) (Guinness World Records)
Clarity check
Confirmed facts
- Arijit Singh won 2 National Film Awards and 8 Filmfare Awards (Guinness World Records)
- He is married to Koel Roy since 2014 (Times Now News)
- He has one son (born 2017) (Times Now News)
- He became most followed artist on Spotify in 2024 (Guinness World Records)
What’s unclear
- Exact reasons for divorce from first wife (Times Life)
- Why he took a temporary break (speculated burnout) (The Indian Express)
- Exact net worth figure (estimates vary widely)
Quotes
“I never plan my songs; I feel them.”
— Arijit Singh, in an interview with The Hindu (leading Indian daily) (2023)
“Arijit Singh surpassed 117 million followers, becoming the most followed artist on Spotify.”
— Guinness World Records (official record keeper) (2024)
For fans in India wondering what comes next, the choice is clear: enjoy the music while he’s making it, or wait for the retirement rumors to resurface — they probably will.
trendingnowindia.com, bollywoodghanta.com, youtube.com, fr.wikipedia.org, scribd.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Arijit Singh’s net worth?
No verified figure exists. Estimates from entertainment sites range widely, but none are confirmed by Singh or his representatives.
How many songs has Arijit Singh sung?
He has recorded several thousand songs across multiple Indian languages. Exact counts are not officially audited.
Which language does Arijit Singh sing in?
Primarily Hindi, but he also sings in Bengali, Punjabi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and other regional languages.
Is Arijit Singh a trained classical singer?
Yes, he began training in classical music (tabla and vocals) at a young age (Wikipedia).
Did Arijit Singh win any reality show?
He was a finalist on Fame Gurukul (2005) and participated in Indian Idol (2006), but did not win either show.
What was Arijit Singh’s first film song?
“Phir Le Aya Dil” from the 2011 film The Dirty Picture (Wikipedia).
Has Arijit Singh collaborated with foreign artists?
He performed on stage with Ed Sheeran during Sheeran’s India tour and has expressed interest in more global collaborations, but no official recorded collaboration exists yet.