Veteran Indian playback singer Alka Yagnik has revealed she continues to struggle with a rare hearing disorder, preventing her from taking on new singing assignments.
The condition, a sensory neural nerve hearing loss caused by a viral attack, was first disclosed by Yagnik in 2024 and has kept her largely out of the public eye.
Speaking to NDTV, Yagnik said she is “still suffering” from the illness but expressed gratitude for being awarded the Padma Bhushan this year.
Alka Yagnik has not recorded any new songs since her diagnosis, though she said composers continue to approach her. Her last release was ‘Naram Kaalja’ from ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, directed by Imtiaz Ali and composed by AR Rahman.
Reflecting on the current music scene, Yagnik expressed concern over the dominance of Punjabi rap, remixes and high-energy beats. “Music today has lost its soul. Some soulful music should come back for us to hear,” she said, highlighting her desire for a return to more melodic compositions.
