Mumbai: Renowned Bollywood playback singer Alka Yagnik, who dominated the music industry in the 90s with her melodious voice, recently revealed a challenging turn in her life. Diagnosed with a rare sensorineural nerve hearing loss due to a sudden viral attack, Yagnik shared her journey and struggles in a heartfelt Instagram post, explaining her recent absence and requesting support from her fans and well-wishers.
Sudden Onset and Diagnosis
In her first post since Mother’s Day 2024, Yagnik described the shocking moment she realized something was wrong. “To all my fans, friends, followers, and well-wishers. A few weeks ago, as I walked out of a flight, I suddenly felt I was not able to hear anything. Having mustered some courage in the weeks following the episode, I want to break my silence now for all my friends and well-wishers who have been asking me why I’m missing in action. It has been diagnosed by my docs as a rare sensorineural nerve hearing loss, due to a viral attack…this sudden, major setback has caught me completely unaware.”
Request for Prayers and Support
Expressing her need for emotional support, Yagnik wrote, “As I attempt to come to terms with it please keep me in your prayers.” She also used this opportunity to warn her fans and young colleagues about the dangers of exposure to very loud music and headphones, highlighting the potential health risks associated with such practices.
Reflecting on Her Career and Challenges
Alka Yagnik, known for iconic songs like “Pardesi Pardesi,” “Gazab Ka Hai Din,” and “Taal Se Taal Mila,” shared insights into the difficulties of playback singing in a 2017 interview with ANI. “You are singing for a character and your song should make it easy for the actor to emote and shouldn’t make it difficult for them. It is also a challenge for a playback singer to adapt to the different style of each composer. But then having achieved that, nothing compares to the happiness of a composer telling you that your singing perfectly adapts to their styles.”
Moving Forward
Despite this setback, Yagnik remains hopeful about recalibrating her life and returning to the music industry with the love and support of her fans. She concluded her post with a promise to share more about the health challenges of her professional life and a heartfelt appeal: “With all your love and support, I am hoping to recalibrate my life and come back to you soon. Your support and understanding will mean the world to me in this critical hour…”
Alka Yagnik’s journey is a poignant reminder of the often-overlooked health risks faced by artists in the music industry. Her openness about her condition and her call for caution serve as a crucial message for both her peers and the younger generation of musicians.
