Alka Yagnik says she is ‘still suffering’ from rare hearing disorder, unable to take up new singing assignments

Veteran playback singer Alka Yagnik, who revealed in 2024 that she is battling a rare hearing disorder, has shared a fresh update on her health, saying she is “still suffering” from the condition. The singer, who has stayed largely away from the public eye since the diagnosis, recently made headlines after being conferred the Padma Bhushan this year.In an interaction with NDTV, Alka spoke briefly about her condition, reiterating that she continues to deal with the illness that forced her to step back from singing assignments. Despite the health setback, the melody queen expressed gratitude for being honoured with India’s third-highest civilian award. “My daughter told me. I am very happy to hear. I would like to thank Bharat Sarkar for considering me for this honour,” she said when asked who first informed her about the Padma Bhushan.When asked if she had expected the recognition earlier, the singer responded with quiet composure, “Not really. Whenever it comes, it's welcome like that.”Alka Yagnik had first revealed her condition—a rare sensory neural nerve hearing loss caused by a viral attack—in a detailed Instagram post in 2024. Calling it a “sudden, major setback,” she had asked fans to keep her in their prayers.Since then, she has not taken up new singing assignments. “Composers approach me now and then. But I am not able to do it,” she shared.Her last recorded song was Naram Kaalja from Amar Singh Chamkila, directed by Imtiaz Ali and composed by AR Rahman. Reflecting on the current music landscape, Alka Yagnik didn’t hold back. Known for her timeless melodies, she pointed out the shift towards 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.