Alka Yagnik facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alka Yagnik
Yagnik in 2023
Born	(1966-03-20) 20 March 1966 (age 59) Kolkata, West Bengal, India
Occupation	Playback singer
Spouse(s)	Neeraj Kapoor ​ (m. 1989)​
Children	1
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Filmi
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1980–present

Alka Yagnik (born March 20, 1966) is a famous Indian playback singer. She is well-known for her work in Hindi cinema, especially in Bollywood movies from the 1990s. Many people call her the 'Melody Queen' of Indian Cinema because of her beautiful voice.

Alka Yagnik has won many awards, including two National Film Awards and seven Filmfare Awards for Best Female Playback Singer. She has sung a huge number of songs, over 22,000 in more than 25 different languages. Her songs are very popular around the world. As of July 2025, she is ranked as the number one global artist on YouTube's Music Charts & Insights, with billions of views each year. The Guinness World Records recognized her as the most streamed artist globally in 2022.

Early Life and Beginnings

Alka Yagnik was born in Kolkata, India, on March 20, 1966. Her mother, Shubha, was a singer of Indian classical music. Alka started singing at a very young age. When she was six, she began singing for Akashvani (All India Radio) in Calcutta.

At age 10, her mother took her to Mumbai to try and become a child singer. She was advised to wait until her voice grew stronger. However, her mother was determined. Later, Alka met famous film director Raj Kapoor, who introduced her to music director Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar. Laxmikant was impressed and offered her a choice: start right away as a dubbing artist or wait for a bigger chance as a singer. Her mother chose for her to wait and become a singer.

A Star's Journey

Alka Yagnik trained in classical music. Her first song for a film was in Payal Ki Jhankaar (1980). She then sang "Mere Angane Mein" for Laawaris (1981).

Big Break with "Ek Do Teen"

Alka Yagnik got her major breakthrough with the song "Ek Do Teen" from the film Tezaab (1988). She even recorded this song while she had a high fever! This song was a huge hit and won her her first Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer.

Singing in Many Languages

Besides Hindi, Alka Yagnik has sung in more than 25 other languages. These include Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu. She has also performed in live concerts all over the world.

Famous Songs and Collaborations

In 1993, Alka Yagnik sang "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" with Ila Arun. This song became very popular and won her another Filmfare Award. She also worked on private music albums, like "Tum Yaad Aaye" and "Tum Aaye," with famous lyricist Javed Akhtar.

Her song "Chamma Chamma" from China Gate was even featured in the Hollywood movie Moulin Rouge!.

Recognized for Her Voice

In 2012, her song "Taal Se Taal Mila" from the movie Taal was voted the best song of the century in a poll. She also sang "Shiksha Ka Suraj" for India's National Literacy Mission.

Alka Yagnik has also supported projects to help girls. In 2014, she sang "Phool Khil Jayenge" to raise awareness about child health.

She shares the record for the most Filmfare Awards won by a female playback singer with Asha Bhosle, both having seven awards. She is one of the most successful female singers in Bollywood history.

Her Unique Singing Style

Alka Yagnik learned singing from her mother, who was her first teacher. She also learned from famous music directors Kalyanji-Anandji and Laxmikant–Pyarelal. Alka believes her voice is best suited for romantic songs. She has sung many different types of songs, including romantic, sad, and upbeat songs.

She often sang duets with other popular singers like Kumar Sanu, Udit Narayan, and Sonu Nigam. She, Kumar Sanu, and Udit Narayan are often called the "trinity" of 1990s playback singing because they sang so many hit songs together.

Impact and Legacy

Alka Yagnik is known as "the queen of playback singing." Her voice is often described as "honey-voiced" and "magical." Many other famous singers and music composers have praised her talent.

Sunidhi Chauhan, a well-known contemporary singer, has said that Alka Yagnik is "the best singer we have today." Music composer A.R. Rehman called her "An Icon" with "The Most Amazing Voice." These compliments show how much she is respected in the music world.

Personal Life

Alka Yagnik married Neeraj Kapoor, a businessman from Shillong, in 1989. They have one daughter named Syesha.

In 2024, she shared that she was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss, which affects her hearing.

Television Appearances

Besides singing, Alka Yagnik has also appeared on television as a judge for several singing reality shows.

She has also been a judge on shows like Star Voice of India, Fame Gurukul, and Indian Idol.

Awards and Achievements

Alka Yagnik has received many awards for her singing.

• She won two National Film Award for Best Female Playback Singer for "Ghoongat Ki Aad Se" (from Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke, 1993) and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" (from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, 1998).
• She has won a record seven Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback Singer for songs like "Ek Do Teen" (1988), "Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai" (1993), "Taal Se Taal" (2000), and "Hum Tum" (2005).
• In 2019, she received the Lata Mangeshkar Award for her contributions to music.

See also

In Spanish: Alka Yagnik para niños