01 July,2026 04:56 PM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka Sharma
Alka Yagnik
That familiar, melodious voice is back on our playlists. In the past two years, we missed Alka Yagnik's lilting vocals, after the singer was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss in 2024, following a viral attack, which rendered her unable to sing. But now, the new song, Apna Chehra Dikha, featuring Yagnik's vocals has released. It comes as a reason to rejoice for the artiste's fans, who were worried for her health after she looked weak and fragile when she made a rare appearance to receive the Padma Bhushan last week.
The indie track composed by Rishabh Kant - better known as The Rish, of Barbaad fame - has Yagnik joining him for the duet. So, how did this happen? "A lot of people asked me whether this song was recorded now or earlier. This song's story dates back at least 10 years. Alkaji was in my father's studio in Andheri to sing a track. When she was done with her session, my dad told her, on my behalf, âThere is a song that we'd love to play for you. If you like it, you could lend your voice to it.' When she heard the mukhda, she loved it and sang it in 30 minutes," recalled the artiste.
The Rish couldn't do much with Apna Chehra Dikha at the time. But now as he has amassed a fan following, he felt it was the right time to release the number. "I am so honoured to have Alkaji on this song. I wish there was more of her in it," he said, while choosing not to reveal if he shared the song with Yagnik and her reaction to it.
What is sensorineural hearing loss?
. Sensorineural hearing loss occurs when there is damage to the tiny hair cells in the inner ear or the nerve pathways connecting the ear to the brain
. Due to the condition, soft sounds become hard to hear, and louder sounds seem muffled
. While it may sometimes be caused by ageing, other factors causing it include exposure to loud noise, head trauma, genetics, and certain viral infections
