Hirdesh "Honey" Singh (born 15 March 1983), known professionally as Yo Yo Honey Singh, is a music producer, singer and actor. He commenced his career as a hip-hop music producer in 2003, working as a session and recording artist within the underground music scene until the release of his debut studio album, International Villager.
Early life
Honey Singh was born on March 15, 1983 to a Sikh family in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. He studied at the Guru Nanak Public School in New Delhi. Given his interest in music, Singh traveled to the United Kingdom to study at the Trinity College Of Music. After graduating, he moved to Delhi in pursuit of better career opportunities. He began his career as a recording artist and a Bhangra music producer. His first claim to fame came when he received the ETC award for Best Sound for his song, Glassi in 2006.
Singh, known for his unique fusion of Punjabi and Hindi music, prefers to sing in his native languages rather than in English. He made his mark on the music scene with the release of his Punjabi album International Villager on November 11, 2011. The album's hit track "Gabru," featuring J-Star, quickly climbed to the top of the Asian music charts, including the official BBC Asian charts.
During the early 2010s, Singh became popular in the Indian music industry, performing at numerous college festivals such as Ansal Institute of Technology and Ramjas College in Delhi. His collaborations with prominent artists, like Diljit Dosanjh, further cemented his position. Their song "Lak 28 Kudi Da" reached number one on the BBC Asian Download Charts in May 2011, serving as a promotional track for Dosanjh's film Lion of Punjab.
By 2012, Singh had set a record for the highest fee ever paid to an artist for a Bollywood song, reportedly receiving ₹7 million rupees (US$84,000) for tracks in the movies Cocktail and Mastan. His popularity surged on YouTube with two of his videos— "Brown Rang" and "High Heels" (a collaboration with Jaz Dhami)—ranking among the top trending videos that year.
Following the success of "Brown Rang," Singh released "Angreji Beat" in collaboration with Gippy Grewal. This track further solidified his presence in the music industry, becoming a party anthem across India. In 2013, Singh dropped another chartbuster, "Blue Eyes." The song, known for its sleek production and catchy hook, became an instant hit, showcasing his versatility in blending Hindi and English lyrics with an international sound.
In 2014, Singh released Desi Kalakaar, featuring Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha. The song and its accompanying music video were a huge success, with Singh adopting a more cinematic approach to his music. The song’s success was followed by other popular tracks such as Love Dose and Birthday Bash, which continued to top charts and dominate parties across the country.
Despite facing health issues that forced him to take a break from his career, Singh continued to contribute to the music industry. During this period, he wrote the hit track Dheere Dheere in 2015, a recreation of the iconic song from the movie Aashiqui. The track featured Hrithik Roshan and Sonam Kapoor in the music video and went on to become a massive hit, breaking numerous records on YouTube. It was the first Indian song to exceed 200 million views on YouTube alone.[citation needed]
Bollywood
His debut song in Bollywood films was "Shakal Pe Mat Ja", featuring Gagan Sidhu. Singh charged Rs. 7 million for a song in the film Mastan. This was the largest amount paid to a song artist in Bollywood to date, making Singh one of the highest-paid musical artists in Bollywood.[2][3]
In February 2015 he released the songs "Birthday Bash", followed by songs in films including Gabbar is Back and Bhaag Johnny.[citation needed]
Mumbai Saga's first song "Shor Machega", was released on 28 February 2021. It was composed by Singh, with lyrics and vocals by Singh and Hommie Dilliwala.[4]
Acting
Singh made his acting debut with Baljit Singh Deo's Punjabi film Mirza - The Untold Story (2012), performing the role of Deesha, a mad gangster. Despite only being a cameo appearance, the role went on to win Singh the PTC Punjabi Film Award for Best Male Debut. The following year, Singh appeared in another Punjabi film, this time a comedy by Amit Prasher, Tu Mera 22 Main Tera 22, as Rolly, a childish and spoilt brat, alongside Amrinder Gill. This was Singh's first main role in a film.
In 2016, Singh starred in the Punjabi action film Zorawar, directed by Vinnil Markan, which was marketed as one of the most expensive Punjabi films to date. The film was critically acclaimed.
In 2014, Singh's career was interrupted when he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. This mental health condition, characterized by extreme mood swings ranging from emotional highs (mania) to lows (depression), significantly affected his life and career. Unlike the common belief that stress from fame led to his illness, Singh revealed that it was largely due to his extensive use of substances like alcohol, drugs, and weed. His dependency was so severe that he would consume these substances before sleeping and immediately after waking up, often being in a state of confusion and unaware of his actions.
This addiction took a heavy toll on his personal life as well. His relationship with his ex-wife, Shalini Talwar, deteriorated during this period. He admitted to neglecting his family and his wife due to his lifestyle and continuous travel commitments, which further fueled his dependence on substances.
Bipolar disorder can be worsened by substance abuse, which can amplify mood swings and make management of the disorder challenging. Alcohol and drugs can interfere with the effectiveness of prescribed medications and lead to unpredictable mood changes, impulsive behavior, and even thoughts of self-harm during depressive episodes.
His struggle with the illness and addiction remained largely hidden from the public for many years. During his treatment, he received support from several prominent figures in the industry, including Akshay Kumar, Deepika Padukone, and Shah Rukh Khan, who stayed in touch with his family and suggested medical help.
Singh has since spoken openly about his experiences, aiming to raise awareness about mental health and the dangers of substance abuse.
Singh comes from a Sikh family and has two siblings. He was influenced by various musical genres, including hip-hop, Punjabi folk, and Indian classical music, which shaped his unique style. His early career included producing music for Bollywood films and independent albums, which gained him significant popularity.
On January 23, 2011, Singh married Shalini Talwar, a longtime friend. However, their relationship faced challenges, and in 2021, Talwar accused Singh of multiple offenses under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, leading to legal proceedings. Subsequently, on September 10, 2022, the couple filed for divorce, with Singh reportedly agreeing to pay Rs. 1 crore as alimony.
After overcoming significant health challenges, Singh made a comeback in 2018 with the track Makhn, which re-established him as a prominent figure in the Indian music scene. The song was well-received, showcasing his ability to blend contemporary sounds with vibrant visuals. Following this, Singh released Urvashi later that same year, featuring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani.
In 2019, he collaborated with Malkit Singh on Gur Nalo Ishq Mitha - The YOYO Remake, demonstrating his versatility. The year 2020 marked a significant milestone with the release of "Loca," featuring Simar Kaur, and "Moscow Mashuka," featuring Neha Kakkar, both of which garnered substantial popularity. He also featured in "Billo Tu Agg Ae," a track by Singsta, and "Jingle Bell," expanding his musical repertoire.
Continuing his momentum, Singh released First Kiss in 2021, featuring Ipsitaa Khullar, followed by Saiyaan Ji, a collaboration with Neha Kakkar, which became a hit. That same year, he was also part of "Kanta Laga," featuring Tony Kakkar and Neha Kakkar, and "Boom Boom," showcasing his ongoing presence in the music industry.
In 2023, Singh released Kala Star, which broke multiple streaming records and was well-received by audiences. He continued to build on his success with tracks like Ka Kha Ga, Designer, and Casanova.
Later in 2023, Singh released several tracks as part of his album Honey 3.0, including Naagan, Pankhudi (The Ride Song), and Kuley Kuley.\
Most recently, in 2024, Singh launched his album "Glory," featuring 18 tracks, including Millionaire, Rap God, and "JATT MEHKMA." This album marked a significant milestone in his career and received widespread acclaim, with multiple songs trending on music streaming platforms.
2013 MTV VMAI Awards – Best Indie Artist (male) 2013 for the song "Brown Rang"[22]
2013 MTV EMA Awards – Best India Act 2013 for "Bring me Back"[23]
2013 BIG Star Entertainment Awards – Singh was co-winner of Most Entertaining Singer (Male), and "Lungi Dance" was nominated as Most Entertaining Song.[24]
In the aftermath of the 2012 Delhi gang rape case, the lyrics to some of his songs, which depict violence against women and rape positively, have caused controversy.[26] A first information report (FIR) was lodged against Singh for his offensive lyrics, and a group of social activists filed an online petition demanding cancellation of his New Year performance at a Gurgaon hotel.[27] After the campaign, Singh's New Year concert was cancelled by the hotel.[28] Singh denies writing these offensive lyrics.[29]
Singh's song "Party All Night" in Akshay Kumar's film Boss was at the centre of a controversy. Producers of the movie had to submit a petition in Delhi High Court claiming that they had 'muted' an alleged vulgar word in Singh's song. The court heard a petition filed by lawyer Sanjay Bhatnagar seeking a stay on the film, contending that without the censor board's approval, the song could not be released with such a vulgar word. The petitioner had sought a stay on the release of the film until either the word or the song was deleted from the film.[30]
His work has been criticised as being vulgar, misogynist, promoting violence against women and a bad influence on youth.[31][32] There have been reactions in print to Singh, such as from Annie Zaidi, who wrote "An Open Letter to Honey Singh" in January 2013,[33] and Sandipan Sharma, who wrote "Thanks for the crassness: An open letter to Honey Singh from a parent" in July 2014.[34]
In 2014, Singh and fellow rapper Raftaar were in dispute over whether Raftaar should receive credit for the lyrics of the song "Yeh Fugly Fugly Kya Hai".[35]
In 2015, a student of St. Stephen's College went viral for a rap that parodied Singh's problematic songs from a feminist perspective.[36][37]
^Zaidi, Annie (5 January 2013). "An open letter to Honey Singh". The Sunday Guardian. Archived from the original on 30 November 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2015.
