Shankar Mahadevan Says Singers Often Forget Lyrics of Their Own Hits

Veteran singer‑composer Shankar Mahadevan spoke to The Times of India about a common issue among performers – forgetting the words of songs they have popularised. He noted that when a track is played repeatedly in rehearsals, concerts and recordings, it can start to feel like background music, making the exact lyrics harder to recall. Mahadevan added that the familiarity that makes a song a hit can paradoxically cause singers to rely on memory cues that fade over time. He emphasized that this is a normal challenge and not a sign of lack of professionalism. The observation highlights the mental demands of live performance even for seasoned artists.