Mumbai, August 12, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Playback singer Sonu Nigam has opened up about the use of auto-tune in contemporary music, saying he occasionally uses the technology but believes it should only enhance a singer’s performance rather than compensate for a lack of vocal ability.
Speaking on trade analyst Komal Nahta’s podcast Game Changers: The Music Series, Sonu said the widespread adoption of digital music has changed the way vocals are recorded and mixed.
“The era of auto-tune has certainly brought a lot of changes. People say a lot of bad things about it but I say ‘Jo bhi hua hai aacha hua hai’,” he said.
Recalling the era of live music recordings, Sonu said singers earlier had to rely entirely on their natural voices and extensive practice. He added that live orchestration also meant that instruments and vocals could naturally adjust to one another.
“In earlier days, you had to sing without auto-tune, and we are lucky to ‘riyaaz’ without it, and now we don’t need it. But still, I would say I use auto-tune in certain songs of mine,” he said.
Sonu explained that the shift towards fully digitised music has made pitch precision more prominent.
“Everything now is digitised, everything is going in a straight line and your voice will sound off if it’s raw. Previously, with live music, we used to adjust according to the live music, but now your song will stand out,” he said.
However, the singer stressed that technology should not be used to turn a person who cannot sing into a professional vocalist.
“It’s our responsibility that we don’t use the resources to fix the voices of those who can’t sing. You give your 99% and bring it to 100% with auto tune,” he said.
Sonu also defended actors who use auto-tune while pursuing their singing ambitions, but drew a distinction between using technology as an aid and replacing trained playback singers.
“Many actors use auto-tune for their songs and it’s absolutely fine if they use it to enjoy their dreams. But they cannot replace singers,” he added.
Known for his classical training and acclaimed live performances, Sonu has witnessed the Hindi music industry evolve from live orchestral recordings to today’s digitally produced soundscape.
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