At the height if his fame, when sold-out shows and international tours defined his career, Yo Yo Honey Singh was privately fighting a battle taht few around him truly understood. In a deeply personal conversation on the ABtalks podcast, the singer revisited one of the most painful chapters of his life, speaking about substance abuse, bipolar disorder and emotional collapse that followed.
The rapper talked about how everything began spiralling while he was simultaneously working on a music reality show in Mumbai and touring the United States with Shah Rukh Khan.
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Honey Singh Recalls The First Signs Of His Mental Health Struggle
Describing the moment things started changing, Honey Singh said he suddenly became consumed by frightening thoughts and constant anxiety during the US tour.
“I was doing a music reality show in Mumbai and an America tour with Shah Rukh Khan. I was getting suspicious thoughts that I will die. I was in Chicago, somebody was with me and she said you have to go for rehearsal. I said I can’t go, Shah Rukh bhai called me and asked what happened, I said I will be fine, I will see you on stage.”
The singer admitted that fear had completely taken over his mind at the time. Even stepping onto the stage felt impossible to him, despite the pressure of performing in front of massive crowds.
'I Shaved Off My Head'
As the anxiety intensified, Honey Singh revealed he looked for ways to avoid appearing on stage altogether. In a desperate attempt to escape the performance, he ended up shaving half of his head.
“I was feeling that I will die on stage and I was thinking how can I skip it, so I shaved half of my head, but they said we will make you wear the cap. I was like people are not understanding.”
He also talked about the emotional breakdown he experienced during that difficult period, saying he felt completely helpless despite repeatedly trying to communicate what he was going through internally.