Singer Sonu Nigam recently revealed that his career took a major hit after he spoke out for singers' copyright and royalty rights.
In a recent interview, the 53-year-old musician said that leading music labels stopped working with him over his stance.
Speaking on Komal Nahta's podcast , Sonu said he was 'banned' by major labels but believes the battle ultimately changed the Indian music industry for the better.
Reflecting on the highs and lows of his career, the singer said, "My time came, then it passed, and now it has come back again. It's all a matter of time. When I was at my peak, people gave me so much love. I was releasing albums, people were going crazy for them, and even my posters used to sell."
He said the turning point came when he began raising the issue of copyright and royalties for singers. Major music labels stopped working with him, dismissing him as an activist.
"Then I raised the copyright issue. T-Series banned me. Zee Music also stopped working with me. They said, 'He's become an activist,'" Sonu claimed.
The singer admitted he had never expected his campaign to take a toll on his career.
"I never thought I would be banned. I believed we would eventually resolve the issue, but things only kept getting worse. When I saw doors closing for me, I realised that while they could stop giving me songs, they could never stop me from performing on stage," he said.
"Today, things have changed. Those very music labels are paying royalties to singers. We now meet with affection, sit together and even share meals," he continued.
According to Sonu, he was continuing the battle that veteran singer Lata Mangeshkar could not complete. "God didn't make me only to sing. He gave me a purpose-to continue what Lata Mangeshkar ji had started but couldn't complete. It was as if He told me, 'You will leave your career at its peak and take up this challenge. If you don't, no one else will have the courage,'" he said.
"When the laws changed, the music companies realised that Sonu had never been wrong. I hadn't asked for anything unreasonable. Then times changed, and all the music companies came back to me. Today we share a warm relationship," continued the singer.
India's Copyright (Amendment) Act, passed in 2012, strengthened performers' rights and introduced key royalty protections for singers and other creators. The industry has since gradually moved towards broader acceptance of royalty payments.
"After that came , , Mere Dholna, , Pardesiya, Vijoria and now . It's one project after another. People are singing my songs again. Even the songs I recorded 30 years ago are finding new listeners. It's all a matter of time. Now everything is open," Sonu concluded.