Playback singer was born to samosa seller, sang at jagratas since age 4, now earns in crores

Speaking about her childhood on Indian Idol, Neha recalled, “I have been singing since I was four years old. Back then, there were no time limits. The performances often continued until morning, and sometimes, people didn’t even acknowledge our efforts. Singing for long hours often meant I couldn’t go to school the next day.”

Despite their hard work, the family continued to struggle financially. In a particularly emotional revelation, Neha shared: “We still can’t forget those days when my father used to sell samosas outside Sonu didi’s college (referring to her sister, singer Sonu Kakkar). The college students would tease her, and it was heartbreaking.”

At 16, Neha moved to Mumbai to audition for Indian Idol, a decision that would change her life. Though she didn’t win the competition, her journey came full circle when she returned to the same stage—this time as a judge.

Reflecting on her path, Neha told Radio City: “I have never learned music formally—I don’t know what Sargam is. Rohan (her husband, singer Rohanpreet Singh) teaches me now, as he’s trained. I just used to listen to people and sing—that’s how my journey began.”

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She credits much of her success to the countless devotional performances she gave as a child: “I think doing Mata ka Jagrata really paid off. After Indian Idol, I didn’t have to run after music directors for work. It’s like divine energy stayed with me. My songs just kept becoming superhits.”

On returning to Indian Idol as a judge, Neha said: “It felt surreal. When I first came as a contestant, I felt so small. My self-esteem was low. I was just hoping to maybe win the show. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine judging it someday.” She added: “Back then, my attitude was: ‘I am nothing.’ So going from ‘nothing’ to everything was huge for me. Sitting in that judge’s chair, I could see teenage Neha standing beside me, reminding me, ‘Kahaan se kahaan aagayi.'”

Her big break came when she lent her voice to Pritam’s hit song “Second Hand Jawani” from the 2012 film Cocktail, which quickly went viral. This opened the floodgates of opportunity.

“I was approached by Yo Yo Honey Singh for Aaj Blue Hai Paani, and everything just skyrocketed from there,” she recalled.

What followed was a string of chartbusters—London Thumakda, Tukur Tukur, and many more. Neha became not just a household name but also one of India’s most-followed female artists, ranking as the 22nd most-followed artist globally on Spotify.

The fame came at a cost. “I suddenly became extremely busy—performing back-to-back shows in India and abroad. I didn’t even have time to breathe. I ended up compromising my health. But now, I’ve finally taken a break—because I can afford to. It’s a luxury,” she admitted.

She also went through depression after her breakup with actor Himansh Kohli, which she publicly expressed on her Instagram account. Later, on a reality show, she shared battling several health issues like Thyroid and Anxiety.

While Neha attributes much of her success to divine blessings and her early struggles, she is quick to credit her family—especially the men in her life—for their unwavering support. “Today, the men in my family—whether it’s Rohan, Tony Kakkar (her brother), or my father—they all want me to be bigger than them. They call me their flag-bearer. It feels incredible,” she shared with pride.

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