‘I want to leave the stage with love’: Tahsan Khan

For twenty-five years, singer Tahsan Khan has been winning the hearts of audiences with his melodies and rhythms. His music career had flowed with a natural grace, but as he stepped into the silver jubilee of his journey, the artiste shocked fans by announcing that he would no longer sing and would gradually withdraw from the stage.

The announcement broke the hearts of millions of his admirers, though some remained steadfast in respecting his personal decision. Still, many wished he would stay a little longer, continue to perform, and keep captivating audiences.

In September, Tahsan performed in several shows during his Australia tour, which he revealed would be his last. He shared that he planned to step away from music altogether in phases, though he still had a few projects and events lined up in Dhaka before his complete departure.

Just weeks later, upon returning to Dhaka, Tahsan appeared on stage once again in his familiar style, sometimes seated at the piano, sometimes holding the microphone, performing alongside his team and charming the audience as always.

Last Sunday evening, he attended a technology-based event in the capital, where he performed a few songs as the brand ambassador of the organising company. The performance sparked questions among fans.Is this Tahsan's final appearance on stage?

During a post-performance discussion, the host raised the question directly, asking whether his decision to leave music was final. Addressing the audience, Tahsan explained the thoughts behind his choice.

"I am not sure if this is the right stage to talk about this, because people often take only fragments of what I say and turn them into another piece of news. So I have to be very careful about what I say. But I will share one important thing. Many years ago, my brother told me that the lifespan of musicians in the industry is very limited. He asked why I was taking such a risk, especially since I had left my job at Lever Brothers to work on my first album," he said.

Reflecting further, Tahsan added, "My brother had told me that the lifespan of any artiste is short. If you step into this field, you can always come back. I took that as inspiration—an artiste's career may be short-lived, but the 'art' they create can last even after their departure."

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Sharing his personal philosophy, the singer remarked, "I have felt that I will continue working only as long as I remain at the peak of people's love, as long as I keep receiving that affection. Because I have seen that in other careers, retirement comes naturally. But in this career, what happens is that, after a time, people forget. So rather than bearing the wound of being forgotten, it is better to bid farewell while still carrying people's love."