Alka's musical career began at the age of six, when she started interpreting devotional songs for Calcutta Radio. She came to Mumbai at the age of 10, along with her mother to try her luck as a child singer. Eminent music directors Kalyanji Veerji Shah and Anandji Veerji Shah were impressed by her beautiful voice. However, they advised her to wait till her voice matured to become a full-fledged singer. Alka also received the same advice from renowned music composer Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar and decided to wait for three more years. Alka Yagnik began her Bollywood music career in 1979, with a few lines in Rajashri's "Payal Ki Jhankar." Even though her first full-fledged song was "Hum Tum Rahenge" for Rajesh Roshan in Hamari Bahu Alka (1982), her first appearance proved to be the mega hit "Mere Angne Mein." In an industry where big and already established names were ruling, it was not easy for anyone to even get noticed. But real talent never goes waste, and she finally got her big break nine years after entry through "Ek Do Theen, Char...," in Tezaab (1988). Today, the chart-topping songs of Alka Yagnik are a favorite of many. Alka Yagnik's voice is the sound of many young-generation heroines of the present day. She has done playback-singing for many famous actresses such as Rakhee Gulzar, Hema Malini, Farida Jalal, Rekha, Kajol, and Preity Zinta. Besides Hindi-language songs, she has also sung in Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, and Punjabi.