Hadiqa Kiyani
Encyclopedia
Hadiqa Kiani is a Pakistani singer-songwriter, and philanthropist.
Kiani rose to fame in 1995 with her debut album Raaz
. Kiani received instant fame and was nominated and won numerous awards in Pakistan
as well as International awards. Since her debut, she has released five albums, all receiving similar fame. Kiani was named "Best Pop Female Singer" in Pakistan
. Her single, Jannan, was the fastest-selling single of 2009/2010 and her album Aasmaan achieved similar success. In 2009, Kiani became a judge on Pakistani reality television shows Pakistan Idol and LG Awaaz Banay Star.
, Pakistan and grew up in Lahore
. She is the third of three children to Khawar, a principal of a local government girls school. When she was three years old, her father died from natural causes, and thus the family were left to fend for themselves. Kiani has spoken about the difficult experiences of not having a relationship with a father during her childhood. Her mother, was nevertheless, very brave throughout their upbringing, she added. Khawar began working as the principal of a government all-girl school while Kiani and her older siblings were growing up. After her father's death and the resulting loss of financial support, the family had to use the school as a temporary home. Kiani and both her siblings had a talent for music, and so her mother enlisted her in the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. Kiani then performed in front of a crowd of a thousand people at Liaqat Memorial Pindi Hall.
At an early age, she began showing an interest in singing and music. Whilst living in Rawalpindi
, she went on to study at Viqar-un-Nisa Noon Girls High School Pindi. She represented Pakistan in International Children Festivals in Turkey
, Jordan, Bulgaria
, and Greece
, winning various medals along the way. She also used to be on Sohail Rana's Rang Barangi Dunya; a weekly musical show for children. Kiani thanked her family for being supportive in her singing career, citing them as "patient and enthusiastic with a heart of gold".
The family moved to Lahore
when she was in eighth grade. She enrolled at Kinnaird College
and due to her exceptional academic performance, she earned a Masters degree in Psychology
. Kiani still dreamed to become an singer, and signed on to Lips Records in 1994.
was released in mid-1995. Kiani had written, composed and produced most songs for the album whilst recording in Karachi
Studios. The first single of the album Jeevan
, for which she penned the lyrics, was released alongside the album. The album spawned a string of radio tunes and generally had positive reviews. Kiani set the record of becoming the second female singer after legendary Pakistan
i pop singer Nazia Hassan
to join Pakistan music industry and recognize and portray an image of pop music around Pakistan
. The success of Raaz was highlighted by being mentioned in an article which recapitulated the major events in Pakistan
's music history. After two years, the album had sold over 700,000 copies, domestically, whilst gathering over 1 million copies worldwide. Kiani released her second single Yaad
, following the success of her first single. The single was well-received, though was not a seller, unlike her first single. She released four more singles, neither benefiting her album.
In 1998 Kiani began working on her second music album, Roshni (Light). The album was dedicated to her nephew Sonu ( her elder sister's son ). Kiani takes good care of her nephew and considers him a significant person in her life. The first single off the album, "Tu Nawa Tu Sada" was released before the album was released. Kiani then released a second single, "Inteha-e-Shauq". It was designated the official theme song for the Pakistani Cricket team for the Cricket World Cup that year. Both songs, being patriotic, gained favorable reviews, however "Inteha-e-Shauq" was much more successful for Kiani. On 1 November 1998 Kiani released `Roshni'. Initial album sales were powered mostly by "Inteha-e-Shauq", which made the final listing of the album along with "Tu Nawa Tu Sada".
Kiani's third single off the album, "Dupatta
" was an instant success. Its video was inspired by the sci-fi film The Matrix
and was the highest-budget video in Pakistan in 1999. "Dupatta" also gained more popularity than any other single Kiani had released before from her debut single. The song is also listed in the Twenty Best Pop Songs Ever for Pakistan, where it is positioned at #15. The success of the song was attributed to its quasi-bhangra rhythm with fat, funky techno beats and Kiani’s "dreamy-meets-husky vocals" which made the results "stunning". In the wake of Dupatta's success Kiani soon went on to be widely accepted as the country's leading female vocalist.
Capitalizing on "Dupatta's" success, Kiani went on to release two other moderate hits, "Roshni" and "Woh Kaun Hai". She then delivered once again by releasing a sixth single off the album, "Boohey Barian" which went on to become an even bigger hit for her than "Dupatta".
Kiani's massive success in 1999 was highlighted when she won PTV World Viewer's Choice Award for the best female singer in 2000... She also released a seventh single off the album, "Intezaar".
`Roshni' sold over a million copies in Pakistan alone. Kiani's image also became a signature look in cities like Karachi
. The album is listed in "The 20 Best Local Pop Albums Ever" for the country, positioned at #15. Kiani is just one of two female singers in the entire list. The other one is Nazia Hassan
. The review stated
In another list called "The 10 Best Local Pop Albums...ever" Roshni was placed at number 9. The review also highlighted Hadiqa's status rise by stating
Kiani's success got her signed by "UniLever" for celebrity endorsement of Lipton Yellow Label in 2001. In 2002, she was signed again by "UniLever" for Sunsilk Shampoo. Throughout 2001 and 2002, she performed live concerts in US, Canada, UK, Middle East, Far East, Australia, Norway
, Greece, Bulgaria
and Turkey
on multiple occasions.
(Colors) in September 2002, for which she'd chosen the album title herself. Prior to Rung's release, Kiani sang an OST for a drama called Cheray. The song also made the final listing on Rung.
The first single released from Rung was "Yaad Sajan". The song helped the album sales propel throughout September and August 2002 and was an instant hit. It did not however make it as big as "Dupatta" or "Boohey Barian", but generally got great appreciation.
Where Kiani released multiple videos for her previous albums within months after the album release, she did not do so with Rung because of a personal crisis in her life. Her marriage was seeing problems. Issues with her marriage saw her being removed from the spotlight for the rest of 2002, and early 2003. Rung's sales slowly declined since no other single had been released. Her divorce was finalized in March 2003. She decided to take a few months off from her music career then. As a result, Rung's sales seemed stalled.
She returned to promote the album in June 2003, almost 10 months after she'd released "Yaad Sajan" with a new single "Ranjhan" and several stage performances and tours around the country. She then released other singles off the album throughout 2003 and 2004. These included "Jogi Bun Kay Aa", "Mahi", and "Dholan".
Her newer singles saw her videos seeing a drastic improvement in standard and concept. In "Jogi Bun Kay Aa" Kiani plays various roles of women, including a traditional Japanese, an Arab, and a tribal woman. She played the role of a vampire in her video for "Mahi". The video was also sending the message to not judge people of different faiths and casts, and to not stereotype. It was the highest budgeting video of the year 2003. Despite the setback from her divorce, Kiani's album sales picked up through 2003 and 2004. In 2004, she received the Best Female Pop Singer Award by Indus Music, the first 24 hour music channel of Pakistan. Asim Raza won an award for best video for directing her video Mahi.
Rung got mixed reviews from experts. Overall it did not capitalize on the momentum she generated by Roshni. Many argue that this is because Rung has more mature slow paced ballads than Roshni, while some say the turmoils of her personal life. However Kiani still remained a strong figure in the industry, despite the setback. Her name was mentioned in a list called "Pakistani Pop's 10 most Influential Acts Ever", where she positioned at number 9. She is also one of just 2 female singers in the list, with the other being Nazia Hassan
. A UK based Magazine declared Kiani as the 22nd greatest music maker of South Asia out of Top 50, also mentioning on how she raised the standard of music videos in the country.
, in 2006. The lead single Mehr Ma
featured Kiani's vocals. She also appeared in the music video directed by Sohail Jawed. The song was a massive success in Pakistan
, and was seen as a great turn for Kiani after her ballads in Rung
. Kiani performed the single at Lux Style Award's and was considered the best performer of the night in reviews. The success of the single reached to a point, that it succeeded her successful single Boohey Barian in mid-2009.
. The album had seen frequent delays in its release both due to Kiani's busy schedule in 2005 and 2006 and because Zaki had moved to Canada while the album was being recorded. With the release of `Rough Cut', Kiani became the first mainstream Pakistani artist to release a complete English Album. It is also her only album thus far which her website has officially put up for sale online.
In April 2007 Kiani released the first single for the album, titled "Living This Lie", a song which talks about the stressful life of being a star. The same week, Kiani was named "Hotstepper of the week" for a Karachi-based magazine. The magazine also stated that ultimately, as long as Kiani is around, there is still hope for women in the patriarchal music world of Pakistan.
Kiani's second single that was released from the album is titled "All The Same
". Rough Cut failed to perform on the charts and did not sell as much as Kiani's older works. Many experts have said that since an overwhelming majority of people in the country do not understand English the album did not sell as well. It has not yet been confirmed whether Kiani will release a third single from the album. However, there are rumors that the track "City of Fallen Angels
" will get a video release in which Karachi
will be the city referred to in the song.
The single titled "Living This Lie" got nominated for "Best English Song" for "The Musik Awards" in 2007. Due to the emergency situations occurring in the country in 2007, however, the awards were called off. Kiani also got nominated for Best Female Singer in the same awards.
, Punjabi
, Hindko, Pashto, Persian
, and many other dialects. One song in the album has vocals featured by her elder brother (and manager) Irfan Kiani. She has also collaborated with UK producer JKD(Jawad Hyder)& rapper NAS-T on two tracks of the album, "Sohnya" and "Dil Mera". She also sings a Pashto duet with Pashto singer Irfan Khan.
The first single of the album is "Sohnya". The official video of "Sohnya" was premiered a day before Kiani released the album. Since then the song+video has stayed on the Aag10 Charts for over a month thus Kiani received a Shield from Aag10 for being the Artist of the Month.
Within the next month Kiani released her second single off the album titled "Tuk Tuk". The video was directed in India by Sajan Agarwaal. This was Kiani's first video ever to be shot in India. Rightfully, the video communicates a strong Bollywood theme; Kiani told her fans of her Facebook site that the video was a Parody of "A Filmy Muhallaha".
The album has stayed Number One on the Vibes Charts of INSTEP Magazine for one year now consistently. At the end of 2009 Aasmaan was named the Best Album of 2009 according to sales volume, popularity and internet downloads.
Every single released from the album `Aasmaan' has reached number one.
"Sohnya" was number one AAG10 Charts for over a month and was titled the best Pop Song of 2009 according to The Nation.
"Tuk Tuk" has been Number One on UK's Prime Tv Charts.
"Az Chashme Saqi" has been Number One on PlayTv Charts for quite some time. At the end of 2009 it was declared the third best music video of 2009 according to Koolmuzone.
Then came February 2010, Kiani had collaborated with relatively unknown Pashto singer Irfan Khan for a remix of his song "Janan". The song has become Kiani's biggest hit till date and some say that it has even topped "Boohey Barian". "Janan" had reached over one million views on YouTube within a few months of its video debut. Janan was even mentioned in the Los Angeles Times
, it was the first Pakistani pop song to ever be mentioned in the newspaper. Kiani nailed the Pashto accent and has fully embraced the Pashto culture. Some Pakhtoons even started to call her Hadiqa Pathani, Kiani then started a massive trend in Pakistan of embracing Pashto culture, girls started to wear Pashto style dresses imitating Kiani's looks on the red carpet etc. The song broke barriers, Kiani being a Punjabi singing a Pashto song and appealing to not only Pakistani Pashto audiences, but to the world wide audience. "Janan" has brought Kiani back to an "Icon" status in Pakistan for the youth.
before moving to perform in the US. Her US tour covered 15 states and a show in Canada too. The same year Kiani performed on several other international events such as "Celebration Hong Kong 97", alongside other singers like Lisa Stansfield
, Wet Wet Wet
, Michael Learns to Rock
, All-4-One
and The Brand New Heavies. By the end of the year she became the first Asian female singer ever to be signed by Pepsi Cola International. She is also the second female in the world to achieve this, with the first being Gloria Estefan
.
Kiani did not release any single to promote Rung sales in 2005 and 2006. However, she continued to build on her success by touring heavily these years. Most of the time she was the official representative of Pakistan appointed by the government.
On 11 August 2005, Kiani performed in Nagoya for the Prime Minister of Japan Mr.Junichiro Koizumi
. Kiani was invited to perform in Toronto on 14 Aug 2005 by The Pakistani Consulate. She performed in Houston on 13 August 2005. The show was at Sam Houston Race Park, and it was attended by over 15000 people. Chief guest of the show was Sheila Jackson Lee
who is a member of the US House of Representatives. Kiani was asked to take out the lucky draws of PIA and she announced the names of the lucky winners. She then performed at the "Mets" in "Shea Stadium
" New York on 18 August 2005. She also performed at the Pakistan Day Parade in New York on 28 August 2005.
She performed in Malaysia on 2 October 2005 at the newly built Convention Centre in Kualalampur downtown. The Honorary Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr.Shaukat Aziz
was the chief guest of the show. The show was part of Expo 2005 in Malaysia. Important business and political personalities from both countries attended the show. She sang a Malay song, not a Pakistani song.
Kiani represented Pakistan on the 25th Anniversary of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) in Turkey
. Islamic Countries such as Azerbaijan
, U.A.E
, Iran, Qatar
, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon
, Egypt, Sudan
, Syria, Saudi Arabia
, Tanzania, Turkey
, Pakistan and Yemen
took part in the celebrations. The event was organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. She performed at the AKM concert Hall on 23 November 2005. Among the audience were musicians from various countries. The biggest surprise for the audience was when Kiani sang "Sanalama" (Turkish song of Living Legend "Sezanaksu"). She told the audience that as Turkey stood beside Pakistan in good and bad times, she wanted to convey the love of Pakistani people for the Turks. She also told that she visited Turkey as a child star in 80s and represented Pakistan in the International Children's Festival in Turkey so had beautiful childhood memories associated with Turkey. The audience gave her a standing ovation. At the end of her performance, The Mayor of Istanbul presented a bouquet of flowers to her. After her performance she received invitations for Pakistan
to participate in the upcoming Art festivals in various countries such as Iran
, Syria, Qatar
and Lebanon
. During her stay in Istanbul
she officially visited various historical sites in Turkey
and conveyed the love of Pakistan for Turkey. Her performance in Istanbul was important news in various Turkish News papers.
Kiani performed in China for the Chinese 2nd Premier on 21 Feb 2006. She performed for President George W.Bush on 4 March 2006. Commenting on her performance, Bush said he liked her accent and wanted her to perform in US. She performed for the Crown Prince
of Brunei
Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah
on 29 May 2006.
Kiani performed for Mrs.Laura Bush
on 21 September 2006 at The Kennedy Convention Centre, Washington, D.C.. She closed the year by performing for HRH Prince Charles on 30 October 2006, and the Chinese President on 23 November 2006.
On 23 March 2006, Kiani was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan, one of the highest civil awards of the country, in aknoledgement of her services in the field of music and for shining an encouraging light on the country for over a decade. The award was announced on 14 August 2005 but the ceremony was performed on 23 March of the next year.
called Pakistan
Idol
. The show itself has seen airing date delays due to the crisis in the country in the Winter of 2007 and is still in production. As of 1 August 2008 Geo TV
, announced that the show and its auditions have been put on hold until further notice. Kiani stated in a interview, "I am very excited to be a judge and hope I can fish out some incredible talent in Pakistan
!. In January 2009, Kiani joined the LG
music project and it was announced that she would judge a new musical talent show in Pakistan called "LG Awaaz Banay Star" alongside Salamat Ali and Nizar Lalani. With a successful first season run, Geo announced that the show was to close down, due to political reasons in the country.
". In this song, various Pakistan
i artists joined to send out a message that the stereotype of Pakistanis is not correct and that they oppose again Terrorism. The song also conveys an anti-terrorism sentiment in the music video and the campaign
which Kiani is heavely involved with. Other artists in the song are Haroon
, Ali Haider
, Ali Zafar
, Shafqat Amanat Ali
and Strings. The song has been picked up by international stations like Fox News and BBC
and has amassed over 70,000 downloads.
Kiani frequently appears in festivals, concerts and reality shows. Despite constant fame, Kiani keeps her personal life as "much as private it can get" and only talks about certain topics, usually involving music. Kiani has appeared on popular chat shows including AAJ TV's Bean Bag show, ATV
's A Morning with Farah show, Geo
's Brunch with Bushra and most recently on Good Morning Pakistan during Spring season 2010.
Kiani works with Edhi Foundation
and is involved with many charities, including Muslim Hands
. In August 2010, Kiani and her siblings worked with local Pakistanis to donate clothing, water, food and shelter
to the flood victims of Pakistan. Kiani also appeared in Geo Tv
's telethon Pukaar along with Pop star
Ali Zafar
to appeal for donations. In collaboration with Pakistan Army
, Kiani made visits to Multan Relief Camp
, Basti Kalraywala, Muzaffarabad
and other flood hit areas, personally distributing goods to the affectees. On 8 November 2010 Kiani was appointed the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
Goodwill ambassador. At the moment Hadiqa is busy helping construct housing facilities in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Nowshera is one of the worst flood hit areas in the country.
On June 2010, Kiani released the music video of "Be With You" from album Rough Cut on her website. The video features three models, searching for their true loves. The song was part of Kiani's first English language album, and won the PMTV Award for Best Music Video in September 2010.
In early 2010, Kiani announced that she began work on her sixth album, which she hopes to release in Summer 2011. Kiani also stated that she has been writing songs independently for the album and that the album would consist her of singing songs in Chinese, French and Spanish.
On 17 October 2010, Kiani released her first single for Pakistan Flood
's victims called "Aasmaan". It was an adaptation of Legendary Sezen Aksu
's song "Sanalama" and the video featured Kiani's visits to various flood hit areas. Hadiqa also joined an organisation called Superstars for Flood Relief later on, which aims to get Pakistani and International stars on board to help create awareness of the devastating floods and motivate more people to come forth and donate. Living legend Abida Parveen
has been part of this organisation since the very beginning. Other bands and stars like Strings
, Zeb and Haniya
, Laal
, Shafqat Amanat Ali
and Pop star
turned Nasheed singer Junaid Jamshed
have also joined the cause.
with her mother, Khawar, who has been paralyzed since 2006 and an adopted son, whom she named Naaday Ali, which means the qualities of Hazrat Ali
. Hadiqa has had a special liking for this name ever since she first heard it. Hadiqa adopted Naaday in 2005 from Edhi Home
, post-Earthquake. “I need a child and the child (needs) a mother,” she said when adopting the child. On the same day Kiani made an official announcement of the adoption on Geo News
political talk show, Capital Talk
. Later that year, Hadiqa got married to a UK based Afghani
Businessman, Syed Fareed Sarwary. Their Nikah
was a private event and only very close family members were present at the occasion. However, the marriage did not work out and in 2008 Hadiqa filed for divorce.
Kiani rose to fame in 1995 with her debut album Raaz
Raaz (album)
Raaz is Hadiqa Kiyani's first album. It was quite successful in the Pakistan pop industry.It was released in 1996. It has quite good pop songs and uses a new style to compose songs.Some of the songs that were hit like Raaz, Lang Aaja, Jane Jaan....
. Kiani received instant fame and was nominated and won numerous awards in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
as well as International awards. Since her debut, she has released five albums, all receiving similar fame. Kiani was named "Best Pop Female Singer" in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Her single, Jannan, was the fastest-selling single of 2009/2010 and her album Aasmaan achieved similar success. In 2009, Kiani became a judge on Pakistani reality television shows Pakistan Idol and LG Awaaz Banay Star.
Early life
Kiani was born in RawalpindiRawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, Pakistan and grew up in Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
. She is the third of three children to Khawar, a principal of a local government girls school. When she was three years old, her father died from natural causes, and thus the family were left to fend for themselves. Kiani has spoken about the difficult experiences of not having a relationship with a father during her childhood. Her mother, was nevertheless, very brave throughout their upbringing, she added. Khawar began working as the principal of a government all-girl school while Kiani and her older siblings were growing up. After her father's death and the resulting loss of financial support, the family had to use the school as a temporary home. Kiani and both her siblings had a talent for music, and so her mother enlisted her in the Pakistan National Council of the Arts. Kiani then performed in front of a crowd of a thousand people at Liaqat Memorial Pindi Hall.
At an early age, she began showing an interest in singing and music. Whilst living in Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi
Rawalpindi , locally known as Pindi, is a city in the Pothohar region of Pakistan near Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. Rawalpindi is the fourth largest city in Pakistan after Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad...
, she went on to study at Viqar-un-Nisa Noon Girls High School Pindi. She represented Pakistan in International Children Festivals in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Jordan, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, winning various medals along the way. She also used to be on Sohail Rana's Rang Barangi Dunya; a weekly musical show for children. Kiani thanked her family for being supportive in her singing career, citing them as "patient and enthusiastic with a heart of gold".
The family moved to Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
when she was in eighth grade. She enrolled at Kinnaird College
Kinnaird College
Kinnaird College for Women is a college in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is partially semi- government institute recognized by the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan.-Early history:...
and due to her exceptional academic performance, she earned a Masters degree in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. Kiani still dreamed to become an singer, and signed on to Lips Records in 1994.
1995: debut album Raaz
Kiani began recording her debut album in late 1994. The album titled RaazRaaz (album)
Raaz is Hadiqa Kiyani's first album. It was quite successful in the Pakistan pop industry.It was released in 1996. It has quite good pop songs and uses a new style to compose songs.Some of the songs that were hit like Raaz, Lang Aaja, Jane Jaan....
was released in mid-1995. Kiani had written, composed and produced most songs for the album whilst recording in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
Studios. The first single of the album Jeevan
Jeevan
Jeevan is a Tamil film actor.-Biography:He graduated from the St. Bede's School in Chennai. One of his classmates was actor Surya Sivakumar.-Career:...
, for which she penned the lyrics, was released alongside the album. The album spawned a string of radio tunes and generally had positive reviews. Kiani set the record of becoming the second female singer after legendary Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i pop singer Nazia Hassan
Nazia Hassan
Nazia Hassan was an iconic Pakistani pop singer. Her song "Aap Jaisa Koi" from the Indian film Qurbani made her a legend and pop icon in Pakistan and all of South Asia in the 1980s, where she is admired and loved even today, years after her death...
to join Pakistan music industry and recognize and portray an image of pop music around Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. The success of Raaz was highlighted by being mentioned in an article which recapitulated the major events in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
's music history. After two years, the album had sold over 700,000 copies, domestically, whilst gathering over 1 million copies worldwide. Kiani released her second single Yaad
Yaad
Yaad is a hit Indian pop album by Sonu Niigaam, then credited as Sonu Nigam, released on 5 February 2001, almost a year after his previous album Jaan. It was produced by Gulshan Kumar's T-Series...
, following the success of her first single. The single was well-received, though was not a seller, unlike her first single. She released four more singles, neither benefiting her album.
1998: second album Roshni
Kiani's third single off the album, "Dupatta
Dupatta
Dupatta Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) Dupatta(Urdu: دوپٹا, Hindi: दुपट्टा, Bengali: ওড়না, Sindhi: پوتي, Tamil:துப்பட்ட) (alternative names include chadar (in Pakistan), orni/odhni, chunri, chunni, orna, and pacheri, is a long,...
" was an instant success. Its video was inspired by the sci-fi film The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
and was the highest-budget video in Pakistan in 1999. "Dupatta" also gained more popularity than any other single Kiani had released before from her debut single. The song is also listed in the Twenty Best Pop Songs Ever for Pakistan, where it is positioned at #15. The success of the song was attributed to its quasi-bhangra rhythm with fat, funky techno beats and Kiani’s "dreamy-meets-husky vocals" which made the results "stunning". In the wake of Dupatta's success Kiani soon went on to be widely accepted as the country's leading female vocalist.
Capitalizing on "Dupatta's" success, Kiani went on to release two other moderate hits, "Roshni" and "Woh Kaun Hai". She then delivered once again by releasing a sixth single off the album, "Boohey Barian" which went on to become an even bigger hit for her than "Dupatta".
Kiani's massive success in 1999 was highlighted when she won PTV World Viewer's Choice Award for the best female singer in 2000... She also released a seventh single off the album, "Intezaar".
`Roshni' sold over a million copies in Pakistan alone. Kiani's image also became a signature look in cities like Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. The album is listed in "The 20 Best Local Pop Albums Ever" for the country, positioned at #15. Kiani is just one of two female singers in the entire list. The other one is Nazia Hassan
Nazia Hassan
Nazia Hassan was an iconic Pakistani pop singer. Her song "Aap Jaisa Koi" from the Indian film Qurbani made her a legend and pop icon in Pakistan and all of South Asia in the 1980s, where she is admired and loved even today, years after her death...
. The review stated
This is the album with which Hadiqa finally overcame her reputation of being a folksy Nazia Hassan imitator. Glided across various different genres in a single album, from millennium techno to crisp FM Pop and the usual Folk-Pop thing. The brilliant production continues to be the highlight here.
In another list called "The 10 Best Local Pop Albums...ever" Roshni was placed at number 9. The review also highlighted Hadiqa's status rise by stating
However, on the excellent and crisply produced "Roshni", not only did Hadiqa manage to ultimately become the next Nazia, but the way she so effortlessly glided through the many distinct genres she explores on "Roshni" (from Neo-Filmi-Pop to FM-Pop to Techno), elevated her status to being one of the post-modern Indo-Pak pop scene's leading "pop diva".
Kiani's success got her signed by "UniLever" for celebrity endorsement of Lipton Yellow Label in 2001. In 2002, she was signed again by "UniLever" for Sunsilk Shampoo. Throughout 2001 and 2002, she performed live concerts in US, Canada, UK, Middle East, Far East, Australia, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Greece, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
and Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on multiple occasions.
2002: third album Rung
Kiani released her third album RungRung (album)
Rung is an album released by the Pakistani pop singer, Hadiqa Kiyani. It was released in 2002 and gained much populaity. Songs such as "Jogi Bun Kay Aa", "Ranjhan", "Dohlan" and "Yaad Sajan" went on to become some of the most successful songs in the industry.-Track listing:#"Yaad Sajan"#"Jogi Bun...
(Colors) in September 2002, for which she'd chosen the album title herself. Prior to Rung's release, Kiani sang an OST for a drama called Cheray. The song also made the final listing on Rung.
The first single released from Rung was "Yaad Sajan". The song helped the album sales propel throughout September and August 2002 and was an instant hit. It did not however make it as big as "Dupatta" or "Boohey Barian", but generally got great appreciation.
Where Kiani released multiple videos for her previous albums within months after the album release, she did not do so with Rung because of a personal crisis in her life. Her marriage was seeing problems. Issues with her marriage saw her being removed from the spotlight for the rest of 2002, and early 2003. Rung's sales slowly declined since no other single had been released. Her divorce was finalized in March 2003. She decided to take a few months off from her music career then. As a result, Rung's sales seemed stalled.
She returned to promote the album in June 2003, almost 10 months after she'd released "Yaad Sajan" with a new single "Ranjhan" and several stage performances and tours around the country. She then released other singles off the album throughout 2003 and 2004. These included "Jogi Bun Kay Aa", "Mahi", and "Dholan".
Her newer singles saw her videos seeing a drastic improvement in standard and concept. In "Jogi Bun Kay Aa" Kiani plays various roles of women, including a traditional Japanese, an Arab, and a tribal woman. She played the role of a vampire in her video for "Mahi". The video was also sending the message to not judge people of different faiths and casts, and to not stereotype. It was the highest budgeting video of the year 2003. Despite the setback from her divorce, Kiani's album sales picked up through 2003 and 2004. In 2004, she received the Best Female Pop Singer Award by Indus Music, the first 24 hour music channel of Pakistan. Asim Raza won an award for best video for directing her video Mahi.
Rung got mixed reviews from experts. Overall it did not capitalize on the momentum she generated by Roshni. Many argue that this is because Rung has more mature slow paced ballads than Roshni, while some say the turmoils of her personal life. However Kiani still remained a strong figure in the industry, despite the setback. Her name was mentioned in a list called "Pakistani Pop's 10 most Influential Acts Ever", where she positioned at number 9. She is also one of just 2 female singers in the list, with the other being Nazia Hassan
Nazia Hassan
Nazia Hassan was an iconic Pakistani pop singer. Her song "Aap Jaisa Koi" from the Indian film Qurbani made her a legend and pop icon in Pakistan and all of South Asia in the 1980s, where she is admired and loved even today, years after her death...
. A UK based Magazine declared Kiani as the 22nd greatest music maker of South Asia out of Top 50, also mentioning on how she raised the standard of music videos in the country.
2006: single Mehr Ma
Kiani began working on a single-song project with UK based producer Khiza on his album Loyal To The GameLoyal to the Game
Sample credits* "Ghetto Gospel" contains a sample of "Indian Sunset" by Elton John* "Don't You Trust Me?" contains a sample of "Do You Have a Little Time" by Dido-Reception:...
, in 2006. The lead single Mehr Ma
Mehr Ma
"Mehr Ma", which means "companion" in English, is a new single from Hadiqa Kiyani's upcoming album. This song is getting a huge airplay on radio, TV and internet.-Video:...
featured Kiani's vocals. She also appeared in the music video directed by Sohail Jawed. The song was a massive success in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, and was seen as a great turn for Kiani after her ballads in Rung
Rung (album)
Rung is an album released by the Pakistani pop singer, Hadiqa Kiyani. It was released in 2002 and gained much populaity. Songs such as "Jogi Bun Kay Aa", "Ranjhan", "Dohlan" and "Yaad Sajan" went on to become some of the most successful songs in the industry.-Track listing:#"Yaad Sajan"#"Jogi Bun...
. Kiani performed the single at Lux Style Award's and was considered the best performer of the night in reviews. The success of the single reached to a point, that it succeeded her successful single Boohey Barian in mid-2009.
2007: fourth album Rough Cut
In 2007, Kiani released her fourth studio album, Rough Cut, a collaboration with Aamir ZakiAamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki is a notable Pakistani prolific guitar player, playing jazz, blues, classical, rock and alternative rock.Beginnings...
. The album had seen frequent delays in its release both due to Kiani's busy schedule in 2005 and 2006 and because Zaki had moved to Canada while the album was being recorded. With the release of `Rough Cut', Kiani became the first mainstream Pakistani artist to release a complete English Album. It is also her only album thus far which her website has officially put up for sale online.
In April 2007 Kiani released the first single for the album, titled "Living This Lie", a song which talks about the stressful life of being a star. The same week, Kiani was named "Hotstepper of the week" for a Karachi-based magazine. The magazine also stated that ultimately, as long as Kiani is around, there is still hope for women in the patriarchal music world of Pakistan.
Kiani's second single that was released from the album is titled "All The Same
All The Same
"All the Same" is a song by Sick Puppies.All the Same may also refer to:* "All the Same", a song by Joshua Homme, Nick Oliveri, and Brad Wilk from The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys soundtrack...
". Rough Cut failed to perform on the charts and did not sell as much as Kiani's older works. Many experts have said that since an overwhelming majority of people in the country do not understand English the album did not sell as well. It has not yet been confirmed whether Kiani will release a third single from the album. However, there are rumors that the track "City of Fallen Angels
City of Fallen Angels
City of Fallen Angels is the fourth book in the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. The series was meant to end with City of Glass, but it was announced that in March 2010 that a fourth book would be added. The book was released on April 5, 2011...
" will get a video release in which Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
will be the city referred to in the song.
The single titled "Living This Lie" got nominated for "Best English Song" for "The Musik Awards" in 2007. Due to the emergency situations occurring in the country in 2007, however, the awards were called off. Kiani also got nominated for Best Female Singer in the same awards.
2009: fifth album Aasmaan
In June 2009, Kiani switched record labels to Fire Records and released a new album titled "Aasmaan" (translated: sky) on 17 June 2009. It is Kiani's first album in local languages since her release of "Rung" back in 2002. In the album, she sings in UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
, Punjabi
Punjabi language
Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...
, Hindko, Pashto, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, and many other dialects. One song in the album has vocals featured by her elder brother (and manager) Irfan Kiani. She has also collaborated with UK producer JKD(Jawad Hyder)& rapper NAS-T on two tracks of the album, "Sohnya" and "Dil Mera". She also sings a Pashto duet with Pashto singer Irfan Khan.
The first single of the album is "Sohnya". The official video of "Sohnya" was premiered a day before Kiani released the album. Since then the song+video has stayed on the Aag10 Charts for over a month thus Kiani received a Shield from Aag10 for being the Artist of the Month.
Within the next month Kiani released her second single off the album titled "Tuk Tuk". The video was directed in India by Sajan Agarwaal. This was Kiani's first video ever to be shot in India. Rightfully, the video communicates a strong Bollywood theme; Kiani told her fans of her Facebook site that the video was a Parody of "A Filmy Muhallaha".
The album has stayed Number One on the Vibes Charts of INSTEP Magazine for one year now consistently. At the end of 2009 Aasmaan was named the Best Album of 2009 according to sales volume, popularity and internet downloads.
Every single released from the album `Aasmaan' has reached number one.
"Sohnya" was number one AAG10 Charts for over a month and was titled the best Pop Song of 2009 according to The Nation.
"Tuk Tuk" has been Number One on UK's Prime Tv Charts.
"Az Chashme Saqi" has been Number One on PlayTv Charts for quite some time. At the end of 2009 it was declared the third best music video of 2009 according to Koolmuzone.
Then came February 2010, Kiani had collaborated with relatively unknown Pashto singer Irfan Khan for a remix of his song "Janan". The song has become Kiani's biggest hit till date and some say that it has even topped "Boohey Barian". "Janan" had reached over one million views on YouTube within a few months of its video debut. Janan was even mentioned in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
, it was the first Pakistani pop song to ever be mentioned in the newspaper. Kiani nailed the Pashto accent and has fully embraced the Pashto culture. Some Pakhtoons even started to call her Hadiqa Pathani, Kiani then started a massive trend in Pakistan of embracing Pashto culture, girls started to wear Pashto style dresses imitating Kiani's looks on the red carpet etc. The song broke barriers, Kiani being a Punjabi singing a Pashto song and appealing to not only Pakistani Pashto audiences, but to the world wide audience. "Janan" has brought Kiani back to an "Icon" status in Pakistan for the youth.
Worldwide performances and awards
Her increasing popularity was further highlighted in 1997 when Kiani became the first Asian singer ever to perform on the British National Lottery Live BBC1 (estimated viewership 16.6 million). Later on she worked on two more shows with Bally Sagoo for BBC 2 and ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
before moving to perform in the US. Her US tour covered 15 states and a show in Canada too. The same year Kiani performed on several other international events such as "Celebration Hong Kong 97", alongside other singers like Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield
Lisa Stansfield is an English singer and songwriter.-Early years:Stansfield was born to Marion and Keith Stansfield in Heywood, Lancashire, in England, where she attended Redbrook School, Rochdale. Her first television appearance was on a talent programme in the Granada TV area in 1982...
, Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet
Wet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell...
, Michael Learns to Rock
Michael Learns to Rock
Michael Learns to Rock are a Danish pop-soft rock band that performs songs in English. Formed in 1988, the band has sold over 11 million records worldwide, mainly in Asia, and in addition, another 6 million or more paid downloads for their single "Take Me To Your Heart" which was awarded "Most...
, All-4-One
All-4-One
All-4-One is a male R&B/pop group best known for their cover hit single "I Swear" from their self-titled 1994 debut album. The group comprises Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from the Antelope Valley and Mojave, California areas, but are based in the Los Angeles...
and The Brand New Heavies. By the end of the year she became the first Asian female singer ever to be signed by Pepsi Cola International. She is also the second female in the world to achieve this, with the first being Gloria Estefan
Gloria Estefan
Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García de Estefan; known professionally as Gloria Estefan is a Cuban-born American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known as the "Queen Of Latin Pop", she is in the top 100 best selling music artists with over 100 million albums sold worldwide, 31.5 million of those...
.
Kiani did not release any single to promote Rung sales in 2005 and 2006. However, she continued to build on her success by touring heavily these years. Most of the time she was the official representative of Pakistan appointed by the government.
On 11 August 2005, Kiani performed in Nagoya for the Prime Minister of Japan Mr.Junichiro Koizumi
Junichiro Koizumi
is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics when his term in parliament ended.Widely seen as a maverick leader of the Liberal Democratic Party , he became known as an economic reformer, focusing on Japan's government debt and the...
. Kiani was invited to perform in Toronto on 14 Aug 2005 by The Pakistani Consulate. She performed in Houston on 13 August 2005. The show was at Sam Houston Race Park, and it was attended by over 15000 people. Chief guest of the show was Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee
Sheila Jackson Lee is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1995. The district includes most of inner-city Houston. She is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life and education:...
who is a member of the US House of Representatives. Kiani was asked to take out the lucky draws of PIA and she announced the names of the lucky winners. She then performed at the "Mets" in "Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
" New York on 18 August 2005. She also performed at the Pakistan Day Parade in New York on 28 August 2005.
She performed in Malaysia on 2 October 2005 at the newly built Convention Centre in Kualalampur downtown. The Honorary Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr.Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz
Shaukat Aziz is a world acclaimed Pakistani economist who was the 15th Prime Minister of Pakistan from May 20, 2004 to 15 November 2007 in a joint military government led by General Pervez Musharraf. A Citibank executive, Aziz returned to Pakistan from the United States to be became Finance...
was the chief guest of the show. The show was part of Expo 2005 in Malaysia. Important business and political personalities from both countries attended the show. She sang a Malay song, not a Pakistani song.
Kiani represented Pakistan on the 25th Anniversary of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture (IRCICA) in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. Islamic Countries such as Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
, U.A.E
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, Iran, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Kuwait, Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, Egypt, Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, Syria, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, Tanzania, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, Pakistan and Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
took part in the celebrations. The event was organized by Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. She performed at the AKM concert Hall on 23 November 2005. Among the audience were musicians from various countries. The biggest surprise for the audience was when Kiani sang "Sanalama" (Turkish song of Living Legend "Sezanaksu"). She told the audience that as Turkey stood beside Pakistan in good and bad times, she wanted to convey the love of Pakistani people for the Turks. She also told that she visited Turkey as a child star in 80s and represented Pakistan in the International Children's Festival in Turkey so had beautiful childhood memories associated with Turkey. The audience gave her a standing ovation. At the end of her performance, The Mayor of Istanbul presented a bouquet of flowers to her. After her performance she received invitations for Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to participate in the upcoming Art festivals in various countries such as Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, Syria, Qatar
Qatar
Qatar , also known as the State of Qatar or locally Dawlat Qaṭar, is a sovereign Arab state, located in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the much larger Arabian Peninsula. Its sole land border is with Saudi Arabia to the south, with the rest of its...
and Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
. During her stay in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
she officially visited various historical sites in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and conveyed the love of Pakistan for Turkey. Her performance in Istanbul was important news in various Turkish News papers.
Kiani performed in China for the Chinese 2nd Premier on 21 Feb 2006. She performed for President George W.Bush on 4 March 2006. Commenting on her performance, Bush said he liked her accent and wanted her to perform in US. She performed for the Crown Prince
Crown Prince
A crown prince or crown princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The wife of a crown prince is also titled crown princess....
of Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah
Al-Muhtadee Billah Bolkiah
Al-Muhtadee Billah, GCVO is the first born son and heir to the Sultan of Brunei. He is the son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Queen Saleha.-Biography:...
on 29 May 2006.
Kiani performed for Mrs.Laura Bush
Laura Bush
Laura Lane Welch Bush is the wife of the 43rd President of the United States, George W. Bush. She was the First Lady of the United States from January 20, 2001, to January 20, 2009. She has held a love of books and reading since childhood and her life and education have reflected that interest...
on 21 September 2006 at The Kennedy Convention Centre, Washington, D.C.. She closed the year by performing for HRH Prince Charles on 30 October 2006, and the Chinese President on 23 November 2006.
On 23 March 2006, Kiani was awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan, one of the highest civil awards of the country, in aknoledgement of her services in the field of music and for shining an encouraging light on the country for over a decade. The award was announced on 14 August 2005 but the ceremony was performed on 23 March of the next year.
Pakistan Idol and television work
Kiani will appear as a judge on an upcoming TV show on Geo TVGeo TV
Geo TV or Geo Television is a Pakistani television network, founded by Mr. Mir Shakil ur Rehman in May 2002 and owned by Independent Media Corporation. The channel began test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning 1 October 2002...
called Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
Idol
Idol series
The British talent search television series Pop Idol has spawned spin-offs in 42 territories, in what is now referred to as the "Idols" format, as described by FremantleMedia...
. The show itself has seen airing date delays due to the crisis in the country in the Winter of 2007 and is still in production. As of 1 August 2008 Geo TV
Geo TV
Geo TV or Geo Television is a Pakistani television network, founded by Mr. Mir Shakil ur Rehman in May 2002 and owned by Independent Media Corporation. The channel began test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning 1 October 2002...
, announced that the show and its auditions have been put on hold until further notice. Kiani stated in a interview, "I am very excited to be a judge and hope I can fish out some incredible talent in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
!. In January 2009, Kiani joined the LG
LG
LG may refer to:*LG Corp., a South Korean electronics and petrochemicals conglomerate*LG Electronics, an affiliate of the South Korean LG Group which produces electronic products* Lawrence Graham, a London headquartered firm of business lawyers...
music project and it was announced that she would judge a new musical talent show in Pakistan called "LG Awaaz Banay Star" alongside Salamat Ali and Nizar Lalani. With a successful first season run, Geo announced that the show was to close down, due to political reasons in the country.
Other work
In March 2007, Kiani was one of the many artists featured in a widely popular track called "Yeh Hum NaheenYeh hum naheen
Yeh Hum Naheen is a movement started against terrorism across the world...
". In this song, various Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
i artists joined to send out a message that the stereotype of Pakistanis is not correct and that they oppose again Terrorism. The song also conveys an anti-terrorism sentiment in the music video and the campaign
Advocacy
Advocacy is a political process by an individual or a large group which normally aims to influence public-policy and resource allocation decisions within political, economic, and social systems and institutions; it may be motivated from moral, ethical or faith principles or simply to protect an...
which Kiani is heavely involved with. Other artists in the song are Haroon
Haroon (singer)
Haroon Rashid , popularly known as Haroon is a British-Pakistani pop singer, composer, musician and producer...
, Ali Haider
Ali Haider
Ali Haider is a former Pakistani singer and actor. He has had numerous hits in the early 90s such as Poorani Jeans. He also had a big hit later in the 1990s with Chand Sa Mukhra. Besides singing, he has acted in numerous TV serials on PTV. Among the successful dramas was Chand Sa Mukhra, which...
, Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar is a Pakistani musician, composer, song writer, singer, actor, painter and model, popular in Pakistan for his music, including his hit songs like "Channo", "Rangeen", "Chal Dil Merey", "Dekha", "Masty" and "Sajania"...
, Shafqat Amanat Ali
Shafqat Amanat Ali
Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan is a Pakistani classical singer belonging to Patiala Gharana lineage. He is the youngest brother of the late Asad Amanat Ali Khan. He was the lead vocalist of the Pakistani rock band Fuzön...
and Strings. The song has been picked up by international stations like Fox News and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and has amassed over 70,000 downloads.
Kiani frequently appears in festivals, concerts and reality shows. Despite constant fame, Kiani keeps her personal life as "much as private it can get" and only talks about certain topics, usually involving music. Kiani has appeared on popular chat shows including AAJ TV's Bean Bag show, ATV
ATV (Pakistan)
ATV is the largest privately operated terrestrial television network in Pakistan having the 2nd largest national viewer ship base in the country. The channel was launched on May 01, 2005.-Channel Profile:...
's A Morning with Farah show, Geo
Geo TV
Geo TV or Geo Television is a Pakistani television network, founded by Mr. Mir Shakil ur Rehman in May 2002 and owned by Independent Media Corporation. The channel began test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning 1 October 2002...
's Brunch with Bushra and most recently on Good Morning Pakistan during Spring season 2010.
Kiani works with Edhi Foundation
Edhi Foundation
The Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare program in Pakistan, founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951.Edhi is the head of the organization and his wife Bilquis, a nurse, oversees the maternity and adoption services of the foundation. Its headquarters are in Karachi, Pakistan.The Edhi...
and is involved with many charities, including Muslim Hands
Muslim Hands
Muslim Hands - United for the Needy is an international NGO working in over forty countries worldwide to help those affected by natural disasters, conflict and poverty. The organisation was established in 1993 in Nottingham, UK...
. In August 2010, Kiani and her siblings worked with local Pakistanis to donate clothing, water, food and shelter
Structure
Structure is a fundamental, tangible or intangible notion referring to the recognition, observation, nature, and permanence of patterns and relationships of entities. This notion may itself be an object, such as a built structure, or an attribute, such as the structure of society...
to the flood victims of Pakistan. Kiani also appeared in Geo Tv
Geo TV
Geo TV or Geo Television is a Pakistani television network, founded by Mr. Mir Shakil ur Rehman in May 2002 and owned by Independent Media Corporation. The channel began test transmission on 14 August 2002, with regular transmission beginning 1 October 2002...
's telethon Pukaar along with Pop star
Pop Star
"Pop Star" is a 2005 single from Japanese singer Ken Hirai. The single went on to top the 2005 Oricon Charts and is known for its remarkable music video, featuring Ken in seven different personas, including a raccoon and his own manager. The Video also helped Ken break into the US and Canadian...
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar is a Pakistani musician, composer, song writer, singer, actor, painter and model, popular in Pakistan for his music, including his hit songs like "Channo", "Rangeen", "Chal Dil Merey", "Dekha", "Masty" and "Sajania"...
to appeal for donations. In collaboration with Pakistan Army
Pakistan Army
The Pakistan Army is the branch of the Pakistani Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The Pakistan Army came into existence after the Partition of India and the resulting independence of Pakistan in 1947. It is currently headed by General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. The Pakistan...
, Kiani made visits to Multan Relief Camp
Multan
Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...
, Basti Kalraywala, Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad
Muzaffarabad is the capital of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, Pakistan. It is located in Muzaffarabad District on the banks of the Jhelum and Neelum rivers...
and other flood hit areas, personally distributing goods to the affectees. On 8 November 2010 Kiani was appointed the United Nations Development Program (UNDP)
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
Goodwill ambassador. At the moment Hadiqa is busy helping construct housing facilities in Nowshera, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Nowshera is one of the worst flood hit areas in the country.
2010–present
In April, Kiani did a photoshoot for Gul Ahmed's 2010 Summer Collection Chairman Latha with son Naaday Ali. Naaday was seen playing plastic drums with mum Hadiqa.On June 2010, Kiani released the music video of "Be With You" from album Rough Cut on her website. The video features three models, searching for their true loves. The song was part of Kiani's first English language album, and won the PMTV Award for Best Music Video in September 2010.
In early 2010, Kiani announced that she began work on her sixth album, which she hopes to release in Summer 2011. Kiani also stated that she has been writing songs independently for the album and that the album would consist her of singing songs in Chinese, French and Spanish.
On 17 October 2010, Kiani released her first single for Pakistan Flood
2010 Pakistan floods
The 2010 Pakistan floods began in late July 2010, resulting from heavy monsoon rains in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan regions of Pakistan and affected the Indus River basin. Approximately one-fifth of Pakistan's total land area was underwater, approximately...
's victims called "Aasmaan". It was an adaptation of Legendary Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu
Sezen Aksu is a Turkish pop music singer, song-writer and producer who sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Her nicknames include the "Queen of Turkish Pop" and Minik Serçe ....
's song "Sanalama" and the video featured Kiani's visits to various flood hit areas. Hadiqa also joined an organisation called Superstars for Flood Relief later on, which aims to get Pakistani and International stars on board to help create awareness of the devastating floods and motivate more people to come forth and donate. Living legend Abida Parveen
Abida Parveen
Abida Parveen , is a Pakistani singer of Sindhi descent and one of the foremost exponents of Sufi music . She sings mainly ghazals, Urdu love songs, and her forte, Kafis, a solo genre accompanied by percussion and harmonium, using a repertoire of songs by Sufi poets...
has been part of this organisation since the very beginning. Other bands and stars like Strings
Strings (band)
Strings are an internationally acclaimed pop rock band comprising two members from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The band was initially formed by four college students, Bilal Maqsood , Faisal Kapadia , Rafiq Wazir Ali and Kareem Bashir Bhoy in 1988...
, Zeb and Haniya
Zeb and Haniya
Zeb and Haniya is a pop group from Kohat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The duo's songs are mostly in Urdu, but some lyrics are also in Pashto, Persian and Turkish...
, Laal
Laal (band)
Laal is a musical band from Pakistan known for singing socialist political songs, especially on the poetry written by leftist Urdu poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Habib Jalib...
, Shafqat Amanat Ali
Shafqat Amanat Ali
Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan is a Pakistani classical singer belonging to Patiala Gharana lineage. He is the youngest brother of the late Asad Amanat Ali Khan. He was the lead vocalist of the Pakistani rock band Fuzön...
and Pop star
Pop Star
"Pop Star" is a 2005 single from Japanese singer Ken Hirai. The single went on to top the 2005 Oricon Charts and is known for its remarkable music video, featuring Ken in seven different personas, including a raccoon and his own manager. The Video also helped Ken break into the US and Canadian...
turned Nasheed singer Junaid Jamshed
Junaid Jamshed
Junaid Jamshed is a Pakistani recording artist who gained fame as the frontman of the pop group, Vital Signs in 1987 with the hit song, "Dil Dil Pakistan", and remained in demand throughout the 1990s...
have also joined the cause.
Personal life
Kiani is single and resides in PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
with her mother, Khawar, who has been paralyzed since 2006 and an adopted son, whom she named Naaday Ali, which means the qualities of Hazrat Ali
Ali
' |Ramaḍān]], 40 AH; approximately October 23, 598 or 600 or March 17, 599 – January 27, 661).His father's name was Abu Talib. Ali was also the cousin and son-in-law of the Islamic prophet Muhammad, and ruled over the Islamic Caliphate from 656 to 661, and was the first male convert to Islam...
. Hadiqa has had a special liking for this name ever since she first heard it. Hadiqa adopted Naaday in 2005 from Edhi Home
Edhi Foundation
The Edhi Foundation is a non-profit social welfare program in Pakistan, founded by Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1951.Edhi is the head of the organization and his wife Bilquis, a nurse, oversees the maternity and adoption services of the foundation. Its headquarters are in Karachi, Pakistan.The Edhi...
, post-Earthquake. “I need a child and the child (needs) a mother,” she said when adopting the child. On the same day Kiani made an official announcement of the adoption on Geo News
GEO News
Geo News is a Karachi-based Pakistani news channel, fully owned and operated by Jang Group. The channel started its broadcasting in November 2005 and has millions of Urdu-language viewers around the world.- Popular Shows :...
political talk show, Capital Talk
Capital Talk
Capital Talk is a popular current events debate television program hosted by Hamid Mir that airs on GEO News.From its website: As Pakistan is a country where with advent of new day we see a new political development so it brings into forefront those political developments in such a manner so that...
. Later that year, Hadiqa got married to a UK based Afghani
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
Businessman, Syed Fareed Sarwary. Their Nikah
Nikah
Marriage in Islam is an Islamic prenuptial contract between a man and woman to live as husband and wife. It is a formal, binding contract considered integral to a religiously valid Islamic marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the groom and bride involved in marriage proceedings...
was a private event and only very close family members were present at the occasion. However, the marriage did not work out and in 2008 Hadiqa filed for divorce.
Discography
- RaazRaaz (album)Raaz is Hadiqa Kiyani's first album. It was quite successful in the Pakistan pop industry.It was released in 1996. It has quite good pop songs and uses a new style to compose songs.Some of the songs that were hit like Raaz, Lang Aaja, Jane Jaan....
– Released in 1995. - RoshniRoshni (album)Roshni is a music album released by Pakistani pop singer Hadiqa Kiyani. It was released in 1999 and was very successful in the music industry worldwide...
– Released in 1998. - RungRung (album)Rung is an album released by the Pakistani pop singer, Hadiqa Kiyani. It was released in 2002 and gained much populaity. Songs such as "Jogi Bun Kay Aa", "Ranjhan", "Dohlan" and "Yaad Sajan" went on to become some of the most successful songs in the industry.-Track listing:#"Yaad Sajan"#"Jogi Bun...
– Released in 2002. - Rough CutRough CutRough Cut is a 1980 American heist film directed by Don Siegel. The screenplay was written by Larry Gelbart, based upon the novel by Derek Lambert.-Plot:...
– Released in 2007. - AasmaanAasmaanAasmaan is a 1984 Bollywood movie starting Rajiv Kapoor, Tina Munim, and Mala Sinha. It was directed by Tony Juneja....
– Released in June 2009.
OSTs (official soundtracks)
| Title | Album | Other notes |
|---|---|---|
| "Cheray" | Rung | Drama aired on PTV Pakistan Television Corporation The Pakistan Television Corporation is Pakistan's national television broadcaster. The first live transmission of PTV began on November 26, 1964, in Lahore... |
| "Aas Paas" | (none) | Duet with Atif Aslam Atif Aslam Atif Aslam is a Pakistani pop singer. He is widely recognized in South Asia and has given several hit songs such as Aadat, Woh Lamhe, Tere Bin, Bakhuda Tumhi Ho, Pehli Nazar Mein, Tera Hone Laga Hoon, Tu Jaane Na, Tere Liye. He is one of the most popular South Asian celebrity on Facebook with... , drama aired on Hum TV Hum TV Hum TV is a 24-hour Pakistani entertainment TV channel based in Karachi. It is the first brand of Eye Television Network Limited, Pakistan. Hum TV began its transmission on January 17, 2005.-Serials:* Manay Na Ye Dil * Akhri Barish... |
| "Lamha Gulab Sa" | (none) | Duet with Ahmed Jehanzeb Ahmed Jahanzeb Ahmed Jahanzeb Usmani is a Pakistani pop singer and composer. Famously known as AJ, he was born in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Jahanzeb is one of the few singers of the country, who have been trained in classical music and that is why he mostly sings soul stirring slow songs... , drama aired on Hum TV Hum TV Hum TV is a 24-hour Pakistani entertainment TV channel based in Karachi. It is the first brand of Eye Television Network Limited, Pakistan. Hum TV began its transmission on January 17, 2005.-Serials:* Manay Na Ye Dil * Akhri Barish... |
| "Tum Meray Ho" | (none) | Drama aired on Hum TV Hum TV Hum TV is a 24-hour Pakistani entertainment TV channel based in Karachi. It is the first brand of Eye Television Network Limited, Pakistan. Hum TV began its transmission on January 17, 2005.-Serials:* Manay Na Ye Dil * Akhri Barish... |
| "Hona Tha Pyar" | Bol Soundtrack | Duet with Atif Aslam |
| "Kaho" | Bol Soundtrack | Duet with Atif Aslam |
| "Bol" (theme) | Bol Soundtrack | |
| "Dil Janiya" | Bol Soundtrack |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award-giving body | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | NTM Network Television Marketing NTM - A former Shalimar Television Network ChannelThe Network Television Marketing was Pakistan's first ever private sector Television Channel. NTM had started its transmission in 1990 under a 3-year agreement with Shalimar Recording & Broadcasting Company . NTM succeeded in acquiring much... Awards |
Best Female Singer | |
| 2000 | PTV Pakistan Television Corporation The Pakistan Television Corporation is Pakistan's national television broadcaster. The first live transmission of PTV began on November 26, 1964, in Lahore... Awards |
Best Female Singer | |
| 2004 | Indus Music Indus Media Group Indus Media Group is Pakistani company broadcasting a mix of free-to-air news and entertainment channels via satellite.IMG owns and operates the INDUS brand of television channels in various global markets.-Company:... Awards |
Best Female Pop Singer | |
| 2005 | Indus Music Indus Media Group Indus Media Group is Pakistani company broadcasting a mix of free-to-air news and entertainment channels via satellite.IMG owns and operates the INDUS brand of television channels in various global markets.-Company:... Awards |
Best Female Pop Singer | |
| 2006 | Government of Pakistan Government of Pakistan The Government of Pakistan is a federal parliamentary system, with an indirectly-elected President as the Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Pakistani Armed Forces, and an indirectly-elected Prime Minister as the Head of Government. The President’s appointment and term are... |
Tamgha-e-Imtiaz (Medal of Distinction) | Awarded |
| 2009 | AAG TV AAG TV AAG TV is a youth entertainment channel in Pakistan, owned by Independent Media Corporation . The Urdu word "aag" means "fire."... |
Artist of the Month | |
| TV ONE TV ONE (Pakistan) TVOne Global is an general entertainment channel from Pakistan that airs dramas, soaps and lifestyle programs.TVOne Global and sister station News One are part of Air Waves Media, owned by Interflow Communications, one of Pakistan’s leading advertising agencies... |
Best Female Singer | ||
| 2010 | Brit Asia Music Awards | Best Female Act | |
| Best International Act | |||
| Indus Style Awards | Most Innovative Singer | ||
| Most Stylish Female Pop Singer | |||
External links
- Hadiqa Kiani Website
- Hadiqa Kiani Flood Relief Activity in Pakistan – Pictures