I suffered during the prime of my career: Hadiqa Kiani

Hadiqa Kiani on releasing sixth studio album and why waiting for things to improve by themselves is futile

LAHORE: Hadiqa Kiani is arguably one of Pakistan’s biggest pop sensations. Apart from Nazia Hassan, it is difficult to think of another woman who has had such an impact on the country’s music scene. Now in 2016, over two decades after her first album Raaz was released, Kiani is gearing up for her sixth.

The singer has always had a penchant for taking up challenges, whether it meant chopping off 16 inches of her hair into a pixie bob or experimenting with her music. Her upcoming album, she shared, will have a different structure and will be “organic and pure” sans electronic music. “It is not purely Sufi but the lyrical value does revolve around Sufism. It mainly has a folk and cultural touch to it,” she told The Express Tribune.

The ‘Pop Princess’ explained why she personally doesn’t prefer the title. “For whatever reason, maybe my attire or litany of pop songs, there is this perception about me of being only a pop singer when in real I am mainly known because of my folk songs.”



She added that majority of her albums feature songs inspired by folk music, such as her ever-popular numbers Manne di Mauj, Boohey Barian, and more recently, Janan, which was a Pashto duet with Irfan Khan.

Fans are well aware of the fact that Kiani has been playing hide and seek with the music industry over the past decade. She shared that every time something negative happens in the country, the music industry takes the biggest blow. “Shows get cancelled and it doesn’t feel right to sing but at the same time dramas are being recorded and fashion shows keep taking place. I suffered during the prime of my career [because of this].” However, she has decided to brave the circumstances and work towards releasing yet another album at a time when people are choosing to release singles only. “I can’t waste another seven years of my life,” she said. “I have a passion for music and for my own satisfaction I felt like I need to get music out to the public.  We can’t wait on record labels to just come up, or channels to start caring about Pakistani music again. We, as artists, need to simply create content and put it out.”

The singer also weighed in on the TV serial Udaari controversy. “When I was told about the purpose it [the OST] will serve and then when I heard the song, composed by Sahir Ali Bagga, I was completely sold,” she said. “The subjects that are brought up in the drama are incredibly important and need to be highlighted.  Child abuse and similar social issues that we see daily are too often covered up; we cannot afford to neglect them anymore.  This drama is proving to be an important discussion starter in Pakistani homes, we need to educate our children to protect them and show the hidden, bitter truths of our society.”

[



Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2016.

Like Life & Style on Facebook, follow @ETLifeandStyle on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.