We want to be entertained by female singers but won't let our daughters sing: Quratulain Baloch

‘Aar Ya Paar’ singer Quratulain Baloch talks about Noori collaboration, position of female singers in our society

LAHORE: Short hair, tattoo and a casual t-shirt may not be the image that comes to mind when one listens to her music and interestingly Quratulain Baloch, better known as QB, describes her own self as a “contemporary malang”. Talking to The Express Tribune, the audacious crooner speaks about her music, experiences as a female singer in Pakistan and her recent song with Noori, Aar Ya Paar.

The song done for Cornetto Pop Rock was performed in Islamabad earlier this month. Produced by Noori under their BIY (Believe in Yourself) record label and written by QB herself in Urdu — a language she’s not entirely comfortable with — she holds the track very close to her heart. “Not having a grasp on the language, I was able to pull off my philosophical take on life, my feelings and inspirations and how I have perceived myself as a human being,” says QB.

The 28-year-old singer earlier joined hands with the Noori duo for another independent project, which brought them to partnering up for Aar Ya Paar. “We decided on starting from my own lyrical take on songs since I haven’t written any of my songs except for Mera Ishq,” shares QB. “The song is about letting yourself loose. It’s about people who either can’t identify the grey or choose not to be a part of it. Societies collectively are very dogmatic.” According to her, being your genuine self is the key. “I can say it with utter confidence that it’s awesome to be yourself, so be yourself with no hesitation but with empathy.”





Interestingly, QB shares the collaboration would not have been possible without the influence of Noori. “When two crazy idealistic people meet, something extraordinary happens and this is what happened with our collaboration. It could not have been possible without the influence the band has had on all of us”.

QB got a head start in her career when she won a Pakistani achievement award in the UK, followed by making her presence felt in Coke Studio season 4 and soon after, lending her vocals to one of the most well-known TV serials, Humsafar. Since then, her songs have mostly come in the form of OSTs with her unique vocal texture being generally well received by critics.



Releasing an album was on the top of her priority list since the onset of her career. However, now she ruefully admits, “I wish it was that easy as it sounded back then. My plans haven’t worked out so well for me so I don’t want to make them anymore.” While her album is ready, similar to most other artists, QB plans to release her music as singles instead of investing in a full-fledged album.

About her experiences of working as a female singer in Pakistan, QB mentions “Our society is such that people want to be entertained by female singers but they don’t want their daughters singing.” However, she begs to differ. “I’ve been very lucky in that department because I feel that there aren’t many female singers in Pakistan. Now is the perfect time for female singers to put themselves out there.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 27^th, 2016.

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