Mehwish Hayat lends voice to upcoming Punjabi track

Actor-cum-singer admits she had to work very hard to get the dialect right

LAHORE: After making it big on TV and becoming one of the most well-known faces of the Pakistani entertainment industry, Mehwish Hayat successfully added another feather to her hat when she launched her singing career on Coke Studio with the single Tu Hi Tu. The Jawani Phir Nahi Ani star is now treading new waters again, this time with a song that she has sung in Punjabi.

“The track has been penned by lyricist Shakila Janeen and composed by Yousaf Salauddin,” Mehwish told The Express Tribune. She didn’t, however, wish to reveal the name of the song. “I actually first heard it about a year ago but was tied up in shoots so couldn’t record it until now. But I now understand that singers are utter geniuses because you really require immense talent and hard work to make a song work.” The actor will also be filming a subsequent video for the track in the near future.

PHOTO:FILE

Considering that Punjabi isn’t her native tongue, Mehwish had to put in a lot of work to get the pronunciation right. “Punjabi doesn’t come to me naturally so I have had to be very careful while singing. Not only does one have to make sure they’re singing in tune but also that the words you are singing sound correct,” she shared. “But music has always been my passion and I enjoy it very, very much. Therefore, I am thankful for being able to do more of it professionally now, both in the studio and live.”

Of course, no success comes without its fair share of struggles. Mehwish had to work hard to be able to break into the field of music itself. “It did take a lot of time and a lot of hard work as I wasn’t a professional music artiste. I mean, you can’t just walk into a studio one day and start singing. I had to train for it and the songs had to be a reflection of me,” she said. “My music is an extension of me, my creativity. So I’m willing to take the necessary risks for it. Luckily, my brother Zeeshan is a composer and my sister Afsheen is an accomplished singer. She’s been my guru throughout.”



Mehwish added, “The thing is that I demand perfection from myself. Anything I do has to be perfect or I will not do it. It’s always risky when you’re trying something new but I like to push limits. I was worried people wouldn’t accept me as a serious singer before Coke Studio. I didn’t want to become a one-hit-wonder. Thankfully, the response has been very heartening.”

PHOTO:FILE

Asked for her two cents on the notion that actors should stick to acting and not singing, Mehwish said there should be no hue and cry about it. “Singers cannot be replaced by actors because they are technically trained,” she explained. “There is no pre-requisite that I do the playback for myself in the films I work in. I’ve done the soundtracks for my serials before and if the opportunity presents itself then who knows? But my next release will be Load Wedding and I haven’t sung for that.”

Mehwish maintains it was important for her to establish herself as an actor before plunging into music. “Now that I have taken the baby steps into the industry, I’d like to pursue it more seriously.”

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