Rahat Fateh Ali Khan

To say that Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is going places would be a huge understatement. The exceedingly talented singer in a very short span has already sung a number of hit songs, a majority of which is for Bollywood films. Those of you who crib and grump that he doesn’t more often sing for Pakistani projects, here’s something that might warm your hearts.

There’s a song Yahan Aya Hoon Naya Naya that Rahat has sung as part of the promotional soundtrack for a TV play titled Omar, Dadi And Gharwale. The number has been nicely composed by the father-son duo of Farrukh Abid and Shoaib Farrukh. Give it a listen and enjoy.

Schaz Khan

Less than a year ago, Schaz Khan came out with the video of her debut single, Jalan. Little did she fathom the controversy that brewed would give way to threats by the extremist faction of society, which eventually led to the video being banned and Khan leaving the country for a month.

Schaz Khan is now back with her new single and video titled Naya Pyar. Here, she reveals her renewed self and what she expects this time round.

“People will be surprised to hear Naya Pyar coming from a previously lovelorn and heartsick Schaz Khan. Honestly, I even amazed myself,” she exclaimed. As she unveils the video of Naya Pyar, Schaz doesn’t wait for any questions to be asked and dives straight into how the lyrics, composition and video concept came about.

“Naya Pyar is about finding new love. It’s a general phenomenon to listen to romantic songs after a heartbreak. But I believe that makes one weaker and vulnerable. On the contrary, this song will make the listener strong and want to move on.”

The music composition was a result of a casual strumming session and the lyrics followed naturally. “With a catchy, upbeat tone and hilariously bold lyrics, it’s an uplifting song which exudes positive vibes. I bet women will be able to relate to the song and feel motivated however the men might hate me,” she says, grinning.

Talking about the video, she points out that the idea was entirely hers. “I conceived the idea for the music video. However, the product that you see was the result of teamwork. My promoter, Royal Widow and friends, Amna, Uzma and Hema were equally involved to turn my concept into a fun video.”

With styling by Angie Marshall and directed by Schaz Khan, the video revolves around the making of Naya Pyar, behind-the-scenes action and a controversial live interview being conducted by a reporter. Featuring two models and a choreographer, the video begins with the interview of a drag queen in shimmery silver hot pants.

So what kind of reviews does Schaz Khan expect this time round? “I want people to have a good time listening and watching Naya Pyar but frankly speaking I’m prepared for anything. After my last experience, I built a wall around myself. I’m not here to please anyone but myself. Music is my passion and this video is for my friends and fans who are my support system. As it is, I’ve developed a reputation of being bad and I think I should maintain it.” – Fathma Amir

Josh

Canada-based band, Josh, teams up with R&B singer/songwriter/producer Pranam ‘Chin’ Injeti on an English song to support the flood victims in Pakistan

As a foreign desi band, Josh has had a very strong presence in Pakistan. Along with officially releasing their album in the country, making their music videos in Pakistan, hosting numerous concerts, recipients of music awards and participants in Coke Studio-2, Josh is a band that the Pakistani audience holds close to their heart.

The music community has come forward and helped hand-in-hand with relief operations in order to help the flood-affected. Josh has also attempted to contribute through a song called S.I.N.G. which is due to be released in North America very soon.

Band member Rup Magon posted on his Twitter account (RupJosh): “We have recorded an incredible new English track called S.I.N.G. – SINGING INSPIRED by the NEED to GIVE… raising funds for Pakistan and other countries in need.” According to the band, the song will “liven up your spirits and break your heart at the same time.”

Josh has worked on the song with singer/songwriter/producer Pranam “Chin” Injeti who is perhaps best known as the vocalist for the ’90s the R&B band Base is Base. In 2009 he helped produce and wrote songs for Eminem’s Recovery album and played guitar and electric bass on tracks by 50 Cent and Drak, among others. Along with appearing on several music shows, he released his solo record D’tach this year as well.

Asha Bhosle

She has sung more than 12,000 songs in 18 languages, been honoured with the Padma Vibhushan and is still raring to go. Singing legend Asha Bhosle will celebrate her 77th birthday on Wednesday with her position in Bollywood still strong and her legion of fans intact. After for over six decades in

the industry, her voice remains seamless. And as she rustles her beautiful silk saris, with jewellery to match, Asha’s style too makes a lasting statement.

The singer, who started singing at a very young age, is known for her versatality. After crooning a series of hits for the Hindi film industry’s dancing queen Helen, she was tagged as a cabaret singer.

But she dispelled that notion when she went behind the mike to croon Maang ke saath tumhara for Dilip Kumar-Vyjayantimala- starrer Naya Daur (1957). It established her as a singer to reckon with.

Since then, there has been no looking back.

She collaborated with renowned musicians of her time like Ravi, Khayyam and Shankar Jaikishan, but Asha’s real talent was exploited by composer R.D. Burman, who was instrumental in bringing her out of her elder sister and singing legend Lata Mangeshkar’s shadow. Asha and Burman later married.

Songs like Dum maro dum (Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, Mehbooba mehbooba (Sholay) Mera kuch saaman (Ijaazat), Piya tu ab to aaja (Caravan) and Chura liya hai tum ne (Yaadon Ki Baraat) bear testament to the amazing creativity of the Asha-Burman combination.

“Pancham (Burman) had this unique quality of bringing out the best in every artiste by making him or her feel comfortable. He knew how to make me sing to get the maximum effect in every situation,” Asha said.

Known for her voice range, Asha has sung in over 18 languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, English, Russian, Czech, Nepali and Malay.

Adding to her list, recently she crooned her first Kannada song for composer Veera Samarth who was overwhelmed with her professionalism even at this age.

“Didi took just two-and-a-half hours to sing the song. And the rehearsal of the song was done a day earlier. Asha didi wrote the lyrics in Hindi in her own handwriting and what a song it was. I was in tears when she completed the song. I am sure it would be one of the most brilliant songs in Kannada,” Samarth told IANS.

Not just that. She has cut many albums and was recently named among the top 20 music icons of the past 50 years by CNN – Indo-Asian News Service