Nazia Hassan From Childhood to Pop Star.

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Nazia Hassan was born on 3^rd April 1965 in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. Nazia Hassan was a Pakistani singer-songwriter, lawyer and social activist. Referred to as the Queen of South Asian pop, she is considered one of the most influential singers in the subcontinent. During the 1980s, she, along with her brother Zoheb Hassan, went on to sell over 65 million records worldwide.

She was one of the prettiest singers and will be forever remembered for her beautiful voice. Though she didn’t sing too many songs for Hindi films, the magic she created through her songs is unforgettable. She earned a name for herself and left a mark in the music industry. Nazia who started her music career at the young age of ten was known to be a beauty with voice. During her successful singing career, she received the title of “Queen of Pop music.” Along with her brother Zoheb Hassan, she went on to sell over 65 million records worldwide.

Professional Career

Hassan’s professional music career started at the age of fifteen; she met film director Feroz Khan at a party in the United Kingdom, who later requested that she audition with Biddu, a London-based Indian music composer, for his film Qurbani. Biddu then signed her up for “Aap Jaisa Koi”, a song he composed for the film. The song turned to be a huge success in India, and Hassan quickly gained recognition and acclaim.In 1981, Hassan won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Playback for the song, becoming the youngest to win at age 15 as well as being the first Pakistani to win the award.

Nazia started her singing career in the 1970s and appeared as a child star on several television shows. At a very young age, she has given many memorable songs including “Aap Jaisa Koi”, in 1980 from the Bollywood movie “Qurbani” and by this song, her professional career was started. In the United Kingdom, she met Feroz Khan the film director. Feroz requested a music composer of India “Biddu” to have an audition of Nazia.

In 1981, Nazia became the 1^st playback singer who launched an album “Disco Deewane”. This album broke all the records in India and Pakistan but also in Russia, Latin America, and West Indies. With this album, she becomes a renowned Pakistani pop singer. After this she got many offers and day by day, she became famous. For her 2^nd album Star/Boom Boom, she got nominated in the category of Best Female Playback Singer in the 1982 Filmfare Awards. In 1984, she released her 3^rd album “Young Tarang” it became the 1^st Pakistani album that was shot in London by Kathy Rose and David Rose. The album gained the status of Asia’s most popular album.

Here is a list of her 20 hit songs she is still remembered for.

Disco Deewane (1981)
Aao Naa (1981)
No Entry (1986)
Rock n Roll (1986)
Aap Jaisa Koi (1980)
Boom Boom (1983)
Dheere Dheere (1982)
Dosti (1983)
Mein Aya Tere Liye (1986)
Jaana (1982)
Tere Kadmon Ko (1981)
Dil Mera (1981)
Ankhain Milane Wale (1983)
Koi Nahi (1982)
Dum Dum Dee Dee (1983)
Khubsoorat (1987)
Aan Haan (1987)
Lekin Mera Dil (1981)
Teri Yaad (1987)
If You Could Read My Mind (1992)

Education Pathway

Hassan received her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Economics from the Richmond American University in London. In 1991, she became an intern in the Women’s International Leadership program at the United Nations. Later, she went on to work for the United Nations Security Council. She held a London University Law (LLB) degree.

Hassan used her abilities to promote social causes. She especially worked for children, youth and women in distress residing in the underprivileged areas of Karachi. She supported the Inner Wheel Club of India and helped raise funds for it. In Pakistan, she established the organization BAN (Battle Against Narcotics) and became an active member of organizations such as Voice of Women, National Youth Organisation (Pakistan). She is credited for her part in the introduction of mobile clinics in Lyari Town, to make medicine more accessible to those deprived- and in dire need of it.

Personal life

Nazia Hassan got married to Karachi based businessman Mirza Ishtiaq Baig on March 30, 1995. It was an arranged marriage. Hassan’s marriage was full of problems and difficulties.She divorced her ex-husband Mirza Ishtiaq Baig 3 months before her death by exercising her Islamic right to divorce. She accused her ex-husband of physical abuse and for poisoning her in a testimony given to the UK High Court before her death. In recent years Baig started misapprehension through social media about Nazia Hassan’s private life. Mirza Ishtiaq Baig claims that Nazia Hassan was his wife till death. Nazia’s fans upraised grave concerns about Baig’s moral values and fidelity towards her.

Achievements

Throughout her singing career spanning over 15 years, Hassan became one of Pakistan’s most popular celebrities. She was a recipient of Pakistan’s civilian award, Pride of Performance. In 1991, she joined the United Nations Security Council at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City and worked there for two years. In her third year, she offered her services at UNICEF. Her social and academic excellence won her a scholarship in Columbia University’s Leadership Program, but she was unable to take up the offer because around this time she was diagnosed with cancer.

In 2003, Hassan’s parents created the Nazia Hassan Foundation to further their daughter’s efforts to make the world a better place for everyone, regardless of caste, creed and religion; they decided to open school for street children would help in the grooming and education of working street children.

An India Today article titled “Nazia makes a lovely comeback” celebrated Nazia Hassan’s music appearing in the cult 2012 film, Miss Lovely that had premiered at the Cannes Film Festival: “The film has made the audience nostalgic over Ahluwalia’s use of the song “Dum dum de de” from Hassan’s 1984 album, Young Tarang.

In 2018, Google honoured her with a doodle on what would have been her 53rd birthday that “imagines her performing with her famous flowing hair and dupatta, and the disco balls of the 80s glinting behind her.” It was shown to Google users in Australia, Canada, Iceland, New Zealand and Pakistan.^[35] In 2020, actress Meesha Shafi covered Hassan’s single “Boom Boom” in her memory, which was praised by Zoheb.