Hollywood Bollywood News & Gossips

By MIO Team
May 10, 2006, 09:19

Called ‘King of Pakistani Pop’, Shehzad Roy was in India from April 25 to 27 to promote his latest album Salli. With his boyish good looks and his deep commitment to a cause, Shehzad Roy is one of the most exciting people on the Pakistan entertainment scene.

Hailing from Karachi, Pakistan, Shehzad became a star with his boisterous and revolutionary approach to Pakistani Pop with the smash-hit Pakistani single, ‘Nazrein jo milti...’ that became an instant chart-topper.His first album Zindagi (1995), featuring the hit singles ‘Dholna...’ and ‘Bewafa...’ sold more than 600,000 copies.

Shehzad’s ability to compose the most melodious romantic pop in the local music arena grew even stronger as he proved with his successive albums, Darshan (1997) and Teri Soorat (1999). Both these albums performed impressively well in Pakistan and abroad.In his 2002 offering Rab Janey he continued his effort to convey meaningful messages through his light-hearted yet earthy tunes, the very first track featuring a duet with India’s Sukhbir Singh called ‘Jinna kar logay pyar...’.

Shehzad grew up listening to classical performers like Abida Parveen and Reshma. The traditional heritage and folk influence are the most prominent features of his work. Be it Ustad Salamat Ali’s flute rendering in Bewafai, the contemporary qawwali flavour of Darshan or the very latest, traditional Siraiki folk-inspired ‘Jan gayo...’ from Rab Janey, Shehzad’s work strongly advocates his inclination towards Eastern symphonies. Yet, he identifies the ‘guitar’ as the love of his life and as the major driving force behind his coming into this profession.

Commenting on his music, the musician with a knack for experimentation asserts, “We grow from experience. My music is always changing and in constant evolution. My first album is completely different from my last album. I just follow my own taste in music.” And as experience has taught all of us, his fans are sure to follow.

In the first-ever IM Video Awards held in Karachi, Shehzad Roy won the award for the Best Performance by an Artist in a Video for the song `Salli...’ while Ali Azmat and Ali Zafar were also in the nomination list. He also won the Viewers’ Choice Award for the highly contested Best Male Singer category beating heavyweights Ali Azmat (Junoon), Ali Zafar, Najam Shiraz and Fakhir.

“In my opinion the authenticity of the message (in a song) is as consequential as anything else in producing meaningful music,” says Shehzad.

In addition to being a prodigy with his voice, Shehzad has been dedicated to Zindagi Trust, the NGO born out of his passion for helping impoverished and uneducated children. He says, “I feel so sad when I see a child working on the streets instead of going to school. The Trust is my best effort to do something about that.”

Recently, Shehzad was awarded the prestigious Tamgha-i-Imtiaz, and he is the youngest person and the only pop singer to be honoured by this prestigious presidential recognition of efforts to help the impoverished in Pakistani society.

Shehzad’s music videos always carry a streak of distinction and reflect his flair for visual inventiveness. They usually have a very exotic feel to them, as Shehzad is very particular about the storyline and the scenic locations.