Paki girl band

Cross posted from The 91st Minute

This is how I know I haven't been home in too long.

When BBC news beats me to the scope about the first popular all girl band in Pakistan. Zeb and Haniya, they told me, have taken the Pakistani male-dominated scene by storm!

A lil background, they are referring to fusion-ish soft rock Urdu language music scene in Pakistan that I think aptly reflects the silent moderate majority, particularly in the urban areas. This scene has produced peeps like Atif Aslam, Noorie et al. who are quite a hit, not just in Pakistan but South-Asia and South-Asian diaspora's (so almost everywhere). The lyrics are beautiful and poetic, the vocals pretty dam good and a few guitar riffs that make me wanna actually jump up and down, rocker girl style (hah!)

So anyway, kinda distressed that I was so out of it that I had missed the Zeb and Haniya story for 5 MONTHS! I spent all last night listening to their album, watching the videos and reading stuff. My conclusion: I think the vocals are good, some really cool riffs, and the reaction to them has blown me away!

Check out this you tube video of them rocking a crowd out (sound is a lil sketchy):



I spent most of my young adult life going to concerts like these, and ill be damned if I ever thought two young, kurta donning women would be getting this kind of a reception. Not cause I doubt the music ability, but more cause I was skeptical of the ability of young Pakistani youth (men in particular) to appreciate it. Thank you for proving my skepticism wrong!

Ok now to the songs. Here is a link where you can stream the album. I would recommend Paimana Bitte, Chup and Aitebar even if you can't follow Urdu. If you can, hear most of the album.

And can I say I kinda love some of their lyrics. They are still singing about love and relationships, but their lyrics are down right fiery!

Watch this video of Aitebar. The couple on screen dance through their relationship and the video ends with the girl shutting the dude out. The lyrics at the end? "raat thi teri/tu yeh din ab hai mera" i.e. "The night was yours/ but the day is mine now"
And skip to the end of the video, the eye contact between the woman and Zeb and Haniya who are singing from the side through out the video, that look. We know that look. You go girl! lol



One last mention, the song "Rona Chor diya" or "I have stopped crying." My favorite line:

"ab to bas mai hi khabar hoon/ gardish main hoon/ rahguzar hoon/toofaan hoon main/ tera darr hoon" which roughly translate into "now only I'm the news/ I'm the revolution/I am walking on my own path/ I'm a storm/ I am your fear"

Ok THIS is the last mention, the song Chup! Chup is basically a semi curt/forceful way of telling someone to stop talking. Shut up if you will. In this song they are talking about the flirtation, eye contact etc that can sometimes go on painfully forever between two people attracted to each other. What do Zeb and Haniya have to say? "shhh Chup" enough with all this flirtation and suggestion. lets get on with it! WORD.