Calling the late sister a “natural” performer Zoheb Hassan
Pakistani musician Zoheb Hassan, half of the legendary pop duet Nazia and Zoheb, spoke candidly about his surprising path into the music business during a recent guest visit at Star and Style. Alongside his sister Nazia Hassan, the singer thought back to his modest career beginnings and the difficulties he overcame.
In 1980, Nazia and Zoheb made their musical debut with the famous song Aap Jaisa Koi, which was made for the Indian film Qurbani. This song was the lead single from their 1981 debut album, Disco Deewane, which was produced by well-known Indian producer Biddu. With fan bases spanning Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and Indonesia, its catchy songs found an international audience and catapulted Nazia and Zoheb to stardom.
Rise to fame
“We never considered the business aspect or the level of success we would achieve. During the interview, he said, “We were just doing what we loved.” “I believe that when you’re creating something creative, it’s crucial to focus solely on that and not on fame, success, or anything else.”
Zoheb considers himself fortunate that the pop duo’s discography has endured for so long, but he has a straightforward explanation for their continued success. He stated plainly, “As a songwriter, if you have a good melody, it lasts forever.” “A catchy melody never goes out of style. I wanted to concentrate on the music with Nazia. When you truly put that into practice, your creations actually endure. It doesn’t work if you’re doing anything for recognition or profit.
The singer of Dosti surprised everyone by revealing that she didn’t really enjoy music. “I had no passion for music,” he admitted. I used to be shy about telling people I sang in school.
A reluctant artist
He said, taking a trip down memory lane, “I used to participate in Sohail Rana’s program for children. I would be nervous to tell my friends about it for fear that they would comment, “Oh, you sing? This isn’t very manly, you know. In response, I would say that I simply go and sit [on the show] rather than sing. In short, it wasn’t the “cool” thing to do.
The singer also gave thought to Disco Deewane, one of his biggest hits with Nazia. “Biddu was present when we performed this song. Disco was huge at the time, so we just made up the song while we were grooving and called it “Disco Deewane.” In fifteen minutes, it was written.
In contrast to his sister, who was a born performer, Zoheb’s path to stardom required a great deal of commitment. He revealed that he was adamantly against singing and that people would be looking for him all over the home. “I would remain hidden. I detested listening to music. I even dislike going out to perform. I’m a recluse.
Nevertheless, he quickly realized that he had to get past his reservations. You have to work much harder when you’re an introvert, Zoheb thought. As I had no personal connection to music, I had to work really hard. Nazia was a natural, but I had to work extra hard at everything to get to that point.The artist claimed that his sister “was a star” who “would come on the stage and shine.”
Playing at Madison Square Garden
When questioned about his appeal to female admirers, Zoheb emphasized how infrequently he was able to engage with his audience. “We used to live in London,” he clarified. We would only be there for two weeks at most, recording songs and performances for PTV and other venues before returning by plane. Therefore, there was no time to talk to the women.
But one incident back home in London made him conscious of his rapidly growing celebrity. Amitabh Bachchan was sitting on the side as I was performing a show with him. It was my first-ever live performance. “Don’t worry, Zoheb,” Amitabh replied. Take it on. Shake off a leg. Zeenat Aman was there, as was Nazia. It was an enormous occasion, the Boom Boom celebrity recalled.
As soon as the show’s presenter made a mistake, the young artist’s anxiety reached a pinnacle. “Shoaib Hassan,” the presenter exclaimed as they called me on stage because, at the time, nobody knew who I was,” he remembered. I was so terrified out when this happened. It’s only going to get worse from here if we’re getting off to the wrong start, I reasoned.
After a little bravery and a few prayers, he made it onto the stage, where he was startled by the passionate applause of the audience. “The girls were talking so loudly that I was unable to hear anything when I went for the microphone. I was unable to hear my own singing.
“This was in Madison Square Garden, there were over 22,000 people in attendance,” he smiled as he recalled the event. The front row girls had all moved forward and were yelling nonstop. I was unable to hear myself sing. Everyone was perplexed as to why I appeared so bewildered, and I couldn’t hear the foldback.
In a touching moment, he confessed his affection for his mother during the talk. Zoheb talked about how he moved back to Pakistan to take care of his sick parent after leaving everything behind in London. He revealed, “My mother has dementia, so I live in Pakistan now.”
“In the UK, I run a highly prosperous firm. Many people are unaware that I am employed in the construction industry. But because I love my mother more than anything in the world, I left everything behind for her. I also adore Pakistan,” he declared.
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.
