Abida Parveen is a Pakistani Sufi singer, composer, musician, painter, and entrepreneur. She is better known as the ‘Queen of Sufi Music.’ He has sung in various languages including Urdu, Sindhi, Saraiki, Punjabi, Arabic, and Persian.
Wiki/Biography
Abida Parveen was born on Saturday, 20 February 1954 (age 65 years; as in 2019) in Mohalla Ali Goharabad in Larkana, Sindh, Pakistan. His zodiac sign is Pisces. He received musical training from his father, Ustad Ghulam Haider, and attended his music school. He also trained under Ustad Salamat Ali Khan of Sham Chaurasia Gharana. He has a master’s degree from Sindh and has also studied Hindi, Urdu and Persian.
Physical appearance
Height (approx): 5′ 4″
Eye Color: Black
Hair Color: Black
Family, Caste & Husband
He belongs to a Muslim Family. His father, Ustad Ghulam Haider was a singer and music teacher. He has two brothers. She married Ghulam Hussain Sheikh (Senior Producer at Radio Pakistan) in 1975. Her husband died of a heart attack on an international flight in the early 2000s.
Abida Parveen With Her Husband
He has two daughters named Pereha Ikram and Mariam Hussain, both of whom are entrepreneurs. He also has a son named Sarang Latif, who is a music director.
Abida Parveen With Her Daughter, Mariam
Abida Parveen With Her Son, Sarang Latif
Career
At the age of 3, he sang his first kalam song and started singing commercially at the age of six. In the early 1970s, he started performing in Dargahs and Urs.
Abida Parveen Singing at the Dargah
In 1973, he sang the song “Tuhinje Zulfan Jay Band Kamand Widha” for Radio Pakistan. In 1977, he was announced as the official singer on Radio Pakistan. He made his first TV appearance in Sultana Siddiqui’s ‘Awaz-o-Andaz’ in 1980. His first composition was ‘Aandhi Chali To Naqsh-e-Kaf-e-Pa Nahi Mila,’ written by Mustafa Zaidi.
Since then, he has composed many Kalams. He travels internationally, for his tours and concerts. He has never sung for any film but his pre-recorded songs have made it into many films. His first song featured in the film was ‘Sajjan de Haath;’ it was featured in the Pakistani film “Zill-e-Shah” (2008). He sang the OST for ‘Yaar ko Humne’ from the Pakistani TV series “Shehr-e-Zaat (2012).” He released his first album “Ji Sindhi Mehfil” in 1981.
His most famous album is “Raqs-e-Bismil,” released in 2001.
Abida is known for her songs ‘Yaar ko Humne’ from the album “Raqs-e-Bismil”, ‘Jab Se Tune Mujhe’ from the album “Ghazal ka Safar,” and ‘Tere Ishq Nachaya,’ sung by Bulleh Shah. Poetry.
Awards & Honors
- Pride of Performance Award by President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1984
- Sitara-e-Imtiaz Award by President Pervez Musharraf in 2005
- Hilal-e-Imtiaz Award by President Asif Ali Zardari in 2012
- Wonder Woman of the Year in 2013
- Awarded Gold Crown on 40 glorious years in Music Industry by Sindhi Singers Association in Larkana in 2014
- Ambassador Recognition Award in Dubai by Pakistani Diplomat Javed Malik in 2015
Abida Parveen Receives Ambassador Recognition Award
- Awarded in Dhaka International Folk Festival 2015
- Awarded in the 2nd International Sufi Conference by politician Sharmila Farooqi
- Lifetime Achievement Award by Saima Ajram, presenter on BBC Asian Network in 2016
Awards for TV & Film
- Honored at the PTV Awards in 2011
Abida Parveen Receives her PTV Award
- ARY Film Award for Best Playback Singer for the film “Ishq Khuda” 2014
- Awarded in the ‘Legend’ category at the PTV Awards in 2012
- Hum Award for excellence in Music in 2015
- Lux Style Award for Best Female Singer (film) in 2016
Favorite Things
- Food: Karela Gosht, Beh Qeema, Bhindi
- Cast: Nadeem Baig, Mohammad Ali
- Poet(s): Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai, Bulleh Shah, Rumi, Kabir Das
- TV Show: “Little House on the Prairie” (1974-1983)
- Book: ‘Abyaat’ by Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai
Facts
- Abida received musical training from her father. He called his father ‘Baba Sain and Gawwaya.’ He and his father used to perform together at the maqam of Sufi poets. Seeing her talent, her father chose Abida as his musical heir over his two sons, when she was only five years old.
- Abida spent most of her childhood singing and studying music and avoiding doing homework. Her mother always argued why she didn’t cook or clean and her father always intervened and said that his daughter would not work at home. He was so engrossed in music that he never went out to play and would sit with his father all day.
- During her childhood, Abida had no friends and no one liked to play with her. The only friend he has is Subhan.
- Abida plays the Pump Organ, Keyboard, Harmonium and Sitar.
Abida Parveen Plays Harmonium
- He calls his daughter ‘Amma.’
- He sings mainly Ghazals, Thumri, Khyal, Qawwali, Raga (Raag), Sufi rock, Classical and Semi-classical Music. However, his greatness is Kafis, which is a solo genre accompanied by percussion and harmonium, using a collection of Sufi poets.
- Her husband, Ghulam Hussain Sheikh left his job to manage and guide Abida’s career. After his death, his daughter Mariam took on the role, as a result, his career took a more commercial path thereafter.
- He has his own style of clothing, which he created himself. She wore a simple long skirt buttoned up to her neck, covered with a coat. Along with her, she carries an ‘Ajarak,’ a Sindhi dupatta. He claimed that his Ajarak came from the dargah (tomb) of the Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai.
- Abida Parveen collaborated with Shehzad Roy for the song ‘Zindagi,’ which is based on social problems faced by children.
- In 1988, his performance in Chicago was recorded by the Hazrat Amir Khusrau Society of Arts and Culture, which was released as an LP of his songs.
- In 2002, he went to India to record his album ‘Faiz.’ There, he happened to meet, Lata Mangeshkar, who was shooting in one of the rooms at Western In-door Studios. Speaking about the incident, he said-
I was shooting in one of the rooms in the Western In-door studio and when I came to know that Lataji (Lata Mangeshkar) was also shooting in another room, I went to meet her. Once Didi found out about my presence, she brought her whole family to visit me. He sat for hours chatting with me on various topics and when someone asked how great singers like him complimented Pakistani singers like me, he simply said, “Real gold always shines!” It is a touching tribute from such a legendary artist.”
Abida Parveen With Lata Mangeshkar
- He has shared the stage with legendary singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan many times. Talking about Nusrat, she said-
He is one of the few Indo-Pak artistes who know exactly how to sing to a mehfil. How to sing a ghazal, qawwali, kaafi or sargam on stage in front of thousands of people in an interesting way so that every audience can understand the nuances is not an easy art but he is good at it.”
- In the 1990s, Parveen licensed her spiritual Ghazals to Bollywood, as her spiritual brother Khan used to record songs for Bollywood.
- He has also appeared on Coke Studio in the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th seasons of the show. Talking about her experience on the show, she said-
This project started by Rohail Hyatt is really great and I want to be a part of it for a long time. The music that comes out of this project reaches both the heart and the soul and it always compliments the lyrics without overpowering the actual message of the kalam. This platform is built on the message of our Sufi elders.”
- On 28 November 2010, he suffered a heart attack during a performance in a musical event in Lahore. After that, he had to undergo Angioplasty and Angiography.
- In December 2012, she started her venture called ‘Abida Parveen Gallerie.’ The gallery is run by his daughter and displays awards, achievements for his fans, music records, jewellery, paintings and designer clothes for sale. The AP Gallery contains a music recording studio inside as well.
Abida Parveen Gallery
- In 2016, he collaborated with Canadian orchestra and Indian music duo, Salim-Sulaiman for a special song, ‘Noor-e-Illahi,’ which was released on Eid.
- Apart from singing in Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi, and Persian, he also sang the famous Nepali song ‘Ukali Orali Haruma’ at a concert in Kathmandu, Nepal.
- In 2017, Abida Parveen was named as the ‘South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’ (SAARC) Peace Ambassador.
- In 2012, she judged the singing reality show ‘Sur Shetra’ with Runa Laila and Asha Bhosle. The show is a musical battle between Pakistani and Indian singers, led by Atif Aslam and Himesh Reshammiya respectively.
- Abida has taken ‘Bayyat’ (oath of loyalty to a leader) and became a disciple of Najeeb Sultan.
- When asked if Sufism and his music have been taken up by the Pakistani government to help boost Pakistan’s image abroad, Abida said-
Pakistan seems disconnected from the outside. But it is built and runs on the prayers of our Sufi kings, our pirs. The poor, the rich – we are all servants of God … I am lucky. My audience is my God.”
- He has done several concerts and tours internationally. Reportedly, in one of his concerts, a large number of people started crying uncontrollably. Likewise, in one of his other concerts, people fainted. Emergency people have revived them, but they refuse to go because they want to see the full concert.
- During one of his performances in Bahrain, he received gifts and jewelry from his audience after which he stood up and said,
This is mundane. I have no relationship with him. This does not interest me.”
- In 2013, he sang ‘The Pilgrimage,’ composed by the famous English composer, John Tavener at the Manchester International Festival.
- In 2019, he released his YouTube series, “Bazm-e-Rang,” featuring artists including Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam, Khamaj and many more. This series is the directorial debut of his son, Sarang Latif.
Categories: Biography
Source: SCHOOL TRANG DAI
