If Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is regarded as the King of Qawwali, then the Pakistani singer Abida Parveen is the undoubted Queen of Sufi Music. The world music circles and news platforms regard her voice as one of the most powerful amongst devotional music singers.
Since her birth in Sindh, Pakistan, Abida believes she was moved towards Sufi music. And, she was magnetized towards dargahs and poetry of Sufi saints. Abida clearly remembers that she was moved by music at the age of three.
Pakistani /Hindustani Classical Music Training
Her father, Ghulam Haider, was her first music teacher. There was an environment of Sufi music across the home because of her father. Even if she was casually singing, she always had the audience of her father, albeit passive. Being the daughter of an artist, she could not slip up in sur or laya (pitch or tempo).
Once mature, Abida began to learn from Ustad Salamat Ali Khan. An important lesson she took from her second teacher was the timely and appropriate use of her musical knowledge. If the recording or concert demands that she showcase her technical capabilities, then she should. However, if the song (recorded media or live concert) demands simplicity then it should be executed as such!
Personal Life: Marriage and Children
In 1975, she married Ghulam Hussain Sheikh a producer of Radio Pakistan. He was committed to her growth and her career, that he retired to mentor her after 1980. She has 2 daughters and 1 son, all of who are uniquely connected to the music world and act as her advisors, especially since her husband died in the early 2000s.
Bulleh Shah and Ghulam Farid’s poetry
Parveen has particularly been drawn to the poetry of the Punjabi poet Babba Bulleh Shah. And if one hears her singing songs like Tere Ishq Nachaya or Ki Jana Mein Kaun, one really feels her connection to these old devotional kalaams (poems). According to her, it’s not her musical prowess but rather the magic of authors like Bulleh Shah or Ghulam Farid that people are moved she sings.
Abida Parveen on Coke Studio
Since 2010, Parveen has appeared on Coke Studio Pakistan several times. Though Abida was already popular by that time, the show has provided many artists with a platform to launch their careers.
The videos of Aaqa and Maula-e-Kul are the most popular solo tracks on the Coke Studio platform. Though Parveen’s collaboration with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan tops her solo songs in popularity.
Sufi Music in Islam
Abida Parveen believes that critics claiming music is haram in Islam are mistaken. The voice is a gift from God to the people, Parveen believes. And singing, a naat, a hamd, a qawwali, are praises for the Divine, and therefore permissible. great
In 2012, Parveen took on the innovative and grand effort of taking Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai’s poetry and singing the pieces in one of the 30 prescribed ragas.
According to a 2011 interview on Shaksiyat, Abida Parveen stated that she never faced an uphill battle as a female in a male-dominated field of Sufi music.
Limited Concerts in Pakistan and across the World
As Abida Parveen has gained popularity and greater notoriety, she has reduced her traveling and public concerts. It’s the opposite of what is traditional in this day and age. As an example, Abida Parveen has only been on public tours to the USA 3-4 times in the last decade. In contrast, other singers attempt to tour every 6 months.
A true Sufi, she is genuine all around. In her compositions, Parveen is known to let the lyrics dictate the music. In her interviews, she is quick to turn away from praise and turn that praise into a spiritual exercise on praising God or the Sufi Saints. And of course, in the case of amassing wealth thru concerts, she is rather seen as spending her time on new compositions or learning from her spiritual masters.
FAQ
Why do we like songs of Abida Parveen?
Songs of Abida Parveen are soulful and authentic. Her music is filled with the genuine love she has for the spirituality within these songs. As a trained classical singer, she is able to use her powerful voice as a medium to spread the message of love in Sufi and Bhakti songs.
What kind of music is Nusrat Fateh and Abida Parveen?
Sufi music is the genre of music Abida Parveen and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan are known to sing. This music could also be categorized as qawwali music, which is from India and Pakistan. These two Pakistani artists are loved by audiences in India and worldwide.
Abida Parveen are logo tumhara kya lyrics?
Arey logo tumhara kya, Mein janu mera Khuda janey
Jo zar maango to bayzar hun, jo sar mango to hazir hun
Mukh mohDun to kafir hun, Mein janu mera Khuda janey
Arey logo…
ChaDha Mansoor sooli par, jo wakif tha vohi dillbar
araay Mulla jannaaza paDh, Mein janu mera Khuda janey
Arey logo…
Tum hi dilbar ho sarwar ka tum hi ho piyara haider ka
pilaoo jaam kousar ka,Mein janu mera Khuda janey
Arey logo…
Vohi ehsaan mujh per kar amir-al-momanin haider
Bhule ka sawal poora kar Mein janu mera Khuda janey
Arey logo…
The song was released in 1998, on an album with the same title.
How old is Abida Parveen?
Abida Parveen is 67 years old, as of 2021. She was born in Sindh, Pakistan on February 20th.
Where does Abida Parveen live?
Abida Parveen resides in Pakistan. Still residing in Sindh, she spends a significant amount of time in Karachi for recordings.
Is Abida Parveen married?
In 1975, Abida Parveen was married to Ghulam Hussain Sheikh. They have 2 children, Pereha Ikram, Mariam Hussain, and Sarang Latif. Ghulam left his own job in 1980 to manage Abida’s illustrious career. While on a flight in the early 200s returning from a concert, Ghulam had a heart attack and died. Now Parveen’s career is managed by her daughter.