Hadiqa Kiani turns 52: As timelessly stunning as ever!

WEB DESK: Today is the day we all shout a big “Happy Birthday!” to one of Pakistan’s finest singers: Hadiqa Kiani, who turns 52!

Born on August 11, 1972, in Rawalpindi, the local beauty brimming with charm and talent continues to dazzle just as much now as she did when she first burst onto the scene with her enchanting voice.

Read more: Prince William birthday: Kate Middleton’s gift to Taylor Swift mania

Kiani’s musical journey started way back in the early 90s, and let’s just say, she didn’t exactly tiptoe into fame. Oh no! She practically waltzed right in with a bang!

Her debut album “Raaz” in 1996 hit the ground running with hits like “Maane Di Mauj,” which quickly made her the name on everyone’s lips.

Picture this: it’s 1997, and Kiani’s dazzling performances has audiences all over the world doing a double-take and asking, “Who’s that?”

Fast forward to 1999, and we have her album “Roshni”, featuring that iconic track “Boohey Barian,” which was so catchy it practically had us all singing in our sleep. And let’s not forget another smashing hit Rung when it hit the airwaves in 2002.

Rung truly dazzled our ears with colourful waves with hits like “Jogi Bun Kay Aa” and “Mahi”—a soundtrack to many a memorable dance-off at weddings!

It was in 2007 Kiani decided to spice up her image and style a bit, and when we say a little, we mean a lot! Her 2007 album “Rough Cut” introduced us to an edgier, rawer Hadiqa Kiani belting out English lyrics. While it did leave many a fan stupefied—what happened to that sweet Pakistani girl-next-door from Boohey Barian days?—one cannot deny the charm a red-haired Kiani moving in a captivating manner on our small screens did!

The single “Living This Lie” especially had the up and coming young milennials thinking finally Pakistan could produce a cool, young, hip songstress—a breath of fresh air in same-old pop stars since the days of Nazia Hasan. Come on, people, we needed something refreshingly new!

While not as well received, she certainly had many new fans start thinking of her own exclusive fan club. And who can blame them? The internet had hit Pakistan—finally! Although still new and a novel concept. by 2007 emails had already started replacing letter.

It was time for Pakistan millennials to step into 21st century digitisation and we unleashed! Kiani had fan clubs online!

And speaking of fan clubs, how about her 2009 album “Aasmaan”? It was a multilingual extravaganza that showed off her versatility and returned to her earlier 2000s roots.

Hadiqa Kiani is a woman of many talents! Besides being a commercial album-selling singer, she also lent her vocals to the world of playback singing.

Kiani hit the ground running with her role in the film “Sargam” in 1995, earning the title of “Best Female Playback Singer” at the Nigar Awards. After a bit of a hiatus, she returned with a bang in 2011 for Shoaib Mansoor’s movie Bol. You know you are Pakistan royalty when the great ShoMan chooses you to record songs for his movies!

Speaking of royalty, you aren’t an acknowledged great singer unless the halls of Coke Studio hear your vocals. Hadiqa Kiani dipped her toes into the world of live-performance-on-TV with Coke Studio in 2012. Her soulful renditions of classical poets had everyone from critics to casual listeners applauding. Kiani’s live performances.

But that’s not all! Oh no! Our queen’s talents keep on piling. What’s a little bragging when you represent Pakistan to dignitaries like President George W Bush and the Crown Prince of Brunei. No big deal, right?

And while her music career is dazzling enough, her philanthropic efforts are worth a look too. From rallying against terrorism with the song “Yeh Hum Naheen” to lending a hand in disaster relief after the 2010 floods, she’s been busy building homes and launching relief campaigns.

Read more: Meghan Markle turns 43: A look back at her journey as Duchess

Her recent work, including the 2022 album “VASL”, even featured on Spotify’s Equal Platform! And let’s not forget the big splash she made with a digital billboard in Times Square, New York, United States. —Talk about a global shout-out!

So here’s to Hadiqa Kiani: singer, songwriter, philanthropist, and all-around legend. As we celebrate her 52nd birthday, let’s crank up the volume, throw on some of her greatest hits, and sway our parents, children and colleagues to Hadiqa Kiani’s vocals!—whether they like it or not!