In a world where disappointments are many and reasons to celebrate, scattered and few, Pakistani musician Hadiqa Kiani’s Presidential Award, Sitara e Imtiaz shines like a wholesome ray of sunshine on a nation that censures first, and applauds later. But this one is different. Pakistanis are united and we hear you!
Musician and philanthropist Hadiqa Kiani has given Pakistanis much to treasure – a soulful yet feet-tapping pop genre that moved on to Sufi melodies with profoundly moving renditions spilling onto our feeds, a style inspo that was all of ethnic, original and oh so funky, one could dwell in it for the entire decade without feeling outdated ever. But then, just as we had crowned her pop queen of the decade, Hadiqa Kiani moved on to the next, surprising and humbling us when she went full circle with her heartfelt and brave flood relief initiative that inspired Pakistanis in a time of crisis and national tragedy.
In a quiet way that only Hadiqa knows how, she gave us hope. Even her subtle defiance in the face of the monumental challenges ahead of her was low-key endearing as she forged ahead to carve out a legacy at a time when female pop singers were few and far between – many young adults today can only dream of achieving the love, respect and recognition that came from sheer hardwork and a determination to stop at – nothing?
From the sweet, soulful vocals crooning Boohey Bariyan in 1998 to the Coke Studio-Atif Aslam collab on ‘Hona Tha Pyaar’ and the profoundly soul-stirring Chaap Tilak rendition in 2017, her journey continued unabated and stronger with every melody she sang for her fans – a passion that gathered strength and more followers as the world awoke to her music over the past few decades, every decade bringing a new Hadiqa to us – more refined, more perfected and ultimately, profoundly wholseome. Hadiqa grew along with her music and so did her fans – hence it was only a matter of time that her melodies took on a deeply Sufi realm as she battled with relief efforts in the remote flood-stricken areas of Pakistan.
Hadiqa’s musical journey has shown us that passion for one’s craft, and the right intentions are all we need to achieve and give our best to our country; that success in a world that feeds on overnight fame is something her entire life journey disproves. In a world where Gen Z rules our music feeds and claim to fame, Hadiqa Kiani’s contributions to the Arts in Pakistan over the years and her selfless initiative to help the helpless through humble yet passionate flood relief efforts shows us how it’s done and done right.
And because of this very humility, courage and the passion to go the extra mile, it is fitting that Pakistanis today welcome the nation’s highest award, a recognition of Hadiqa Kiani’s contributions to our nation, as well deserved. It is not often that our society is united for a cause or person but Hadiqa Kiani has won a place in every Pakistani’s heart – and it is heartening that the nation of over 259 million people, acknowledges that they are truly honoured to have her amongst us.
For more on Hadiqa’s flood relief efforts, we sat down and spoke to her challenges and how she navigated the journey to some of the remotest areas of the country, building lives and homes, one day at a time. Read the full conversation here.
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