Draft:Shakila Torah Ahmed

Shakila Ahmed
Background information
BornDhaka, Bangladesh
GenresGhazal, Pop, Geet, Indian classical, Fusion
Occupation(s)Singer, Songwriter, Composer, and Writer
Years active1989–present

Shakila Ahmed,(also known as Shakila Khorasani) is a Bangladesh-born, American singer, songwriter, composer, and writer.

Her music career spans across the globe from the Indian subcontinent to the United States. Her most famous songs are Ghazals, Tumhara ishq, Abh kise chahen, Usne jab mujhse, Unse milneka, (from an album with Hariharan), Tere qareeb aake, Meri ankhonme, Toota jo aake and pop songs Chori chori, Kisise na kehna, Bekhudi, Do char pal, Sehra, Nere nere aa and many more.

Shakila is very popular as a vibrant, live performer, her repertoire ranging from classical ghazals, sufi poetry, often fused with western instrumentation to pop songs. Shakila's, 'dazzling smile expresses the pure pleasure she experiences as she presents poetic sentiments in musical form', writes Rukhsana Mashadi in an interview in Images Dawn

Early life and education

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Shakila Ahmed, born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, took formal training in North Indian classical ragas/scales since the age of eight at the College of Music and sang as a child artist on Bangladesh radio and television. She is the only child of parents who were both teachers and has an illustrious, academic background. She studied in Little Jewels School, then Green Herald International School (Senior Cambridge), Holy Cross College (High School), Honours and Masters degree, with flying colours (first in Honours and 2nd in Masters) in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Dhaka. Meanwhile, she continued her lessons in classical music from Sanjeev Dey and later became a student of the most revered Ustad Mohammad Dilshad Khan in Mumbai, India[1]. She won many awards as best vocalist, including the Dhaka University Annual competitions in the categories, Khayal and Bengali geet.

Career

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Her singing career began as a child artist in radio and television. Shakila's first album, 'Hridoy Binar Tare', was released by Sargam Records in 1989, comprising of Bengali geets and Urdu ghazals and composed by the award-winning music director Shujeo Shyam. She focused on mastering the style of ghazal singing in Urdu and recorded her second album called 'Ankh Barsi' comprising ghazals. Mansur Bukhari of Emi Pakistan, impressed with her voice and style in a concert in London, released her third ghazal album, 'Dastan'[1]. The music is directed by Arshad Mahmud and consists of various composers, including her teacher, Ustad Dilshad Khan Saheb and well-known ghazal singer/composer, Tauseef Akhtar. Shakila, while living in London, sang for Bernardo Bertolucci's movie, Little Buddha (nominated for Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score,1993) and had the opportunity to work with musical genius, Ryuichi Sakamoto, the music director of the movie. Shakila was handpicked by Ustad Zakir Hussain, the tabla maestro who also worked on the soundtrack. Shakila's meeting with Hariharan, the renowned ghazal maestro, and composer, in London (1994), led to the birth of her most lauded album, 'Nayee Baat', eight ghazals composed by Hariharan and recorded between London and Mumbai. The album, Tumhara ishq tumhari wafa hi kafi hai' written by Ibrahim Ashq and 'Abh kise chahen' by Dr. Bashir Badr, brought Shakila to the limelight and earned her worldwide fame. The album also featured legendary musicians, sarangi by Ustad Sultan Khan saheb, Ustad Bhure Khan saheb on harmonium. She moved to Pakistan, where she spent many years and her popularity as a singer grew to great heights. She worked with many more musical luminaries including composers like Nisar Bazmi, Niaz Ahmed, Arshad Mahmud, and pop giants Aamir Zaki, Shuja Haider, Emu of Fuzon, Nadeem Ahmed, Emad Rahman. Shakila sang for the movie 'Daira' (an adaptation of Mohsin Hamid's book Mothsmoke) and many fashion shows, and stage productions, including all the songs from the dance drama 'Anarkali' (2003) and performed on stage as Anarkali.

Shakila also worked as a journalist, writing for various newspapers and journals and her published articles include interviews of many mega artists namely Mehdi Hasan, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, Farida Khanum, and Hariharan. ref

Shakila is a philanthropist, raising funds for various charities through concerts, celebrity appearances, talks, etc. She was the goodwill ambassador of HOPE( Health Oriented Preventive Education) for many years. She sang in several benefit concerts for HOPE all over Pakistan and USA(2011)Umeedon ka safar, Hope song, written and composed by Nadeem Ahmed.

She toured with Faakhir Mehmood, raising funds for the earthquake in Pakistan (2005). She did concerts to raise funds for building the auditorium in the Arts Council of Karachi.

She has innumerable live concerts recordings, interviews in print and electronic media, Shakila lives in California, performing and recording throughout the US and the world. "Shakila is possibly the best Ghazal singer in the region. And when she sings the words of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, it can be mesmerizing." [2].

Latest Collaboration

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Shakila's latest venture is a collaboration with renowned ghazal maestro Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan. He composed two ghazals, one of poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz 'Hamke Thehre Ajnabi' meant to foster an affinity between Bangladesh and Pakistan through music.

Discography

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Albums
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Title Genre Record label Year
Nayee baat Ghazals Lips records 1996
Ankh barsi Ghazals
Hridoy binar tare bengali/urdu Sargam records
Dastan Ghazals EMI Pakistan
Kisise na kehna Pop/Rock Soundmaster
Ghazal Spell Ghazals BMN records
Pop Spell Pop/Rock BMN records
Ghazal bahana karoon Ghazals
Anarkali Ghazal/Geet
Nayee baat song list
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Title Lyrics Composition
Tumhara ishq tumhari wafa Ibrahim Ashq Hariharan
Abh kise chahen Dr. Bashir Badr Hariharan
Cherte hain wo bar bar hamein Ibrahim Ashq Hariharan
Unse milneka silsila to chale Ibrahim Ashq Hariharan
Zindagi ki bahar hai hamse Ibrahim Ashq Hariharan
Sham hai purshabab peene de Farhat Shahzad Hariharan
Usne jab mujhse kiya ehde wafa Dr. Safi Hasan Hariharan
Kahan ansuon ki ye saughat hogi Dr. Bashir Badr Hariharan
Ankh barsi
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Title Lyrics Composition
Kabhi mujhko sath lekar Ahsan Danish Binay Pathak
Ankh barsi tere naam pe Murtaza Barlas Bashir Ahmed Khan
Hridoy binar tare
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Title Lyrics Composition
Modhu nishi tumi shei ami shei Selima Rahman Shujeo Shyam
koto je shopno chilo tobuo Shujeo Shyam
Bhalobashae ache shudhu jontrona Shujeo Shyam
Shritir kopat khule khule Shujeo Shyam
Bolo kon banshoria bajae Shujeo Shyam
Fasle aise bhi honge Adeem Hashmi Shujeo Shyam
Talkhi-e-mei zara Ghalib Shujeo Shyam
Dastan
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Title Lyrics Composition
Charag-e-shouq Faiz Ratlami Ustad Dilshad Khan
Thokronse ghum-e-duniya Shamim Jaipuri Tauseef Akhter
Dastan chor ke chala hun mei Mehshar Amrohi Ustad Md. Dilshad Khan
Kabhi nizame Iqbal Safipuri Jamal Hasan
Socha to hai Hasan Azimabadi Shakila Ahmed
Shab-e-ghum Hasan Azimabadi Shakila Ahmed and Jamal Hasan
Tujhko pas-e-wafa Hasrat Mohani Ustad Dilshad Khan
Kisise na kehna
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Title Lyrics Composition
Do char pal Nadeem Asad Jawad Haider
Kisise na kehna Aamir Zaki Aamir Zaki
Mere geeton ki Nadeem Ahmed Nadeem Ahmed
Bewajha Nadeem Asad Jawad Haider
Andhiyan Nadeem Asad Shuja Haider
Illusions Shakila Ahmed Jawad Haider
Kaise mein tumhe yaquin dilaun Nadeem Ahmed Nadeem Ahmed
Pyar mujhe tumse hua Aamir Zaki Aamir Zaki
Mei hi hun Tanvir Afridi Aamir Zaki
Zalim Nadeem Ahmed Nadeem Ahmed
Choota apna pyar Nadeem Ahmed Nadeem Ahmed
Aao na pyar kare Shakila Ahmed
Ghazal Spell
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Title Lyrics Composition
Allah hi Allah Dr. Bashir Badr Hariharan
Tere qareeb Ahmed Faraz Akhter Ali Khan
Toota jo aake Nasira Zuberi Niaz Ahmed
Kab bad-e-sabah Akhter Ali Akhter Ali Khan
Dilke bhed ko Nasira Zuberi Niaz Ahmed
Pop Spell
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Title Lyrics Composition
Chori chori Shuja Haider Shuja Haider
Nere nere aa John Mall John Mall
Sehra Nadeem Ahmed Nadeem Ahmed
Tonight Shuja Haider Shuja Haider
Khwab Sabir Zafar Emad Rahman
Unchi uraan John Mall John Mall
Rogi Shuja Haider Shuja Haider
Aja we aja Md. Nasir Shuja Haider
Dilki awaaz John Mall John Mall
Ghazal bahana karoon
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Title Lyrics Composition
Aseer-e-dard-e-muhabbat Wali Ahmed Wali Shakila Ahmed
Phir kuch ek dilko Mirza Ghalib Shakila Ahmed
Karun na yaad agar Ahmed Faraz Shakila Ahmed
Kya kahun tumse Mir Taqi Mir Shakila Ahmed
Phir hareef-e-bahar Faiz Ahmed Faiz Jamal Hasan
Rasm-e-ulfat Dagh Dehelvi Jamal Hasan
Agar kajraw Allama Iqbal Jamal Hasan
Arzo saman kahan teri Mir Dard Jamal Hasan
Anarkali, Theatre
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Title Lyrics Composition
Humko tumhari ishq ne Abdul Wahab Khan Shuja Haider
Jhumi hui ghata Shuja Haider
Tum mere paas raho Faiz Ahmed Faiz Shuja Haider
Sharm Shuja Haider Shuja Haider

Compilation albums

Title Genre Record label
Pepsi World Cup Pop BMN Records
Azaadi songs Pop BMN Records
Golden hits Pop BMN Records

Film

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  • Little Buddha
  • Daira

Singles

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Title Genre Lyrics Composition
Chupi chupi bokul tole (Bangla) Geet Selim Ashraf
Bekhudi (Urdu/Punjabi) Pop/Rock Shuja Haider Shuja Haider
Meri Ankhonme (Urdu) Ghazal fusion Amed Wasi Shakila Ahmed
Kolpona (Bangla) Geet Shakila Ahmed Khalid Nizami
Umeedon ka safar Geet Nadeem Ahmed Nadeem Ahmed
Girafta dil hai Ghazal Nasir Kazmi Md. Naseer
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Categories

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Pakistani singer

  1. ^ "Life's lyrics Shakila Ahmed". The Daily Star. Nashid Kamal. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
  2. ^ "Musical Soiree by Shakila Ahmed and Suhail Rais Khan in Sacramento". Pakistan Link. Ras H. Siddiqui. Retrieved September 10, 2017.