In this episode of the A for Aleph podcast, we had the honour of welcoming Natasha Baig, a versatile Pakistani singer-songwriter from Hunza Valley, celebrated for her powerful vocals and known for her unique blend of Sufi rock and folk styles.

Despite having no formal music education, she grew up listening to mainstream artists like Abida Parveen and Michael Jackson. She began her career in 2013 as a contestant at the 'Cornetto Music Icons' TV show, as one of the six finalists, who were mentored by Zoe Viccaji. Particularly, her performance of "Dekha Na Tha" by Alamgir was praised.

Soon after, she joined sufi fusion ensemble Sounds of Kolachi, as a one of the singers. She later left to pursue a solo career with her own band, including her brother Sameer Baig on guitar who was also the producer for most of her music.

Natasha gained prominence with her Burushaski tune "Ya Maula," a powerful Sufi anthem. This song propelled her into the spotlight, where she quickly became recognized for her commanding stage presence and emotive performances. During this time has performed at notable music festivals across Pakistan.

In 2016, Natasha co-founded the production company & record label Laal Series, a platform dedicated to promoting socially conscious music. Her contributions to Pakistani film and television further broadened her appeal, with her song "Jhoom Le" from the movie "Janaan" earning her a Lux Style Award nomination. She has also lent her voice to the OSTs of popular TV dramas such as "Jhooti," "Naina Aur Tum," and "Kahani Raima Aur Manahil Ki." She released her song with 'Mai Dhai' "Kesaria", which was produced by her company Laal Series.

In 2018 she was featured on the Coke Studio Sessions along with the legendary Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad Qawwal, performing 'Jawab-e-Shikwa' written by Allama Iqbal to critical acclaim.

Natasha has released a significant amount of singles including two full-length albums which include Zariya (2020) and Khirad (2022) which is a tribute to Allama Iqbal. All of her releases are distributed through her own record label Laal Series.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction
4:15 - Early Music Influences
7:40 - Natasha's Cricket Journey
10:12 - Transition From Cricket To Music
12:19 - Early Days With Sounds of Kolachi
17:49 - Discussing Center Stage
19:15 - Solo Journey
32:15 - Early Solo Releases
33:27 - Call From Coke Studio
38:47 - Shikwa/Jawab - E - Shikwa
44:30 - Rising Recognition
47:38 - Journey Through Her Albums
50:15 - The Legacy of Parveen Shakir
52:45 - Vision Of 'Laal Series'
56:48 - Lahore Office Story
1:01:05 - Natasha's Connection to Gilgit And Hunza
1:03:00 - Future Projects
1:05:54 - Questions From The Audience

FOLLOW NATASHA BAIG:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2R8t8...
Apple Music:   / natasha-baig  
YouTube:    / @natashabaigofficial  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/natashabaig...
Twitter: https://x.com/imnatashabaig?lang=en
Facebook:   / natashabaigofficial  

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