In a recent guest appearance at Star and Style, Pakistani singer Zoheb Hassan, half of the iconic pop duo Nazia and Zoheb, revealed his unexpected journey into the music industry. The singer discussed the humble beginnings of his career alongside his sister Nazia Hassan and the challenges he faced along the way.
Nazia and Zoheb burst onto the music scene in 1980 with their hit single Aap Jaisa Koi for the Indian film Qurbani. This track served as a precursor to their debut album, Disco Deewane, released in 1981 and produced by renowned Indian producer Biddu. Its infectious tunes resonated with audiences globally, propelling Nazia and Zoheb to international fame, with fanbases extending to countries like Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and Indonesia.
Rising Up to Fame
“We never looked at the commercial side, at how successful we would get. We were just doing something that we loved,” he remarked during the interview. “It’s very important, I think, that when you’re doing something creative, you should just concentrate on that and not the success, fame and all.”
Given the longevity of the pop duo’s sonic catalogue, Zoheb counts himself lucky but has a simple formula to explain their enduring fame. “As a songwriter, if you have a good melody, it lasts forever,” he said simply. “A good melody is always a good melody. Nazia and I wanted to focus on the music. If you do that sincerely, whatever you make does last. If you’re doing something for commercial reasons or fame, then it doesn’t work.”
To everyone’s surprise, the Dosti singer harboured little fondness for music. He revealed, “I had no passion for music. When I was in school, I was nervous to tell people that I sing.”
