LAHORE – Back in the 1970’s and 1980’s when the Benjamin Sisters and Nazia Hasan came to notice with their harmonious tunes, it was seldom that one would hear of women in the music industry. However, now times have changed dramatically and thankfully now female musicians can be heard loud and clear.
Moreover, now spotting a lady playing an instrument on stage is a usual sight whereas earlier it was improbable. Today our mainstream music industry is flourishing with several female musicians who’ve contributed significantly and it would be hard to envisage the industry without them.
Undoubtedly women are vital in promoting Pakistani music. Abida Parveen, Tina Sani, Hadiqa Kiyani, Fariha Pervaiz, Zeb and Haniya, Arooj Aftab, Nida Arab, Annie and Meesha Shafi are a few names that have come a long way and no music wrap up would be complete without making reference to these ladies.
Following in their footsteps are Mehek Tahirani and Suhana Baloch of ‘Cheapmunks’ who’ve only recently risen to prominence. Calling themselves “‘Cheap’ because it represents us and ‘munks’ from Alvin and the Cheapmunks,” they have been labeled as the next big thing after Zeb and Haniya. They have captivated masses in Karachi and Lahore and on an average these ladies are receiving diverse reviews, but all and sundry are appreciating the band’s inventive endeavours. Cheapmunk’s video on youtube turned out to be an instantane triumph, catapulting the band to glory right away.
Pakistan Today catches up with Mehak Taherani of Cheapmunks as she talks about her band.
“Our band started on Aug 22, 2010.Our ideas were developed by the people when we posted our first home video on Facebook titled ‘Cheapmunks’. That’s how our band came into being really.”
This very video made the girls popular with the masses and when asked if such an overwhelming response had been anticipated Mehak promptly replied, “Never”.
The Cheapmunks drew more than 500 people at their performances both in Lahore and Karachi. Speaking about these gigs Mehak revealed, “The first gig we did was a sellout and we decided to do a second within three days. That sold out too. None of it was expected. It was all for fun and charity at the time but now it seems we could take things to the next level.”
Speaking about their inspiration, the vocalist of the band says, “There are so many musicians that we admire but if we had to choose one it would probably be Ali Azmat.”
The Cheapmunks have received a variety of reviews from audiences and professionals. While some feel they were outstanding, other opine that they needed more practice and were not prepared for solo performances yet. When asked for her take on this array of comments, the self assured Mehak firmly stated, “There are always two sides to a story. And this is ours.”
What makes the Cheapmunks stand out is their unique mesh up of Eastern and Western songs. They don’t have any singles or albums to their credit at the moment and instead their discography includes covers of popular songs like ‘Oh My Gosh’ by Usher mixed with Sajjad Ali’s ‘Babia’, Imran Khan’s ‘Bewafa’ blended with Eminem and Rihanna’s ‘The Way You Lie’ and EP’s ‘Hamesha’ mixed with Akon’s ‘Nosy Neighbour’, among others.
As for the future projects Mehak doesn’t want to spoil the surprise and so she says, “only the summer shall reveal what we are up to”.
