Irfan saab (my boss) reckons moi; "Mr Exclusive" hasn't delivered of late. With my job on the line, it was time to fill the 3 series with fifty litres of super unleaded, though my wallet was now several pounds lighter I could now think more clearly. "An exclusive he wants, and an exclusive he'll get!" I thought. With desi the music industry screaming out for female talent, my search took me all the way to Blackburn where I just happened to bump into one of the most talented females to hit scene since Shazia Manzoor, I'm talking about, non other than AP productions very own, Khadija, to find out what went down, read on!

Masaeb: I saw you on the cover of the D-Classified album and thought "wow, she's quite hot", then I heard Jadon Holi Jaye, and "I thought wow, she's hotter than laal mirch masala!" Tell us a bit about yourself and your background, how did it all begin for you, did you always want to be a singer?

Khadija: Hello and my salaam to all the readers, thank you for your compliments but and I would not recommend you or anyone to have something hotter than laal mirch masala, about my background, my whole family has always been very fond of classical music, and my parents have been a kind of inspiration, for the love they have for music, I guess I have inherited most of it and the rest is from riaz (a lot of Practice!). I have had classical training and have also learnt to play few instruments. I learnt tabla when I was three and a half years old as well as sitar. Well before music became a profession, it's always been more of a passion for me and I am just very happy that it has become my profession now.

Masaeb: How did you hook up with AP productions?

Khadija: Now that is a good word that you have used. Well I don't know about hooking up but yes I met AP's promoter in Pakistan, through a very distinguished film director from Pakistan named Mr Server Moosavie. The Management at AP-Productions, Amjad Khan, heard my demo and the next thing I knew was that they offered me to work with and we've never looked back since.

Masaeb: Do you write your own lyrics and music, or do you have people writing for you?

Khadija: Well both actually. I do write my own songs and also compose them, and for my up coming album, I have worked with Mr Akhtar Hussain, who wrote the hit song 'Aja Sohniya" by Shazia Manzoor, it was a pleasure working with him. My own album will be a collaboration of few of my own songs and few of Mr Akhtar's. I like to work with other people too; I think it's important to have different sounds and music according to the era and it gives me an opportunity to learn lots of things from them about music. The one great thing about my record label is that they are involved in all stages of my work and as well as contributing lyrics they oversee the whole thing, it's real team work.

Masaeb: People are calling you the new Shazia Manzoor and some are even comparing you to the great Noor Jehan, totally unfair in my view, but how does it feel to be compared to two such huge names right at the start of your career? Khadija: Well just like you said so, totally unfair. But I think it's a way of people complimenting me, and I just appreciate their good will behind it. Masaeb: What artists do you draw inspiration from, in particular, what females? Khadija: My inspirations come from a lot of singers like, Madam Noor Jehan, Lata Ji and Asha Ji, Rafi Saab, Kishore Da and sometimes even new singers. I call them my teachers even won't call me their student. I have learnt a lot from them, the way of expressions in a song, pronunciations, clarity of the words and lots more. My worst and best critic is my sister.

Khadija

Masaeb: Being UK born and bred, as well as Muslim, was it difficult to get your parents support to become a singer? Was there any backlash from the local community now that you're a star performing on TV, and in front of thousands of fans, many of which are male?

Khadija: Yes I am bred in UK also but no I am not born UK. It was very hard time for me when I told my family that I want to take singing as a profession. No one supported me or encouraged me. I had to motivate myself all the time and sometimes even now. Now my family is a bit supportive, cause of what they hear from other people, about my reputation and my work. In very less time I have worked in Pakistan as a Music director and singer with very Big names like, writer Hassina Moin, and Director Syed Mohsin Ali. Also I have worked with RDB, in their two new albums, 'Urban Flavas 2' and 'Unstoppable'. Also I was praised by 'The legend Mr Mehdi Hassan', a Semi-Classical song that I did for his Tribute in Pakistan. I have come into this field cause I felt that I could contribute in it in a better way than I can in any other field. One should not be hypocrite, if I like to listen music and good music then why not doing it. Talking of males, make sure you buy the original boys! Seriously it's so great to get so much appreciation after all the hard work, it's great really!

Masaeb: Since choosing your career path, have people looked at you or treated you differently?

Khadija: About my family and friends, no they are the same with me but they do keep telling me what other people say or think of me. I am not conscious of what people think, I think my education background and my upbringing has given me a good training to adopt and keep a good attitude.

Masaeb: What was the hardest obstacle you faced on your way to becoming a singer, was there any point when you were starting out that you thought you weren't going to make it?

Khadija: No, Alhamdolillah I never thought that I will never make it, cause I was so motivated, enthusiastic and more than any think, I had my good intentions behind it and of course with Allah blessings. I had my sense telling me that this is what I can do better than other workJ. The hardest obstacle, I guess was when my family was not supporting me morally in the first place. I am sure they had their reasons.

Mona Singh	Masaeb: There are only a handful of females in the UK desi music scene at the moment, people such as Sweet V (Rishi Rich project), D-voted (now known as Voodoo Doll) and Sophia Choudhry (former Zee TV presenter); all who have had moderate success if that. When you think about the freedom us desi's get here, surely we should be producing more stars like you, but then when we compare our industry to that in Pakistan, they seem to produce as many female singers as they do fast bowlers! There also seems to be a lot of female talent in India breaking through, why do you think this is?
Khadija: Well I might not agree with you, yes there are very few singers in UK, but same is the case here in Pakistan and India, if you come to think of pop singing. UK is a smaller country compared to Pakistan and India, secondly its not an easy field, there is lots of hectic schedules behind, lot more instability, lots of things that females can get discouraged from or they are discouraged by others. But now through media lots of good singers are coming up, I have heard Mona's album, I think she's awesome! Things will be better with time, like I am here now.

Masaeb: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

Khadija: I don't think I am satisfied and fulfilled with one accomplishment, so every step forward has meant a lot to me and has a special part in my life.

Masaeb: How much of a factor so you think looks play for females wanting to make it in the music industry?

Khadija: Well, that is the question of how does it effects an individual or how important it is for an individual to see as well as to listen to music.

Masaeb: When Sophia Choudhry formed Sansara, everyone thought that women were finally getting some where in a male dominated industry. They later split with Sophia going on to start a some what stop-start solo career. As her career flounders, she seems to be losing more and more clothing, in the search for more exposure, what do you think of this, and do you think sex sells in the desi market as it does in the mainstream?

Khadija: I can' t comment on her behalf cause I think you should ask this question from her, she might have her reasons. If Madhuri Dixit does the same song, I guess you wouldn't mind it or wouldn't even question it, so I guess one has to have a certain reason to be or get personal. The marketing does says it verbally that sex sells, but when you speak of legends or great singers like Madam Noor Jehan and Shazia Manzoor, even you said they are, well I think they didn't went that far. So I guess it's an individual's choice and for some marketing people who think that only sex sells. There are a lot of great singers still, who are doing without it.

Masaeb: Would you ever consider creating a sexier image in order to sell albums like Sophia has? Khadija: Right now I don't want to make a statement any of this kind, like I said earlier I am here with a good will and want to do good work and want to contribute in the music industry. But as you have mentioned so much of Sophia, I think you have been quite let down, I think you should ask her all these questions and have good hopes for all the singers.

Sophia

Masaeb: I understand that you're spending a lot of time in Pakistan at the moment, and have released albums aimed specifically at the market back home?

Khadija: Yes, that's true, but I am not aiming specifically for Pakistan, what ever I have released or will be releasing it would the same internationally and it will be same for Pakistan. Pakistan has been a great start for my career, but naturally we are also pushing my music in UK and Europe, with a few pop videos in the pipeline I'd really like more international releases. One track we've done especially for the UK is the UK Shabz Mix of Jado Hole which is a bit mad but have a listen to it on "Love is.." and let me know what you think! That's just one example of how the record label and I are trying to captivate our entire audiences whether in Pakistan or UK.

Masaeb: What kind of music are you into at the moment?

Khadija: I listen to all kinds of music except from heavy metal. I am doing mix, bhangra with hip-hop and mc'ing in it, soft melodic music, pop with drum and base and remixes, all kinds of music.

Khadija

Masaeb: What do you think were the albums of 2003? Khadija: Tera Chehra by Adnan Sami no doubt, I really love that album. In remixes I think Baby H was really good, the producer was really good he has handled the remix in a much better way then many have. A few songs of RDB, from 'Urban Flavas 2' like 'Ban Phar Ke' and of course mine 'Meray Dilbar.' A few songs out of Mona Singh's album were good. Terey Nam was good and the Fuzion and Amjad Jehanzeb's albums are good. Also watch out for new released from AP productions. Masaeb: What is your view on the UK desi music scene at this time? Khadija: I think after the breakthrough of Punjabi mc in the main stream the bhangra is being appreciated world wide now by many big names like Shania Twain and Britney Spears. For UK the music is going good but I

think they should start doing some mix of Urdu and Punjabi and should experiment more, some of what you will hear in my own and my first album soon.

Masaeb: The D-Classified album featured many mc's, which got a fair amount of criticism for their extensive use, as well as the relevance of their lyrics, what is your opinion on the use of MC's in desi music at the moment, do you think they are necessary to carry a song, a lot of people think the massive smash Jadon Holi Jaye could have done without the MC'ing, or with a more known mc?

Khadija: Lots of people have had mc'ing in their songs e.g. Bally Sagoo, Stereo Nation or RDB and many more. For me this was the first time and I really enjoyed it. As for the question as why is it their, its just like asking youngsters in UK that why do they speak Punjabi mixed with English?:) English, as a language has become a part of the young Asians and as far as I think most of them speak English than Punjabi especially when they are not with their parents. So to approach them and bringing them to our culture its sometimes important to have mc'ing. The other reason is that it is a worldwide trend too. But of course excess of every thing is bad. About the MC I think you might not be aware of the work Nas-T (MC), has done and is doing. He has worked with Sajjad Ali and on Rahim Shah's new song 'Channa' in the album "Channa", which is a big hit in Pakistan is going quite well in UK too. He is a one kind of a music producer; do watch out for his own album soon too. As for any other mc, for me good work is always better than a good name.

Masaeb: Recently desi music has had a lot of mainstream exposure, do think Asians are here to stay in the mainstream, or do you think brown just happens to be flavour of the month, and would you ever consider releasing a mainstream album?

Khadija: I pray that "Asians" should do more than just being the flavour of the month but once your are here then it's the consistency that will matter. About mainstream album why not, if I get a chance to represent my own culture like Bhangra then why not, but that should not matter and will not matter to the way I think of my life. I am Khadija and will remain with the same identity. If I will do it, I will do it with grace and dignity like I do with any other projects.

Masaeb: Moving on, what's next for Khadija, do you have any projects in the pipeline?

Khadija: My first solo album called 'My first time" in near future, but you can hear a sample of what the album is like as my track "Sapno Mein" is featured on the AP-Production album "Love is…" and for the rest, I like to give surprises, so you have to wait and watch.

Masaeb: Are there any artists that you would particularly like to work with, desi and mainstream? Khadija: I really wish I could have worked with Madam Noor Jehan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, as for now I would really like to work with Asha Bhosle Ji and Mariah Carey, not only as a singer but also as a composer, and a producer. Mariah is the most outstanding vocalist I have ever listened to. Masaeb: What do you do in free time other than music? Khadija: Other than writing or composing music, I play sports like tennis or table tennis. I like to play sports. I am a blue belt so I do my practice other than my riaz. Sometimes I will call all my friends over or will go to their place one by one. Be with my family, watch films and television.

Mariah Carey

Masaeb: What would you have done if you didn't become a singer?

Khadija: I think I would have been a good social worker.

Masaeb: Ok, here's the big question everyone's been waiting for, (please don't slap me, I'm not looking for a rishta just yet!) are you single?

Khadija: Well if you aren't looking for rishta just yet, what's the use of giving you the answer then?

Masaeb: Finally do have any message for the desitunes4u massive?

Khadija: Keep listening to my songs and wait and watch for the next releases soon. Hope to see all the readers in the Melas in 2004.

That concludes the interview, a big thanks to Khadija for taking some time to chat to Masaeb! If you want to e-mail her yourself then you can do just that now at khadija@ap-productions.com. She's also featured on Danger 3 as well, so watch out for her on that.This is just the beginning for her, she's got all the potential to go right to the top!