Google Doodle Honours Pakistan’s ‘Pop Queen’ Nazia Hassan

Pakistan’s pop icon Nazia Hassan reigned the 80s with her compositions. A singer-songwriter, lawyer and social activist, Hassan seized the spotlight with Pakistan Television's (PTV) programme Sung Sung. She rose to fame with tracks like Disco Deewane and Boom Boom. Hassan is hailed as the first Pakistani to bag a Filmfare award for the Best Playback Singer (female) for Aap Jaisa Koi.

Google remembered her on her 53rd birth anniversary with a doodle. Nazia and her brother, Zoheb captured the aspiration and frustrations of their generation in their music. They were known to surpass artists like Duran Duran in South America.

When young Pakistani girls in the 1980s closed their eyes and clutched a pretend mic in their hands, swaying and singing, a major inspiration was Nazia Hassan. Hassan, sometimes referred to as the “Princess of Pop”, was a sensation the likes of which hadn’t been seen in the region in years. 

Google Doodle excerpt

Nazia Hassan passed away at the age of 35 after battling lung cancer in 2000.