Awaz

Awaz (Urdu: آواز transl. Voice) was a Pakistani pop band that formed in Islamabad in 1992. The group was formed by Haroon Rashid, lead vocalist, who was soon joined by keyboardist Faakhir Mehmood and lead guitarist Asad Ahmed. Awaz were one of the pioneer bands of the local pop music scene and were highly skilled and talented musicians, producers and composers. The band's skill at composing and producing was often overlooked and the focus was on their good looks, glossy videos, catchy songs and wild stage performances. Awaz is also regarded as one of the most successful bands in Pakistan having sold more than 5 million albums worldwide.^[1]

Awaz achieved commercial success in Pakistan with the release of their self-titled debut album, Awaz, in 1993. The single "Janeman" was an instant hit as they became the first band from South Asia to appear on MTV in April 1992, composed by lead vocalist Haroon Rashid, produced by Haroon and Faakhir with lyrics written by Sarmed Mirza and Haroon.^[1] Their second studio album, Jadoo Ka Charagh, was released in 1995, and included the hit singles "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa". The album proved to be better than the first studio release and stood up to everybody's expectations.^[2] In 1996, the band went on to record and release their third studio album, Shola, which included their biggest hit song "Mr. Fraudiay". Their third album comprised elements of western music and less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had. The very patriotic number Ay Jawaan was one of their most loved songs, followed by Jadoo Ka Chiragh and the comic, Mr Fraudiye. Due to a dispute between the members in late 1999, Haroon and Faakhir went on to pursue their solo careers while Asad Ahmed formed Karavan.