“Manooghi Hi has gifted me with a pair of life-coloured glasses. From a love affair with nature to the sensual stroke of a brush on canvas, it makes me see the world differently and what springs from this, is the music. It is purity and love and that’s my greatest truth.”
Respected ‘Seattle PI’ music critic Gene Stout described Mehnaz as “mesmerising and otherworldly.” Techgnosis.com guru Erik Davis, who saw her perform at the ‘Bumbershoot Arts Festival’ in 2008, illustrated her voice as “…smoke rising from a burning ghat.” Jonathan Zwickel of the ‘Seattle Times’ conveyed the experience as “…panoramic rock ‘n’ roll fronted by a petite, beautiful Indian woman scat singing in Hindi. The cross-pollination is dizzying.”
A vocal student of Pandit Bhavdeep Jaipurwale, Vasi Ahmed Khan and Dhanashree Pandit Rai, in India, Mehnaz marries her classical Hindustani music training with the western musical sensibilities of her American counterparts forming the synthesis that is Manooghi Hi. This collaboration has presented the opportunity to broaden her vocal artistry into newer musical territory. She not only sings in multiple languages (English, Hindi, Tamil, Persian and Sanskrit) but also introduces listeners to strains of Hindustani classical, Sufi style, Tabla bolis and Qawwali, craftily showcased in more western genres of classic rock and theatrical pop. Mehnaz co-writes lyrics in Manooghi Hi, enthusiastically infusing her personal experiences and the vibrant colours of India into fresh, poetic language.
Her debut release, ‘Miss India’ (1996), provided the hit song ‘Banoongi Main Miss India’ (trans. “I will be Miss India”) that sold over 1 million copies worldwide and clinched the ‘Channel V’ and ‘Screen Videocon’ awards for ‘Best Female Pop Icon’. Her following releases ‘Mausam’ (1999), followed by Sajnaa (2006), were also well received by fans and critics alike. Mehnaz has graced the soundtracks of ‘Bombay Boys’ (1998), ‘Split Wide Open’ (1999) and ‘Snip’ (2000) and has shared the stage with marquee artists such as Led Zeppelin, Bon Jovi, Spice Girls, Iwan, Gwen Stefani, Brian Eno, Bryan Adams and Air Supply. Fusing her high-energy dancing (a legacy of the Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts) with her signature vocal style, Mehnaz has toured across the US, Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, UAE, Oman, Sri Lanka, Austria, Bosnia, Poland and her own native India.
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can’t wait to see you in seattle. i posted you and am telling everyone how great your sound is. i am a metal girl, so there you go.
I heard your song “Oh Baba” on a Classic Rock Magazine sampler and decided to find out more! I really dig what you’re doing with this band! Now I’m going to go watch and listen to everything you have here and see about ordering some of it! Thanks and keep up the great creative work!