Who is Ali Azmat?

Ali Azmat is a Pakistani singer, songwriter and musician. He is the frontman of the rock band Junoon, and has released multiple solo albums. Azmat is known for his powerful vocals and his fusion of western and eastern musical styles. He is one of Pakistan's most acclaimed rock stars, and his music has been popular in India as well.

Early Life of Ali Azmat

Azmat was born in Karachi, Pakistan on April 20, 1971. His father was a civil servant and his mother was a housewife. Azmat attended St. Patrick's High School in Karachi before moving to Lahore to attend the University of Punjab. During this time he began writing songs and performing them in coffee houses around the city.

Career Beginnings with Junoon

In 1991, Azmat teamed up with fellow musicians Salman Ahmad and Brian O'Connell to form the rock band Junoon. The band went on to become one of the most successful Pakistani bands of all time, with hits like “Sayonee”, “Jazba-e-Junoon”, “Saeein”, and “Khudi” becoming popular in Pakistan and India.

Solo Music Career

Azmat left Junoon in 2005 to pursue a solo career. His first solo album Social Circus was released in 2006 to critical acclaim. The album featured collaborations with several prominent Pakistani musicians including Ali Haider, Faakhir Mehmood, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan, Asad Ahmed and others. Azmat followed up Social Circus with the album Classic (2008) which included collaborations with prominent Indian musicians such as A.R Rahman, Ustad Sultan Khan, Shankar Mahadevan and others.

Recent Work

Azmat released his third solo album Chalta Rahe Yaar in 2010 which featured collaborations with several renowned Indian and Pakistani musicians such as Sting, Sunidhi Chauhan, Hariharan, Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and others. He has since released a fourth solo album Allah Ke Banday (2012) which featured collaborations with a number of Pakistani musicians including Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Ustad Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan.

Awards & Accolades

Azmat has won numerous awards throughout his career including two Lux Style Awards for Best Male Artist (2006 & 2008) and two MTV Asia Awards for Best Male Artist (2006 & 2008). He has also been nominated for several other awards including five MTV Video Music Awards India (2009), two MTV Europe Music Awards (2009 & 2010) and two British Asian Music Awards (2010 & 2011).

Legacy

Azmat's work has had a lasting impact on the music scene in Pakistan as well as India. He is widely regarded as one of Pakistan's most influential rock stars and has paved the way for other Pakistani musicians to break into the mainstream music scene. He continues to be active in both countries with occasional live performances as well as collaborations with other artists.