Moeen Hassan: Qawwali champ

THE qawwali genre was founded in the 13th century when a group of youngsters assembled for the first group. But over time, the groups performing qawwa­li got older and those leading the party of singers be­ing even more senior.

One teenage singer in Pakistan has taken the qaw­wali genre back to its youthful roots. Nineteen-year-old Moeen Hassan from Lahore started singing at the age of seven and has been leading a group of 15 members since 2013.

“A love for music and the blessings of my father started my journey with qawwali music. I have now been singing for over 12 years with the hope of keep­ing pure qawwali alive for future generations and entertaining audiences. Qawwali music is for the people and I hope to be giving them that for years to come,” said Moeen Hassan.

The talented singer has been performing all over Pakistan and is gaining a reputation as a very good live performer. He sings with passion and always puts his all into the high-energy performances, with the help of a very talented group of artists. “Every performance has been memorable and magical for me. I am hoping to perform overseas and want to show the world qawwali music is for everyone, re­gardless of age or cultural background,” he said.

Moeen Hassan is preparing to record his first qawwali album and hopes youngsters get drawn to the genre, which has survived for over 700 years. When asked who his qawwali hero is, he smiled and said: “My hero is Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab. I have been listening to his songs for my whole life and am inspired by him in so many ways. In fact, my favourite qawwali is his rendition of Mere Rashke Qamar, which was the first song I sang and entered the industry with. I believe the late great legend will continue influencing artists for generations to come.”

When Moeen Hassan is not performing live or planning songs for his new album, he is practicing his craft and giving music lessons to students. Despite only just beginning what will no doubt be a long mu­sical journey, he very much believes in giving back.

He explained: “Music has been a great gift that has been given to me in life and it would be selfish to just hold onto it. I perform whenever I can with my amazing qawwali party, who are all so very tal­ented and give music lessons to youngsters. Qawwali has survived longer than any genre because we be­lieve in peace, love and giving.”