Artists: Zeb and Haniya
Song: Laili Jaan
Produced By Rohail Hyatt
Language: Dari
‘Laili Jaan’ is a song that took the world of Afghan Pop by storm in the 70’s by a man who is considered as the King of Afghan music – Ahmad Zahir. While Afghanistan is known for its wealth of heritage music, Zahir contributed towards creating a legacy of Pop and Rock music that mirrored Elvis Presley, which led him to be regarded as the ‘Elvis of Afghanistan’. The song talks about classic heartbreak – with just the right amount of pleasure in the experience of love that accompanies the sorrow of heartbreak. A song that represents the tragedy of love lost with a comical tinge, the feel of contrasting emotions comes through in the way that our aggrieved lover puts on a brave face to smile through the agony of heartbreak.
This Season Zeb & Haniya take on the song as an ode to Ahmad Zahir as well as reimagining the song through the female perspective of a song sung by a man. The song is reminiscent of a time where the rich tunes of Afghan music prevailed in various parts of the world and had become a huge part of growing up in cities like Peshawar – something Zeb and Haniya remember fondly from their childhood days. Flash forward to 2013 and the duo bring to the song a gypsy feel that is complemented by the instrumentation performed by L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio – a modern sound that meets the tone of rhythm and blues with an added layer of jazz.
Performance Credits:
Haniya Aslam | Semi-Acoustic Guitar
L’Orchestra di Piazza Vittorio
MARIO TRONCO | Italy – Artistic Director
EMANUELE BULTRINI | Italy – Guitars
PEPPE D’ARGENZIO | Italy – Sax
ERNESTO LOPEZ MATURELL | Cuba – Drums
OMAR LOPEZ VALLE | Cuba – Trumpet
PINO PECORELLI | Italy – Basses
LEANDRO PICCIONI | Italy – Piano and Keyboards
PAP YERI SAMB | Senegal – Percussion
RAUL SCEBBA | Argentina – Percussion
KAW DIALY MADI SISSOKO | Senegal – Kora
ZIAD TRABELSI | Tunisia – Oud
Siddiq Kamash | Rubab
Babar Ali Khanna | Dholak
Backing Vocal: Rachel Viccaji, Zoe Viccaji
Watch Bts video below:
