Mehdi Hassan Biography

Mehdi Hassan was a Pakistani ghazal singer, famously called the "King of Ghazal" or "Shahanshah-e-Ghazal". He was a highly influential figure in the history of ghazal, known for his deep and husky baritone voice. He is credited to have exposed ghazal singing to a wider audience with his hauntingly melodious voice. Born into a musical family, he was naturally inclined towards the art from a young age. He claimed to belong to the 16th generation of hereditary musicians hailing from the Kalawant clan of musicians. As a young boy he received his primary training in music from his father who himself was a prominent traditional Dhrupad singer; his uncle was also an important early influence. He started performing at quite an early age and seemed to be headed for a successful musical career when the partition of India happened. Joining several other Muslims, Hassan and his family migrated to Pakistan and suffered severe financial hardships over the next few years. He struggled to establish himself as a singer and made ends meet by working odd jobs. His hard work eventually paid off and he received the opportunity to sing on Radio Pakistan which gained him considerable fame. He went on to establish himself as one of the greatest ever ghazal singers and received much recognition for his contribution to classical music.