Zoe Viccaji & Imam Hamdani – Neend Aati Nahin (KM Single Review)

By Hasan Faridi

Zoe Viccaji is a Pakistani singer who has been writing her own music and playing the guitar since the age of 15. She used to be a painter, but realized music was her aspiration. She joined her first band (the Ganda Bandas) when she was 17, and did a show with them.

She has now become a popular face in the Pakistani music industry, having been featured as a backing singer in the influential music TV production Coke Studio. She also has her own home studio where she records her own music, and collaborates with various producers.

Recently, she posted up an unplugged version featuring Pakistani guitarist Imam Hamdani covering Junoon’s famous “Neend Aati Nahin” that was first released on the bands 1991 debut album “Junoon”. It’s a Pakistani rock classic, and has been covered by the likes of underground bands such as Laal, and solo artists such as Abdullah Qureshi.

Without a doubt, this new cover is a soothing listen. Without the torrent of good music we regularly hear in Coke Studio, Zoe gets the chance to showcase her voice, whilst Imam plucks and strums away. They share a few smiles and giggles which is quite pleasing to see too.

The best thing about this cover is that the song isn’t manipulated, and the original melody played by Junoon is still intact, and that’s a good thing. It reminds us that this song is a pure classic. It can’t be changed. If it is, then artists can expect to get criticism for doing it.

But nevertheless, this cover plays it safe, and Zoe does what she does best.

She has been working hard on her music and will be releasing her first album song “Tanhai” soon.

“Neend aati nahin” you say? We may not get any sleep listening to the onslaught of music coming soon. Fingers crossed.