Haroon Bacha
{{use mdy dates |date=April 2021}}
{{infobox person
| name = Haroon Bacha
| image = Haroon Bacha in 2017.jpg
| caption = Bacha performing at AVT Khyber's "Sparle Suroona" in Peshawar in 2017
| native_name = هارون باچا
| native_name_lang = ps
| birth_date = {{birth date and age |1972|7|27}}
| birth_place = Panjpir, Swabi, Pakistan
| education = Master's degree in Social Work at University of Peshawar, 1994
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|musician|composer|broadcaster}}
| years_active = 1992–present
| employer = Mashaal Radio
| module = {{infobox musical artist
| embed = yes
| origin = Peshawar, Pakistan
| genre = {{hlist
| Pashto
| folk
| ghazal
| tappa
| rubayi
}}
| instruments = {{hlist|Vocals|harmonium}}
}}
}}
Haroon Bacha ({{langx|ps|هارون باچا}}) (born July 27, 1972) is a Pashtun singer and composer who, since beginning his musical career in 1992, has released upwards of 50 albums and numerous singles. Bacha is renowned for songs such as "Awal Ba Kala Kala Gham Wo", "Stergey Ghazal", and "Yaar Zhaghaida".{{cite web|last1=Shinwari|first1=Sher|title=Haroon Bacha's Biography|url=http://www.last.fm/music/Haroon+Bacha/+wiki|website=last.fm|publisher=Last.fm|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}
Early life
Haroon Bacha was born on July 27, 1972, in Panjpir, Swabi, Pakistan. He received his early education at Govt. High School Panjpir and followed with his matriculation from Govt. High School No. 1 Peshawar. Bacha completed his {{abbr|F.Sc.|Faculty of Science}} and {{abbr|B.A.|Bachelor of Arts}} from Edwardes College in 1992, and his master's degree in Social Work from the Department of Social Work at University of Peshawar in 1994.{{cite web |last1=Khattak |first1=Bakhtiar |title=Bakhtiar Khattak - Haroon Bacha - Stayena - Mardan |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3sHs1PVZn4&ab_channel=PresScoEntertaiNment |website=YouTube |publisher=PresSco EntertaiNment |access-date=19 March 2023}}
Bacha had a natural flair for singing, taking part in Naat Qirat and singing competitions throughout his early school days. Govt. High School No. 1 provided some chances for young Haroon Bacha to exhibit his hidden talent, but it was the music club of Edwardes College that garnered him a real place in the world of Pashto music.{{cite web|last1=Shinwari|first1=Sher|title=Haroon Bacha|url=http://www.khyber.org/people/a/Haroon_Bacha.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140916170758/http://www.khyber.org/people/a/Haroon_Bacha.shtml|url-status=usurped|archive-date=September 16, 2014|website=Khyber.org|publisher=Khyber Gateway|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}
Career
Haroon Bacha's musical career began in 1992 with a live television performance in Peshawar, Pakistan. His first album, "Da Rangoono Makhaam", was released in 1996, with "Ghwanchakoona" being released shortly thereafter. It was "Ghwanchakoona" that featured Bacha's most influential song to date, "Awal Ba Kala Kala Gham Wo". The song consists of Pashto tappa poems, and has since been translated into Urdu, Persian, Arabic, and English by numerous artists.{{cite web |last1=Shah |first1=Rahim |title=Pehlay To Kabhi Kabhi Gham Tha - Rahim Shah - GHAM - Official Video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW5Xud_IXHY&ab_channel=RahimShahOfficial |website=YouTube |publisher=Rahim Shah Official |access-date=19 March 2023}}
Since "Ghwanchakoona", Bacha has released more than 48 other albums along with singles like "Stergey Ghazal", "May Wey Nen Ba Haal", and "Deedan (Tapey)". Some of his recent albums include "Woolas Janaan Krra", "Heele", and "Gulrang".{{cite web |last1=Bacha |first1=Haroon |title=Haroon Bacha هارون باچا |url=https://www.youtube.com/@HaroonBacha |website=YouTube |publisher=Haroon Bacha هارون باچا |access-date=19 March 2023}}
Bacha's musical career came to a crossroads in 2007 when he began receiving threats from the Pakistani Taliban. Through repeated text messages and phone calls, the Taliban asked him to quit music upon threat of death for him and his family. These threats lasted approximately one year until Bacha fled his home for Brooklyn, New York, where he was granted political asylum.{{cite web|last1=Sisario|first1=Ben|title=U.S. Refuge for Singer Fleeing the Taliban|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/arts/music/13bach.html|website=The New York Times|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Mashal|first1=Mujib|title=Taliban Silence Pakistani Musicians|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304402104579147522009631400|website=The Wall Street Journal|publisher=Dow Jones & Company|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}{{cite web|title=Music Freedom Day: What does censorship sound like? Listen to Freemuse on Spotify|url=http://freemuse.org/archives/11865|website=Freemuse|publisher=Freemuse|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Khan|first1=Javed|title=Taliban losing their 'war on music'|url=http://musicfreedomday.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/MusicFreedomReport_Pakistan.pdf|website=Music Freedom Day|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Shinwari|first1=Sher|title=Pakistan: The undeclared ban on playing music lingers on|url=http://artsfreedom.org/?p=4756|website=artsfreedom|publisher=WordPress|accessdate=February 5, 2017}}
In 2009, Bacha became Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty's Mashaal Radio branch's first employee as a broadcaster.{{cite web|last1=Sohail|first1=Khattak|title=Pashto music: Bacha steps forward|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/393698/pashto-music-bacha-steps-forward/|website=The Express Tribune|publisher=The Express Tribune|accessdate=February 5, 2017}} In 2012, RFE/RL relocated him to work from their headquarters in Prague, Czechia. Bacha has continued his musical career from abroad (with songs such as "Sawdagara", "Ma Ragora Sam Sam", and "Shamalooky") while hosting various music-related programs for Mashaal Radio. {{cite web |last1=Bashir |first1=Malalai |title=له هارون باچا سره ځانګړې مرکه |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsxF3KfrRbI&ab_channel=AzadiRadio |website=YouTube |publisher=Azadi Radio |access-date=19 March 2023}}
Inspired from him, his nephew Gulwareen Bacha has also chosen music as a career.
References
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Category:20th-century Pakistani male singers
Category:20th-century Pakistani singers
Category:21st-century Pakistani male singers
Category:20th-century singer-songwriters
Category:21st-century singer-songwriters
Category:People from Swabi District
Category:Musicians from Peshawar
Category:People from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Category:Edwardes College alumni