4Eileen59m at 21:14, 17 April 2026

2026-04-17T21:14:42Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Mehnaz Hoosein
| image = Neumos Show.jpg
| image_size =
| landscape = 
| alt =
| caption = Mehnaz at Neumos, Seattle, Washington (4 March 2011)
| birth_name = Mehnaz Hoosein
| native_name_lang = English, Hindi, Sanskrit, Bengali
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|01|30|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Mumbai, India
| origin = India
| genre = {{ublist|[[Indipop]]|[[Progressive Rock]]|[[Worldbeat]]}}
| occupation = {{ublist|Singer, song-writer}}
| instrument = Vocals
| years_active = 1996–present
| label = {{ublist|[[BMG Music]]|[[Universal Music Group]]|[[Magnasound]]|[[Zee Music Company|Zee Music]]|Mowlawner Records}}
| website = {{URL|www.mehnazmusic.com}}
}}
'''Mehnaz Hoosein''' (born 30 January 1973) is an [[Indian pop]] singer and songwriter from [[Mumbai, India]], popularly known for her hit song 'Banoongi Main Miss India'. She is a graduate from [[St. Xavier's College, Mumbai]]. At the age of 13, Mehnaz started her vocal training in Hindustani classical music under the tutelage of Pandit Bhavdeep Jaipurwale. She began training as a dancer with [[Shiamak Davar]] from 1988 and performed with the Shiamak Davar Institute of Performing Arts till 1995. Mehnaz achieved success with her song Miss India which won her the 1996 [[Channel V]] Music Award for Best Female Pop Vocalist.<ref name="Miss India">{{cite news | url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/second-innings/487064 | first=Debesh | last=Banerjee | date=9 July 2009 | title=Second Innings | newspaper=The Indian Express | accessdate=26 July 2018 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.therecordmag.com/jan2007/indipop.htm The Record Music Magazine (January 2007). "Indipop, pop, snap and crackle!". Retrieved 19 March 2013]</ref><ref>[http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?202717 Biswadeep Ghosh, 18 December 1996, 10 questions, Mehnaaz, Channel Vs Best Female Voice award winner, is poised to go international, Outlookindia.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013]</ref> At the time, Mehnaz was managed by [[Diana Hayden]] who was crowned [[Femina Miss India|Miss India]] the same year. It was in the nineties that [[Indi-pop]] began to emerge as an alternative to film music in India when a large number of pop singers emerged on the music scene.

==Early life and career==

In 1996, Mehnaz won the [[Screen Awards|Screen Videocon Award]] for Best Pop Singer for her debut album Miss India in the Non-Film Music category. Her song ''Main Hoon'' (composed by [[Merlin D'Souza]]) from the album Miss India was featured on the soundtrack of [[Deepa Mehta]]'s movie ''[[Fire (1996 film)|Fire]]''.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120803095112/http://old.bfi.org.uk/sightandsound/review/8 Rachel Malik (1996). "Fire". BFI Film Forever. Retrieved 11 March 2013]</ref> In 1997 she was featured in a multi-artist video called ''Wajah Muskurane Ki'' (A Reason to Smile) to celebrate 50 years of Indian independence and the video aired on Indian television channels. Mehnaz recorded a duet titled ''Senada Cinta'' with [[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]] Malaysia's recording artist Iwan in 1998.<ref>[http://ww.smashits.com/miss-india-mehnaz-well-on-her-way-to-being-miss-world/bollywood-gossip-764.html P.B. Shukla (2008). "Miss India Mehnaz well on her way to being Miss World". Smashits.com. Retrieved 19 March 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130615223329/http://ww.smashits.com/miss-india-mehnaz-well-on-her-way-to-being-miss-world/bollywood-gossip-764.html |date=15 June 2013 }}</ref> In 1998, she sang the number ''Paisa paisa paisa'' for the soundtrack of the indie film ''[[Bombay Boys]]''.<ref name=BombayBoys>'[http://beardscratchers.com/artist/ashutosh-phatak/release/bombay-boys?m=0b59a58e-fab8-449e-a84d-011378bcfbe8 "Bombay Boys by Ashutosh Phatak". Beardscratchers.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013]</ref>
In 1999, Mehnaz recorded a duet called ''You Are The Reason'' with [[Graham Russell]] and [[Russell Hitchcock]] of the band [[Air Supply]] for the soundtrack of [[Dev Benegal]]'s award-winning film ''[[Split Wide Open]]''.<ref name="You Are The Reason">[https://www.amazon.com/Yours-Truly-Air-Supply/dp/B00005JXQ6/ "Yours Truly" AirSupply, "You Are The Reason" (Featuring Mehnaz) (Album Version). Amazon Music. (2001). Retrieved 15 March 2013]</ref> She released her second solo album titled ''Mausam'' with BMG Crescendo in 1999. In the year 2000, Mehnaz recorded the song ''Dreamcatcher'' for the soundtrack of the indie film ''Snip!'', directed by Sunhil Sippy.<ref name=Snip>[https://music.apple.com/gb/album/dreamcatcher-snip-soundtrack/392944801?i=392944866%2F iTunes Preview (2000). Snip (OST), Various Artists. Universal Music India Pvt. Ltd. Retrieved 18 March 2013]</ref><ref>[http://www.planetbollywood.com/music/Snip/index.html Mandeep Bahra, Music review of Snip, Planetbollyood.com. Retrieved 18 March 2013]</ref> She was also featured on the duet You Are The Reason on ''Yours Truly'', the fifteenth album by Air Supply released in 2001.<ref name="You Are The Reason"/>
Mehnaz was a judge on [[Channel V]]'s, Coke V Popstars 2 in 2003.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160318013049/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2003-03-26/news/27539098_1_vj-purab-popstars-pop-band TNN (26 March 2003). "Channel V tie up for Popstars 2". The Economic Times, Indiatimes.com. Retrieved 15 March 2013]</ref>
In 2006, Mehnaz' released her third solo album ''Sajnaa'' with Universal Music India.<ref name=Sajnaa>[http://music.ovi.com/in/en/pc/Artist/Mehnaz/430582/ "Mehnaz, Most downloaded album, Sajnaa". Universal Music India Ltd., Nokia Music. (January 2006). Retrieved 12 March 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130826103326/http://music.ovi.com/in/en/pc/Artist/Mehnaz/430582 |date=26 August 2013 }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20061119020103/http://www.indiaglitz.com/channels/hindi/albumreview/3093.html Aelina, (November 14, 2006). "Sajnaa, Mehnaz". IndiaGlitz. Retrieved 12 March 2013]</ref><ref>[https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/eyecatchers/story/20061106-mehnaz-all-set-for-comeback-with-latest-offering-sajnaa-782243-2006-11-05 Kimi Dangor (6 November 2006). Pops a new tune, Mehnaz all set for come back with latest offering "Sajnaa", IndiaToday.in. Retrieved 15 March 2013]</ref>

== Mehnaz and Manooghi Hi ==

In 2007, Mehnaz travelled to the United States and collaborated with local musicians who eventually formed the core of the Seattle-based band, [[Manooghi Hi]].<ref>[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/From-Banoongi-Main-to-Manooghi-Hi/articleshow/4463132.cms/ Nicole Dastur (30 April 2009). "From Banoongi Main, to Manooghi Hi!". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 March 2013]</ref> As lead singer of Manooghi Hi, Mehnaz brought her background and knowledge of Indian pop and [[Hindustani classical music]] to the all-American pure rock sensibilities of the band; Jonathan Zwickel of ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' said 'their sound has never before been attempted'.<ref name=Manooghi>[http://www.manooghihi.com/ Manooghi Hi. Retrieved 19 March 2013] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130610063729/http://www.manooghihi.com/ |date=10 June 2013 }}</ref><ref>[http://o.seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/musicnightlife/2008931133_sxsw290.html Jonathan Zwickel (29 March 2009). "SXSW notebook: A Seattle writer encounters Seattle bands ... in Austin The Seattle Times." Retrieved Date 18 March 2013]</ref> Mehnaz and Manooghi Hi vocalize in several South Asian languages, including English, Urdu, Sanskrit, Hindi and Bengali. Manooghi Hi released two albums titled ''Hi'' in 2009,<ref name=Hi>[http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/manooghihi/ Manooghi Hi (2009). "Manooghi Hi". cdbaby.com. Retrieved 12 March 2013]</ref><ref>[http://www.techgnosis.com/chunkshow-single.php?chunk=chunkfrom-2009-03-13-1729-0.txt Eric Davis (13 March 2009). Manooghi Hi East meets West and swaps clothes. Retrieved 19 March 2013] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129124716/http://techgnosis.com/chunkshow-single.php?chunk=chunkfrom-2009-03-13-1729-0.txt |date=29 November 2010 }}</ref> and ''Silence'' in 2011.<ref name=Silence>[http://www.muzikreviews.com/reviews.php?ID=1707/ Brian McKinnon (11 July 2011). Muzikreviews.com, Manooghi Hi. Silence. Retrieved 12 March 2013]</ref> Mehnaz was featured on the 2012, the [[Barrett Martin]] album release ''Artifact'' on Sunyata Records.

In 2012, Mehnaz moved to New Orleans to pursue her dream of living in one of the most musical cities in the world. She has performed at [[Voodoo Fest]] with Leslie Blackshear Smith.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2013/11/vocalist_mehnaz_hoosein_meets.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=12 March 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402090359/http://www.nola.com/music/index.ssf/2013/11/vocalist_mehnaz_hoosein_meets.html |archive-date=2 April 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Mehnaz has also performed with Master Sarode player [[Aashish Khan]] and (Shringar) Larry Sieberth, Andrew McLean, Michael Skinkus and Tim Green. Mehnaz has been collaborating with pianist, composer and producer Lawrence Sieberth and was featured at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival 2015.<ref>[http://www.glidemagazine.com/134815/new-orleans-jazz-fest-5215-saturday-elton-john-jerry-lee-lewis/Leslie Michele Derrough (2 May 2015). Retrieved 3 May 2015]</ref>

==Discography==
===Studio albums===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! scope="col" style="width:8em;"| Title
! scope="col"| Details
|-
! scope="row"|''Miss India''
|
* Released: April 1996
* Label: BMG Crescendo
* Formats: CD, [[Cassette tape|cassette]], digital download
|-
! scope="row"|''Mausam''
|
* Released: July 1999
* Label: [[Magnasound Records|Magnasound]], BMG Crescendo
* Formats: CD, cassette
|-
! scope="row"|''Sajnaa''
|
* Released: 2006
* Label: Universal Music Group
* Formats: CD, cassette
|-
! scope="row"|''Hi'' (as part of Manooghi Hi)
|
* Released: 2009
* Label: Manooghi Hi Records
* Formats: CD, Digital download
|-
! scope="row"|''Silence'' (as part of Manooghi Hi)
|
* Released: 2011
* Label: Manooghi Hi Records
* Formats: CD, Digital download
|-
|}

===Soundtrack albums===
*''Bombay Boys'' (1998)<ref name=BombayBoys/>
*''[[Split Wide Open]]'' (1999)
*''Snip'' (2000)<ref name=Snip/>

===Compilation albums===
*''32 Smash Hits'' (2000) BMG Crescendo Music
*''Hitz Unlimited'' (2002) Zee Records<ref>{{cite web|title=Hitz Unlimited (2002) – Hindi Album, Tracklist, Full Album Details and more|url=http://www.zubeendiscography.com/2021/09/3370633522256848326.html|website=ZG Discography|access-date=2021-09-21|language=en}}</ref><ref> {{cite web|title=Hitz Unlimited (2002) – Hindi Album, Tracklist, Full Album Details and more (Archived)|url=http://www.zubeendiscography.com/2021/09/3370633522256848326.html|language=en|access-date=2021-09-22}}</ref>

===Featured on albums===

*''Air Supply'' (2001), Giant Records / Warner Bros.<ref name="You Are The Reason"/>
*''Clockwork'' (2011), Slow Bunny Records.<ref>[http://www.rhapsody.com/artist/slow-bunny/album/clockwork/track/diamonds-in-the-sun-feat-mehnaz-hoosein/ Clockwork, Slow Bunny. Rhapsody. (December 2011). Retrieved 14 March 2013.]</ref>
*''Artifact'' (2012), Barrett Martin Group, Sunyata Records.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/Artifact-Barrett-Martin-Group/dp/B007UMCVKI/ Barrett Martin Group, Artifact (May 15, 2012), Featuring Hindustani Vocalist Mehnaz Hoosein, Amazon Music, Retrieved 12 March 2013]</ref>

===Other albums===
*''A Reason To Smile'' (1997) Magnasound

==Awards and Nominations==
{|class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#ebf5ff;"
!Year
!Category
!Song
!Result
|- style="background:#bfd7ff;"
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|'''Channel V Music Awards'''
|-
|1996
|Best Female Pop Singer
|"Main Hoon" from ''Miss India''
|{{won}}
|- style="background:#bfd7ff;"
| colspan="4" style="text-align:center;"|'''Screen Awards'''
|-
|1997
|Best Pop Singer
|"Main Hoon" from ''Miss India''
|{{won}}
|}

== References ==
{{commonscat}}
<references />

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoosein, Mehnaz}}
[[Category:1973 births]]
[[Category:Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Indian male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Indian singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Indian pop singers]]
[[Category:Indian women singers]]
[[Category:Indian women singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:Indian women pop singers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Musicians from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Musicians from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Singers from Mumbai]]
[[Category:Indian women songwriters]]
[[Category:Indian songwriters]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian women singers]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian women singers]]
[[Category:Women musicians from Maharashtra]]

Mehnaz Hoosein - Revision history

4Eileen59m at 21:14, 17 April 2026