Mai Dhai (born 1 January 1919; ) is a

Pakistani Pakistanis (, ) are the citizens and nationals of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the second-largest Muslim population as of 2023. As much as ...

classical singer hailing from

Tharparkar Tharparkar (Dhatki language, Dhatki/; , ), also known as Thar, is a district in Sindh province in Pakistan, headquartered at Mithi. Before Indian independence it was known as the Thar and Parkar (1901⁠–⁠1947) or Eastern Sindh Frontier Distr ...

Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...

. She formed a folk-band called Mai Dhai Band composed of Jamal Shab, a harmonium player and dhol player, Muhammad Fakir. Mai and her band has performed in the United States at

SXSW South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...

Music 2015, where her music style was met with extravagant positive response. She rose to prominence on national television after appearing as a featured artist in eight season of music series '' Coke Studio''.

Background and career

Mai belongs to the Manganiar community. In 2013, she appeared in Lahooti Live Sessions a Live Music Sessions to promote Indigenous Music Sufi/Folk music, musicians, instruments among masses specially youth which is produced by the band The Sketches. She rose to fame after performing in Lahooti Live Sessions. In March 2015, as a part of DubMC collaboration with the US embassy in Pakistan and Foundation for Arts, Culture and Education (FACE) at

Music 2015 Global program, Mai performed in New York City at

Graduate Center The Graduate School and University Center of the City University of New York (CUNY Graduate Center) is a public university, public research institution and post-graduate university, postgraduate university in New York City. Formed in 1961 as Divi ...

of City University. In an interview with Broadway world, she said, "I have confidence in my voice and the culture I come from," she states. "Things around here are getting stricter, especially when it comes to a woman singing on stage. I am the only women from the Manganiyar Tribe who has performed on a big stage But I am hopeful that things will get better, maybe for the next generation. And as long as my voice is with me I will keep singing." The Sketches & Lahooti Live Sessions helped Mai Dhai to appear in Coke Studio Pakistan. In 2015, she debuted in the eight season of Pakistani music reality television series '' Coke Studio'', where she sang two songs including "Aankhaṛli Phaṛookai" and "Kadi Ao Ni with artists Karam Abbas Khan &

Atif Aslam Atif Aslam (; born 12 March 1983) is a Pakistani playback singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He has recorded many songs in both Pakistan and India, and is known for his Belting (music), vocal belting technique. Born in Wazirabad, Waziraba ...

respectively. Mai's appearance with Atif on Coke studio was received well by critics and viewers. Before appearing in ''Coke Studio'', Saif Samejo of ''The Sketches'' collaborated with Mai, in an interview with '' Express Tribune'' he said, "The style in which Mai Dhai is performing on Coke Studio is her natural style, whereas we have tried to incorporate our style of music into hers, so that it retains its original Rajasthani flavour while also sounding like a dialogue between us." She sang two songs with the band.

Discography

* "Doro" (with Saif Samejo) The Sketches (Lahooti Live Sessions) (2013) * "Moriya (with Saif Samejo) The Sketches (Lahooti Live Sessions) (2015) * "Sarak Sarak" – Mai Dhai Band * "La Gorey" – Mai Dhai Band * "Aankhaṛli Phaṛookai" (with Karam Abbas Khan) – '' Coke Studio Pakistan (season 8)'' * "Kadi Ao Ni" (with

) – '' Coke Studio Pakistan (season 8)''

Filmography

* '' Ho Mann Jahaan'' – "Sarak Sarak"

Awards and recognition

* Nigar Awards for Best Playback singer in 2017 for film '' Ho Mann Jahaan''.

References

External links

*
Mai Dhai
at '' Coke Studio''
Mai Dhai Band
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mai, Dhai 1919 births 20th-century Pakistani women singers 20th-century Pakistani singers Pakistani playback singers Pakistani radio personalities Pakistani folk singers People from Tharparkar District Pakistani people of Rajasthani descent Sindhi-language singers Pakistani classical singers Women ghazal singers Pakistani ghazal singers Nigar Award winners Thari people 21st-century Pakistani women singers 21st-century Pakistani singers Sindhi women singers