Lucky Ali - O Sanam

This week I’m listening to Lucky Ali’s 1996 debut album, “Sunoh”. This album brings back many fond memories of 14 year old me with crimped hair wearing a long knit red sweater attending Lucky Ali’s concert in Kathmandu back in 2003 with Pooja Di, Sushma Auntie, and I, running after him and screaming his name“LUCKY ALI!!!!”.😵😵‍💫🤭 #fangirls

“O Sanam” was a hit in our household, and was the song that Pooja Dii and I would volunteer to sing at every family event. My daa had this album on cassette in his music archives, which I would steal sometimes and listen to for hours. I still remember Lucky Ali’s piercing eyes on Sunoh’s album cover, and who can forget the iconic music video of “O Sanam” shot in Cairo, which gives me goosebumps to this day every time I watch it.

This album was a disrupter, as we music lovers got to witness a true artist emerge through an ocean of Bollywood hits and release an indi-pop album that was so imperfectly pure, with a voice texture that was raw but so incredibly authentic. Produced musically by Mikey McCleary, a worldly music feeling is captured immaculately while experimenting with instruments like Maktab and Djembe.

Track 1 on the album “Sunoh”, here’s my rendition of “O Sanam” by singer-songwriter Lucky Ali and lyricist Syed Aslaam Noor.

#osanam #sunoh #luckyali #songsthatmademe

Listen to the original here:

Astha Tamang-Maskey

Born in Kathmandu, Nepal and now based in Toronto, Canada, Astha Tamang-Maskey is an indie alternative pop singer-songwriter. The charismatic singer comes to the stage with an organic sound backed by her acoustic guitar and carefully crafted minimalistic beats. Astha’s music is melodic, direct and emotional, with lyrics that attempt to explore the depths of the human psyche: spirit, mind and emotions. Her music echoes influences from various genres such as pop, folk and R&B. Astha—her name itself means “faith,” and her faith is in music.