Shahin Badar |
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Shahin Badar is a singer and songwriter who is best known in Europe and North America for her vocals on The Prodigy's single Smack My Bitch Up. It earned her a Double Platinum award.[1]
Born in Colchester, England to parents from Bangladesh, Shahin Badar spent her formative years growing up in Kuwait, United Arab Emirates.
From a tender age, she showed a natural vocal talent for music. Inspired by her mother Zohra Ahmed and encouraged by her teachers, she developed a powerful blend of Arabic and Indian vocals. This genre is reflected in her music today. With a sound that has now become her trademark Shahin sings in English, Arabic, Bengali and Indian languages.
She returned to England to continue her schooling at Gilbert Grammar School. Upon leaving she took up a respectable position in Customs and Excise.
Her vocal contributions feature in over 50 international film and TV soundtracks. Her vocals have also featured on showing such as the UK Music Hall of Fame, Bollywood films Yuva and Zubeidaa, the theatrical trailer for Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, Charlie's Angels, US sitcoms North Shore and Kevin Hill, and Sky News broadcasts.
Badar has worked with musicians and producers such as A. R. Rahman, Liam Howlett, Tim Deluxe, Fraser T. Smith, Indian Ropeman, Jah Wobble, Twista and Juliet Lewis. She supported 50 Cent and worked with director Ang Lee on the film The Hulk.
Several of Badar's collaborations have charted in the UK Charts top ten singles, Independent, Dance, Radio and Bhangra charts with inclusions on three The Prodigy UK No.1 albums: The Fat of the Land, Always Outnumbered Never Outgunned, and Their Law: The Singles 1990-2005.
Badar's vocal and written work has featured in adverts for Scottish Widows, Tongues on Fire and ZEE Cine Awards.
Badar has headlined various UK festivals, and has performed in countries such as Switzerland, Singapore, Sweden, France, Belgium, Norway, Russia, Ireland, India, and at events such as Radio One Live, Creamfields, Oxegen, Glastonbury Festival, Ibiza, Global Gathering, World of Music, Arts and Dance, Respect Festival, Essentials Festival, and Mystery Land in Holland.
She was the face of Europe's biggest mela, the Bradford International Festival 2002 and headlined the UK's biggest one day carnival, the Luton International Carnival 2000.
Badar has launched special events and endorsed charitable causes such as London's first Children's Hospice Week for the Richard House Trust in Canary Wharf. She was one of the Asian celebrity faces for the NSPCC's Asian Child Helpline in addition to being the Asian celebrity support for the RNID Don't Stop The Music campaign (for the deaf and hard of hearing).
Shahin has received recognition of her work from various awarding bodies through short-listings and nominations, in addition to this her performance and written work is also included in projects that have secured major awards(*).
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2002
2004
2005
2006
2010
| Title | Year | Format | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jind Mariye | 1996 | Single | |
| Destiny | 1996 | Album | Keda Records |
| Jouleh Jouleh | 1999 | Single | EMI |
| Laila | 2007 | Album | Series 8 |
| Laila Remix's | 2009 | Album | Imprint |
| Leley Mera Dil | 2011 | Single | Keda Records |