Madam Noor Jehan was and always will be an iconic woman who made Pakistan proud. Her music was so powerful and so moving, that it made its way across borders leaving millions mesmerized. An actress and singer, she was one of the most influential individuals in South Asia; there’s a reason why she was given the title of Malika-e-Tarannum.

 

1. Female Prodigy.

Madam Noor Jehan was not only a national singer, but she was the first female director for a Pakistani movie. I mean how damn cool is that guys? A lady, in that day and age, in charge of an entire movie. I salute her. Learn something girls.

Source: Travel & Culture

 

2. International Love.

How many singers do we know who have starred in movies or sang for other countries, too?

Source: Joy2day

3. 007.

Stuff of legends lasts for a long time, and that is why Madam Noor Jehan proved that she was more of a star than all the Bonds combined, because her career lasted for seven decades. Damn that’s a challenge not many would like to accept.

Source: Travel & Culture

4. Small Town Girl With Big Town Dreams.

Legends aren’t born legends, they become legends with hard work and big dreams. She was a small town girl, born in Kasur to a family who was gifted with the art of music. She played that to her strength and became the voice of the nation.

Source: Matinee Stars

5. 10K Talent.

She recorded 10,000 songs for both Pakistan and India and in more than one language; Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi and Sindhi.

Source: Mr Rizvi Omer Deen Blogspot

6. First Female Fame.

Noor Jehan, in 1945, was the first ever woman, in the subcontinent, to sing a Qawwali for a movie called ‘Zeenat’. She was there even before Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan bewitched the world with his talent.

Source: The Pakistani Woman

7. The More the Merrier.

Awards were like totally her thing, based on the fact that in 1965 she received the President’s Award, the Taghma-e-Imtiaz, the Pride of Pakistan, Bulubul-e-Pakistan, the Millennium Singer, and was also appointed as the Cultural Ambassador of Pakistan.

Source: Whotalking.com

8. Trend Setter.

Her style of singing was so good that she set a trend for upcoming singers, like Lata Mangeshkar, who in the beginning of her career copied Madam Noor Jehan’s pattern. No wonder the lady ended up as a success too, I mean how could she have not, especially after having copied a Pakistani legend…duh!

Source: Radjesh

9. Duet Diva.

Not many get the chance to perform with the best, but Madam Noor Jehan managed to add that to her book. She had duets with classics like Mehdi Hassan, Ahmed Rushdi, Masood Rana and Mujeeb Alam. Now many of you might not know about these classics, but I think it’s high time you hit the download button for all of her songs and embrace the national legend.

Source: Youtube

10. Patriotic Punjaban. 

Madam Noor Jehan was a very patriotic woman and believed she could bring people closer by triggering deep sentiments regarding their nation. She paid tributes to the soldiers who lost their dear lives in the war between Pakistan and India in 1965. She was one to remember her roots and help us Pakistanis remember them, too.

Source: Tune.pk

11. Poetic Justice.

She sang ghazals and did immense justice to the lyrics that were based on some of the most celebrated poets of that time. Be it Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Allama Iqbal or Bulleh Shah, out of the many, Madam Noor Jehan had the talent to convey their message in the most effect way possible.

Source: Paknation.pk

12. Greatness Knows No Number.

While most of us spend our days in bed contemplating life or ordering in food to hog on, Madam Noor Jehan had begun starring in movies at the age of 9. She proved that being a woman was not a problem and that age was just a number.

Source: APNA

13. An Honor to Remember.

The Queen of Melody visited India in 1982 and was welcomed by then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, actor Dilip Kumar and singer Lata Mangeshkar – all of whom enjoyed and wept at the soulful performance that she gave at Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Source: Desi Blitz

14. Beyond Borders.

She was ranked as number 16th in the UK weekly Newspaper, Eastern Eye, in the top 20 Bollywood singers of all time. Hell no she isn’t a part of Bollywood, but I suppose we ought to find pride in the fact that she left her mark way beyond her own territory as well.

Source: Cineplot2

15. Talented Genes. 

Madam Noor Jehan gave birth to talented children and grandchildren, whom she raised on many occasions as a single mother.

Source: News Line Magazine

 

Madam Noor Jehan was a gem and source of great pride for Pakistan. Just listening to her songs can send chills down your spine, her voice piercing through you. It’s important to remember that Madan Noor Jehan’s music didn’t only bring global attention to Pakistan, but it also helped shape Pakistani culture. Unfortunately, music and arts isn’t given the respect it deserves in Pakistan – let’s hope we can change that so our artists are recognized for their talent and hard work.