Shabnam Merali is a world renowned sufi singer, musician, and composer. She has performed in various concerts and Jamati devotional programs in over 15 countries including Canada, the United States, UK, UAE, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Pakistan, and has collaborated with artists across the world. Born in Pakistan, she currently resides with her family in Edmonton. Shabnam had her first public performance at the age of 12. She developed an early interest in the art form and later went on to release numerous albums (see list below). In addition to Sufi music, she has also performed Ginans, Qasidas, Geets, Qawwalis, Kalams, and Ghazals.
From a young age, Shabnam discovered spirituality in music through ginans. Reciting permutations of the word Ali, which holds a special significance for her, has now become the hallmark of her singing. It permits a feeling of transcendence – a sense of being lost in the music. The theme of transcendence reverberates among many spiritual musicians.
When asked about how she feels during a performance, she responds: “Feelings are tremendously difficult to articulate, especially if they are characteristically transcendent.” She says that once she is immersed deep in the music, she feels a freedom from her own self. She describes the love of "He who is above all" in her veins every time she sings, and that she feel the Divine's presence in every concert, every performance, and every recitation, often going into a trance while singing.
With her charisma and ability to train young talent, Shabnam has successfully created many different youth groups in various artistic disciplines including Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Culinary Arts. She has also arranged workshops and programs related to Calligraphy, Art gallery displays, and traditional music initiatives from Central Asia, Persia, Syria, Indian Sub-continent, Africa, etc., and has lead various training sessions for choirs and chorus singers.
During the pandemic, Shabnam and her group of artists delivered fun-filled performances for everyone to enjoy in the comfort of their homes. Additionally, she took the lead and hosted a number of weekly and monthly shows over Zoom, particularly for seniors within the Jamat. With her successful virtual shows, Shabnam was invited to anchor various different radio shows. In addition to her involvement within the Ismaili community, she is also involved in various projects within the wider community.
Albums:
"Noor-e Haq" - a devotional song is written in praise of Mawlana Ali and is sung in three languages; Urdu, Farsi, and Gujarati.
"Ya Ali Ya Ali Ya Ali" Sufic Qawwali style song
"Lambi Judaai" (cover)
