Farhad Humayun is a Pakistani singer, drummer, record producer and video artist. He is most popularly associated with the Pakistani drum jam band Overload which he founded in 2003. Farhad started his career as underground musician and formed two bands Co-Ven and Mindriot in which he played drums. He has identified, produced and launched some of South Asia's top acts such as Atif Aslam, Symt, Meesha Shafi. Humayun has won numerous awards and accolades for both his audio & video work and owns Riot Studios, the famous recording studio and gig venue in Lahore.
Early life
Humayun was born in the English Channel Island of Jersey at the Jersey International Hospital to parents Navid Shahzad and Shahzad Humayun. His mother is a legendary TV, theatre and film actress and the foremost Pakistani scholar and academic who has won the Pride of Performance Award from the Government of Pakistan. His father was an automobile businessman and Pakistan's award winning English Cricket commentator throughout the 1970s till the early 2000s. Farhad's maternal grandfather S.A Rahman was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the 1970s while his paternal side traces back to the Qazi family of Jalandhar. Farhad grew up in the Gulberg area of Lahore and studied at Aitchison College till secondary school. He went to the National College of Arts in Lahore where he did his Bachelors in Fine Arts in Painting from 1997 - 2000. He also studied audio engineering in London at the Recording Workshop in Ladbroke Grove, London.
Career
Farhad started playing drums at age 14 and quickly built a name for himself in the underground movement in Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad in the early 1990s. He recalls his influences at the time were mostly metal bands like Judas Priest, Dio, Black Sabbath, AC/DC. He was the drummer in the alternative rock band Co-Ven playing some originals but mostly covers by Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Nirvana as was the norm at the time when satellite TV was catching on in Pakistan. Humayun formed his own metal band in 1994 called Mindriot inspired by the song from Soundgarden. Both bands attained success by organising their own shows and collecting sponsorship from local and multi-national brands which were supporting youth driven campaigns since there were no outlets like clubs or regular concert venues in Pakistan. Humayun has recorded drums and toured with major Pakistani rock acts such as Noori and Fuzön and has served at the house band drummer for Coke Studio in 2012. He has written with and recorded Atif Aslam on his first three albums as well as on Coke Studio. Farhad produced Meri Kahani by Atif Aslam in 2006. While studying at the National College of Arts, Farhad started casually jamming with friends at the college Western Music Society events, which he was president of. That laid the foundation of one of Pakistan's most iconic and original acts Overload which came about in 2003. The band's mix of the modern drums set with traditional, mystical Dhol, alternating between Indian Classical beats and Rock became a rage in Pakistan. Overload because the number choice at celebrations such as cricket matches opening and closing ceremonies, fundraisers and occasions where people just wanted to dance. Overload is known as 'The Loudest Band' in Pakistan and has won numerous awards including the Lux Style Award for Best Live Act in 2006. Farhad remains the artist with the most number of nominations for a musician at the Lux Style Awards with 13 nominations and two wins. Farhad is also a successful businessman and owns and runs entertainment and arts company Riot Productions. Farhad was also termed as the Pride of Pakistan by a popular newspaper Daily Times. One of his landmark achievements is his song Jeet that was played at Prime Minister Imran Khan's rally in Washington D.C. Farhad has also performed at the launching ceremony of Pakistan Super League team Lahore Qalandars.
Collaborations
Throughout his career, Farhad Humayun has collaborated with artists from genres and disciplines other than his own which has earned him much respect from street musicians and marginalised communities whose musicians he has worked with Ustad Jaffar and the Punjab Brass Band, Nasir Sain, Pappu Sain, Tanveer Sain. His has also released English singles including Give In produced by Richard Hilton, keyboardist of the band Chic. The songs feature iconic musicians like Tony Levin on Bass, David Torn on guitars and Richy Stano also on guitars. recorded at Clubhouse Studios in Rhinebeck New York. The song was released in 2018. Farhad started his solo career in 2018 and released a number of singles including Murr Ke Dekho and Kambakht with Faiza Mujahid.
Endorsements
Farhad subsequently became a regular face for big brands like Porsche, Dell, Samsung, Chester Bernard clothing, telecom companies like Mobilink, Warid and PTCL all of which he has been a brand ambassador for. He featured in the TVC for Samsung Galaxy A. As of 2019, Farhad is the producer for Levi's Live, a project of the Levi Strauss company which is working on the revival of live music in Pakistan. He also produced Pepsi Smash for Pepsi Pakistan.
