NAZZ
With a lack of representation of South Asian women coming together to lift each other up, and showcasing their talent collectively, Nazz stems from a pure space of wanting to represent our identity, music, and culture. We, as a band, hope to create fusions that are not only personal interests of ours, but also a representation of who we are.
Nishat Khair is hard to put in a box, she tends to gravitate towards a diverse list of genres from South Asian ghazals to urban pop. Born and raised in Calcutta, India, Nishat prides on her identity, and sticks close to her roots. Nishat is a self taught guitarist, keyboard player, and songwriter. She incorporates a mix of East and West in her music, performance, and lifestyle. In a world where it's less common to find women coming together, let alone South Asian women,
Nazz closely aligns with Nishat’s beliefs.
The name “Akshiptika,” stems from the Samavedic time period, it is a beautiful concoction of sur, taal, and leh. Akshiptika is blessed with musical genetics, along with her passion to continue to learn Indian classical and Sufi singing. She is a multi-instrumentalist, with her fluency in guitar, keyboard, harmonica, and rhythmic instruments. Nazz is a safe and inviting space for Akshiptika, it makes her feel at home in a foreign land.
Zara Ahmed, with her love for soul-enriching songs, is a Pakistani singer. She finds classical training extremely therapeutic in this chaotic world. She is a true ambivert, chai drinker, and an old soul. Zara finds her contribution to Nazz very special, it has helped her grow, evolve, and challenge her fears. She hopes to project the same energy to all the listeners, in efforts to spread positive creativity.
Zohra Kassam is a vocalist, born and raised in Toronto, Canada. Though she does not speak Hindi, she is a professional Bollywood vocalist, and has been performing for almost a decade. She is very active in the Toronto South Asian music community, and has been featured in a number of popular GTA South Asian music festivals. Zohra’s vocals and masterful harmonies add an impactful kick, and complete Nazz. To Zohra, Nazz is more than just a band, it is a sense of belonging, unity, and harmony.
The name Nazz is not only an acronym of our names, but it is also the Urdu word for pride. Nazz speaks to our pride in belonging to this musical endeavour, which to us is the epitome of female solidarity and creative expression.