Society needs to change perception that girls are weak and useless: Zoe Viccaji

Speaking at a panel discussion titled Women In Music held at the American Consulate in the city, Zoe spoke of how difficult it was for her to make a name for herself and establish herself as a leading female musician in Pakistan.

“If I were to ever visit Afghanistan, or Chitral for that matter, I would have to take a male companion with me,” she said. She also gave voice to the concern that many of the male companions that she has worked with end up falling for her instead of being genuinely interested in her music, another struggle that female artists have to go through.

“Then there is another problem. The male musicians I meet are not always interested in my music. They end up being interested in me,” she said. She narrated an incident where how she was working with the rockstar Ali Zafar and he had insisted on her adjusting her vocals rather than he changing his as well. Determined not to be cast aside, Viccaji quit the project altogether.

“I was once doing this jingle for a telecommunications company alongside Ali Zafar who wanted me to adjust my vocal scale, instead of him altering his own. I ended up not doing that project,” she said. However, she did mention that she had a fabulous time working with Strings for the song Bichra Yaar. 

Zoe has made it through and we’re quite certain the journey was anything but a bed of roses. Good luck to the singer for her future aspirations and endeavours!