Momina Mustehsan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Momina Mustehsan
Mustehsan at Islamabad Airport in 2019
Born	(1992-09-05) 5 September 1992 (age 32) Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan
Alma mater	Stony Brook University
Occupation	Singer songwriter
Years active	2010–present
Musical career
Genres	Pop rock classical
Instruments	Vocals, guitar
Associated acts	Coke Studio Junoon

Momina Mustehsan (Urdu: مومنہ مستحسن; born 5 September 1992) is a famous Pakistani singer. In 2017, the BBC named her one of the 100 most influential women in the world. The next year, Forbes magazine included her in their "30 Under 30" Asia list. This list features young people who are making a big impact. That same year, Stony Brook University honored her as one of their "40 most successful graduates."

Momina was born in Quetta and grew up in Islamabad. She earned degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Stony Brook University. She first gained attention by singing "Pi Jaun" with Farhan Saeed. She also sang "Awari" for the Indian movie Ek Villain (2014). Her biggest breakthrough came in 2016 when she joined Coke Studio. She sang "Afreen Afreen" and "Tera Woh Pyar" in season 9. These songs became two of the most watched songs in Pakistan. Both songs have been viewed over 400 million times.

After her Coke Studio debut, Momina became a very popular person in Pakistan. Her next three songs were "Aaya Na Tu" (2018), "Baari" (2019), and "Uchiyan Deewaran" (2020). These songs quickly became popular on YouTube. Together, they have over 200 million views. She also received praise for her voice in the TV show Alif (2019). Besides singing, Momina speaks up about important issues. She talks about the role of women in Pakistan and feminism.

Momina's Life and Music Journey

Early Life and First Steps in Music (1992–2014)

Momina Mustehsan was born on September 5, 1992, in Quetta, Balochistan. Her family is Shia Muslim and speaks Urdu. Her mother, Huma Mustehsan, is a doctor. Her father, Kazim Mustehsan, was a brigadier in the Pakistan Army. He received the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, a high civilian award in Pakistan. Momina has two brothers. Her older brother, Hashim, is a doctor. Her younger brother, Haider, is a musician.

Because her father was in the army, her family lived in many places. They lived in Multan, New York, Paris, and Kyiv. But Momina mostly grew up in Islamabad, which she calls her hometown.

Momina Mustehsan with doctor and entrepreneur Inam Ahmed in 2013

Momina finished her A-Level studies at Lahore Grammar School. Then, she moved to the United States for college. She graduated from Stony Brook University in 2016. She earned degrees in Biomedical Engineering and Applied Mathematics. She was on the Dean's list when she graduated.

Momina first learned to play the violin. She sang in public for the first time in her grade school choir. She did not have any formal music training. She realized she loved music after that first performance. In 2004, she recorded her first cover song. It was "The Blower's Daughter" by Irish singer Damien Rice. Even without training, people praised her singing.

For Junoon's twentieth anniversary, Momina recorded a song called "Sajna." It was for their album Junoon 20. In 2012, she wrote lyrics for "Pee Jaun" and sang it with Farhan Saeed. This song was also featured in Nescafé Basement in 2015.

In 2014, she recorded "Awari" for the Pakistani band Soch. They asked her to sing on their track but did not tell her it was for an Indian movie. She recorded the song in her university dorm. She said it was a very casual process. She never met anyone in person. She signed the contract after the song was ready for release.

Rising to Fame with Coke Studio and Baari (2016–Present)

In 2016, Momina sang "Zindagi Kitni Haseen Hay" for a romantic movie. Later that year, she made her debut on Coke Studio in season 9. Her first song, "Afreen Afreen", with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, broke records. It got over 2.5 million views in one day. Now, it has over 300 million views. This song also made her the second Pakistani artist to reach 100 million views on YouTube. She also performed "Main Raasta" and "Tera Woh Pyar" with Junaid Khan and Asim Azhar. "Tera Woh Pyar" has over 175 million views. Momina felt honored and nervous singing these classic songs.

Momina has said she does not want to make music her only career. She does music because she loves it, not to be a celebrity. She believes releasing many albums does not define a musician.

Momina Mustehsan with singer Uzair Jaswal in 2017

In February 2017, she released an anthem for the Pakistan Super League team Islamabad United. The song was called "Cricket Jorrey Pakistan." Later that year, "Afreen Afreen" became the fastest Pakistani video to reach 100 million views on YouTube. It also became the most viewed Pakistani video.

She worked with Coke Studio again in 2017. She sang the "Qaumi Taranah" (national anthem of Pakistan) with other artists. She also released "Muntazir" with Danyal Zafar. This song received good reviews. Her final song that season was the Sufi rock song "Ghoom Taana" with the band Irteassh.

Momina started 2018 with the song "Aaya Na Tu." She sang it with Indian singer Arjun Kanungo. The song was filmed in Bangkok. Momina said the song is about "rejection, pain and the burden of true love." It quickly became popular and has over 70 million views on YouTube.

In the eleventh season of Coke Studio in 2018, she sang "Ko Ko Korina" with Ahad Raza Mir. This song was a remake of a classic. Many people did not like the remake. It became the most disliked video in Coke Studio's history. Even Pakistan's Human Rights Minister called it "horrendous." Her next song, "Roye Roye," received mixed reviews. Later, she sang "Ishq Hoa Jo Tari" for the movie Jawani Phir Nahi Ani 2, which was a success.

In 2019, Momina worked with Shuja Haider again. They created the title song "Alif" for the TV series Alif. This song was well-received. The year ended with Momina's song "Baari" with Bilal Saeed. This romantic music video was very popular and has over 90 million views. Its sequel, "Uchiyan Deewaran (Baari 2)," released in 2020, also received positive reviews.

Momina's Personal Life and Helping Others

Momina Mustehsan at her engagement ceremony in 2016, which was later called-off.

In September 2016, Momina announced her engagement to Ali Naqvi, a banker in California. However, their engagement ended in early 2017.

Momina supports many charities and groups that help women in Pakistan. She often speaks about education for girls, women's rights, and gender equality. Momina has also talked openly about mental illness and depression. In 2017, she shared her own experience of overcoming depression. She also spoke against the family separation policy in the U.S. She said it was "inhuman" to separate children from their families.

Momina has said she donated all her earnings from 2016 to build water-wells in the Thar desert of Sindh. She is also planning a program for children in rural Pakistan. This program will use learning videos and projectors in mosques to help children learn. In 2017, Momina was part of the United Nations Women "Beat Me" campaign. This campaign aimed to stop domestic violence in Pakistan. During the campaign, Momina talked about feminism in Pakistan. She said that empowering women means raising them equally to boys. It means giving them the same education, job chances, equal pay, and respect.

In May 2018, Momina appeared in a Coca-Cola advertisement with other celebrities. The ad aimed to raise money for the Edhi Foundation, a charity organization. She also recited a part of the poem "Lab Pe Aati Hai Dua" in the Sindhi language for the ad. She later donated 1 million Pakistani Rupees to the foundation. That same month, Momina supported the "Taleem Do" initiative. This program helps children get an education in Tharparkar.

Momina in the Media

Momina Mustehsan is one of the most popular celebrities in Pakistan. Her song "Afreen Afreen" in 2016 made her very famous. People praised her looks and singing. She is often listed among the most beautiful and popular singers in Pakistan. She is also one of the most followed Pakistani celebrities on social media.

In 2017, the BBC named her one of the 100 most influential women. The next year, Forbes magazine included her in their "30 Under 30" Asia list. Stony Brook University also honored her for her public service and activism.

Momina is a top celebrity who promotes brands and products in Pakistan. In December 2016, she became a goodwill ambassador for the cricket team Islamabad United. She is also a brand ambassador for Sprite and L'Oréal hair color. In 2017, Momina represented Pakistan at the L’Oréal Pro Business forum in Seville, Spain. She performed at the fifth Hum Awards ceremony in April 2017. The next year, she joined the FIFA World tour. She traveled from Thailand to Lahore for the unveiling of the FIFA World Cup Trophy in Pakistan.

Momina's Music

Songs for Movies and TV Shows

Coke Studio Songs

Singles (Individual Songs)

Cover Songs

Images for kids

• 

  Momina Mustehsan at Islamabad Airport in 2019

• 

  Momina with doctor and entrepreneur Inam Ahmed in 2013

• 

  Momina Mustehsan with singer Uzair Jaswal in 2017

• 

  Momina Mustehsan at her engagement ceremony in 2016