Rohail Hyatt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Rohail Hyatt
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| روحیل حیات | |
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Rohail Hyatt
4 December 1964 |
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| Years active | 1983–present |
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Notable work
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Coke Sudio, Vital Signs, Re-recording of National Anthem of Pakistan. |
| Spouse(s) | Umber Hyatt (divorced 2012) Alina Hyatt (2021 till present) |
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Rohail Hyatt (Urdu: روحیل حیات) is a famous Pakistani record producer, keyboard player, and composer. Many people say Rohail Hyatt helped create a new kind of pop rock music in Pakistan. He did this by mixing Pakistani music with Western rock and pop styles.
In 1986, Rohail started the band Vital Signs. Their first album, Vital Signs 1, was a huge hit. This album had famous songs like "Dil Dil Pakistan" and "Tum Mil Gaye," which Rohail wrote. The success of Vital Signs helped shape the rock music scene in Pakistan. In 1991, Rohail produced the band's second album, Vital Signs 2.
In 1998, Vital Signs stopped making music. Rohail then started Pyramid Productions, a big music company in Pakistan. He also produced a ghazal album with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan. In 2007, he created the music for the popular movie Khuda Kay Liye. In 2008, Rohail started Coke Studio. This show helped many new and famous Pakistani artists share their music.
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
Rohail Hyatt grew up in Rawalpindi, a city in the Punjab province of Pakistan. He is a great-grandson of Sir Liaqat Hayat Khan, a well-known leader from the time of British rule. Rohail went to St. Mary's Academy.
Rohail's interest in music started when he was very young. His parents encouraged him to listen to Western music. He remembers growing up around a "serious hippie community." His parents listened to artists like Nat King Cole and Engelbert Humperdinck. When his parents bought him his first keyboard, he began writing traditional Pakistani and Sufi music. His mother helped him a lot by arranging keyboard lessons.
Rohail's interest in Western music grew after his aunt bought Pink Floyd's The Wall album in 1980. He listened to it often. Rohail said that album "opened up a whole new direction of soundscapes and influences" for him.
When he was younger, Rohail played for the Pakistan national under-19 cricket team. It seemed like he would have a future in cricket. But then he met Rizwan-ul-Haq, who played guitar. At Peshawar University, he met another guitarist, Shahzad Hasan (Shahi). They decided to form a band. In the 1980s, he was part of two underground bands called Progressions and Crude X. Nusrat Hussain, a bassist, was in Progressions and greatly influenced Rohail's music. Rohail later left university and worked at the British embassy for a short time before focusing on music.
Rohail's son, Danial Hyatt, is also a musician. Danial's band, Mole, performed on Coke Studio season four. Danial also created the background music for the 2019 movie Laal Kabootar.
Music Career Highlights
Forming Vital Signs
In the mid-1980s, Rohail Hyatt teamed up with Shahzad Hasan (Shahi) to create pop rock music. They started Vital Signs in 1986. Rohail had met Junaid Jamshed in 1983, who sang "Careless Whisper" at a college event. Rohail was looking for a singer for his new band and was very impressed by Jamshed. With help from Rohail and Nusrat Hussain, Jamshed joined Vital Signs. They signed a deal with producer Shoaib Mansoor at PTV Music Studio.
For many years, Rohail was the leader of Vital Signs. He managed the band's creative work and finances. Vital Signs released five albums and had a contract with Pepsi Cola from 1991 to 1997. Rohail played many roles in the band, including producer, songwriter, guitarist, and keyboardist. Their first big hit was "Dil Dil Pakistan". This song was voted the third most popular song in the world by a BBC World poll.
Producing Coke Studio
Rohail Hyatt launched the music show Coke Studio Pakistan in 2008. It was produced by The Coca-Cola Company. Rohail wanted the show to mix different types of music and highlight Pakistan's traditional sounds. He aimed to combine folk, classical, and local music with more popular styles.
At first, some people were unsure about Rohail's ideas for Coke Studio. He was only allowed to produce a few songs for the first season. But these songs quickly became popular. This allowed him to try more new things in later seasons.
Rohail produced Seasons 1-6 of Coke Studio Pakistan. He also produced Seasons 12 and 13. Rohail wanted Coke Studio to be welcoming for all artists. He believed in giving musicians the respect and recognition they deserved.
As a producer, Rohail brought a unique and energetic style to the show. He is praised for bringing new life and creativity to Coke Studio. Through his work, Rohail helped shape music trends in South Asia. He reinvented traditional sounds and changed how music was produced in Pakistan. He also helped new and established artists work together. Maheen Sabeeh, writing for The News on Sunday, said that "under Rohail Hyatt’s days as producer, Coke Studio became something of a phenomenon." It was popular with both young and older generations.
Rohail is currently a music consultant for Coca-Cola. He helps other countries start their own Coke Studio shows.
Re-recording the Pakistan National Anthem
In April 2022, the Government of Pakistan asked for a new recording of the national anthem, Qaumi Taranah. This was to celebrate Pakistan's 75th independence anniversary. The goal was to include many different voices while keeping the original music special. A committee chose 140 singers from various backgrounds and music styles across Pakistan.
Rohail Hyatt was part of the audio team and produced the anthem with Arshad Mehmood. Rohail said the idea was to represent "all people who called Pakistan their homeland." He wanted to make sure minorities were included along with the majority.
Work in Velo Sound Station
After Bilal Maqsood left Velo Sound Station, Rohail Hyatt became the executive producer for season 2 in 2023.
Awards and Recognition
- 2008 Lux Style Awards, Best Original Soundtrack album for Khuda Kay Liye
- Hilal-i-Imtiaz (Crescent of Excellence) Award for Art (Music Composition) by the President of Pakistan in 2022
See also
- Vital Signs
- Khuda Kay Liye
- Music of Pakistan
- Coke Studio (Pakistani TV program)
- List of Pakistani musicians
