Taha Malik
Quick Facts
Aries
Biography
Taha Malik is a Pakistani-American record producer, musician, rapper, and film score composer.
Early life and education
During high school, Malik began exploring music-making on a desktop computer at home. In high school, he was DJing. He got a RadioShack MIDI keyboard and a Roland MC-909. This was the turning point to a career in music production. Still, Malik does not define his music as "electronic music." He says: "I like experimenting...I like to bend genres."
Career
Advertising
Malik has worked with Ogilvy and Mather as music director, strategist and consultant, and with multinational brands. Malik has produced content television, radio, and digital campaigns. He has worked with longtime collaborator Adnan Malik, and filmmakers Ahsan Rahim, Kamal Khan, Asim Raza, and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy.
Cinema
In 2019, Malik created songs in the films Laal Kabootar and Baaji.
Malik's singing in Laal Kabootar was described by Something Haute as "power-packed vocals." According to the Express Tribune:"Laal Kabootar isn’t only an impressive visual experience but its sound and production design further break new ground. Taha Malik’s Asian-plus-electronic fusion adds another layer to the almost existentialist world full of reds, blues and browns." "Taha Malik...has done a brilliant job with his very city-centric music. There are no unnecessary dance numbers...and [the songs] add positively to the narrative. They have a very raw, potent feel to them." The urban soundtrack by Malik has also been called "...a pretty perfect sonic guide to Karachi."
Laal Kabootar has been selected as Pakistan's official submission for the 92nd Academy Awards (Oscars), and is a candidate for nomination in the best International Feature Film category. Laal Kabootar (The Red Pigeon) was screened at the 2020 Palm Springs International Film Festival in California. It was also screened at the Singapore International Film Festival and won best feature at the Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival.
Installations
In 2017, Malik contributed to HOME 1947, an exhibition in collaboration with the British Council, Citizen's Archive of Pakistan and Sharmeen Obaid. "Before arriving in Karachi, Home 1947 was showcased in Manchester in July, followed by Mumbai in August and Lahore in October."
Credits
