LAHORE: Singer, drummer and founder of Overload music band Farhad Humayun passed away in Lahore. He was 42.

The exact reason for his death could not be known; however, it was learnt that he had a brain tumour and had already undergone two major surgeries.

He was laid to rest on Tuesday afternoon at the Mian Mir Graveyard.

He was the son of theatre and TV actor and academic Navid Shahzad, a recipient of the Pride of Performance Award.

The news of his death came as a big shock for the music buffs, especially youths, and many of his ardent admirers.

Farhad is survived by his mother, Navid Shahzad, and sisters Sarah Shahzad and Reema Bukhari.

He founded the Overload in 2003 and started his career as an underground musician while formed two bands, Co-Ven and Mindriot, in which he played drums. He won numerous awards and accolades for both his audio and video work and owned the Riot Studios, the famous recording studio and a gig venue in Lahore.

Farhad Humayun was born in Jersey in the English Channel at the Jersey International Hospital to Navid Shahzad and Shahzad Humayun. His mother is a legendary TV, theatre and film actress and the foremost Pakistani scholar and academic. His father was an automobile businessman and Pakistan’s award winning cricket commentator throughout the 1970s till the early 2000s.

Farhad grew up in the Gulberg area of Lahore and studied at the Aitchison College till secondary school. He went to the National College of Arts where he did his Bachelors in Fine Arts (Painting) in 2000. He also studied audio engineering at the recording workshop in Ladbroke Grove, London.

Farhad jammed with major Pakistani rock musicians and singers such as Meesha Shafi, Atif Aslam, Ali Zafar, Noori and Fuzon and had collaborations with many others. He had also collaborations with drummer Pappu Saeen while another drummer Nasir Saeen was always a part of Overload. He made the traditional Punjabi drum a part of regular music.

His famous songs included Mur Ke Dekho, Nimmi Nimmi, Ankahi and Ho Janay Dou and Lahore.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2021