1. Life and Career
     1955-1972: Early life and career origins in Pakistan    1972-1995: American roots and the Noizemakers    1995-2005: Halwa Music and Earthiotic...   2005-2010: Rise to fame in Pakistan    2010-Present: Halwa King of Santa Monica  

2. Discography

3. Singles

4. Filmography

5. References

6. External links

7. Tariq TEE-M Mirza

Tariq Shezad Mirza (born June 8th, 1955) is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and guitarist known by fans as the Halwa King and also by his stage name, TEE-M.

Mirza sings in English and Urdu, often utilizing both languages on the same track, and is a pioneer of Halwa Music. He's best known for his signature song, Aao Aao Aao (Suji Ka Halwa), which became a Top 10 hit in Pakistan, notably from an album produced independently in the United States. The song is an homage to Mirza’s mother’s cooking (specifically, halwa) and became a cultural sensation that sparked three tours of Pakistan^[1][2], elevating Mirza to folk hero status there after living in America for over 30 years.

Additionally, Mirza is a local legend in Santa Monica, California, where he plays popular Sunday showcases at Palisades Park under the green pergola “Rehearsal Hall," often with Malibu-based musician, AL The Bassman (Albert Reyes). Mirza's philosophy of cultural friendship through music has been called "spreading the halwa."

The unique nature of Mirza’s rise to fame has drawn national press coverage in both Pakistan^[1][3] and the United States^[5], and has been identified with the American Dream.^[4]

Life and Career

1955-1972: Early life and career origins in Pakistan

Mirza was born in, Karachi, Pakistan^[5] and is one of five siblings.  

His father was a financial adviser in the Government of Pakistan, and his mother was a homemaker.

Mirza grew up listening to British Invasion music on shortwave radio and learning traditional Pakistani songs on a hand-me-down guitar.  His Western influences from this period include The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Shadows and Bill Haley & His Comets.

Mirza formed his first band, The Hilltoppers, in 1969 and played shows around Karachi.  Later, the group changed its name to 21st Century and gained notoriety in 1971 for playing Pakistan's first ever Battle of the Bands at Karachi's Pop Festivale!, winning the gold medal.^[6]  Shortly thereafter, Mirza immigrated to the United States to study and pursue music as a solo artist.

1972-1995: American roots and the Noizemakers

In 1972, Mirza moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan to attend Grand Rapids Junior College.^[5]  He lived down the street from future President Gerald Ford's childhood home, playing shows around town before moving to Dallas, Texas in 1973. While in Texas, Mirza became a popular solo artist at Navarro College in Corsicana after faculty spotted him playing for friends in the college cafeteria and recruited him to entertain over 400 guests at their annual Christmas party. Following that, Mirza played regular concerts at the college, including an art scholarship benefit that became Navarro's first ever student-produced sold-out show.

In 1983, Mirza re-located to Los Angeles, California, where he would later form TEE-M and the Noizemakers. The group headlined around Hollywood, including at famous Sunset Strip clubs like The Whisky A-Go-Go and The Roxy, building a following and drawing the attention of record producer and Livin' on the Edge co-writer, Mark Hudson (of The Hudson Brothers).

In the early 1990s, The Noizemakers recorded two demos and one 45 RPM single, Thinkin' 'Bout James Brown. Hudson shared the single with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson, the former of whom allegedly loved the song and added it to his personal jukebox. Rumors circulated that James Brown himself heard the song. However, The Noizemakers were unable to secure a record deal and disbanded in 1994.

Around this time, Mirza moved from Hollywood to a "One Room Palace" in Santa Monica, California, which would become his permanent, adoptive home. He played shows around Los Angeles and began developing the concept of Halwa Music.

1995-2005: Halwa Music and Earthiotic...

By the mid-1990s, Mirza had been writing songs for many years and developing the concept of Halwa Music (songs performed in both English and Urdu, encouraging friendship between Western and South Asian cultures). He played solo gigs around Los Angeles, developing the sound.

In 1996, Mirza released his first single as a solo artist, Man Without A Country, inspired by the 18-year ordeal of Mehran Karimi Nasseri in Terminal 1 at Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport. Eight years later, Steven Spielberg made The Terminal, a movie starring Tom Hanks in a role also inspired by Nasseri. Prior to the film's release, a reviewer for Skratch Magazine wrote, "Hopefully Spielberg will get a copy of the tune and toss TEE-M a few bucks for the rights."

In 2001, Mirza released a George Harrison tribute single, covering Don't Bother Me (Harrison's first song written for The Beatles), in response to Harrison's untimely death. Jerry "Peace Activist" Rubin invited Mirza to premiere the song at The Beatles' Hollywood Walk of Fame star during a celebration of Harrison's first posthumous birthday.

In 2002, The Ultimate Song documentary featured Mirza alongside artists including Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Wayne Kramer, Tom Morello, Ice-T and Steve Earle, among others, screening at Farm Aid and SXSW.^[7][8]

In 2003, Mirza began working with Geoff Tyson, an independent record producer, musician and student of guitar legend Joe Satriani. The duo co-produced Mirza's debut album, Earthiotic… songsfromaoneroomplace, a pioneering example of Halwa Music. Themes range from lost love (Disappeared) to politics (Time to Wake Up) and the supernatural (Hallucination). "Earthiotic," a term of Mirza's invention, signifies friendship between peoples ("spreading the halwa") and promotes humanism in opposition to nationalism or tribalism.^[5] The record began as a four-song EP entitled You Go On, including lead track Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa).

Mirza began promoting the EP, and Music Connection Magazine's Dan Kimpel became the first to recognize Halwa Music's originality and Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa)'s potential. Kimpel reviewed the EP, saying "Blending Brit-based harmonies with Pakistani influences, his [Mirza's] four-song sampler, You Go On, is a melodic collection of songs from a truly original artist."

In 2004, Mirza was interviewed by Los Angeles DJ Mike Stark, co-author of "Black Sabbath: An Oral History," for his popular Rock 50 Radio Show on WPMD. Stark had been a fan and big supporter of Mirza's music for many years. Mirza played his Don't Bother Me cover and previewed some Earthiotic tracks on the show. In a subsequent second interview, Mirza shared some favorite tracks from other independent artists, sparking Stark's idea for "TEE-M’s UNsigned Music Show." Mirza's then-unreleased song, Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa), later kicked-off the inaugural show. Together, Mirza and Stark went on to boost the profile of hundreds of independent artists from around the world between 2004 and 2010, before the rise of social media.^[5][9][10] In 2008, they supported a song (Meadowlarks) by then-unknown band Fleet Foxes.

In 2005, Earthiotic dropped on Stark's Rock 50 Radio Show, catching the attention of critics and marking the first time an independently-produced record was reviewed live during its release by two national rock writers (Stark and Music Connection Magazine's Bernard Baur).

Additionally, Mirza produced a music video for Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa).^[11] The song would play a key role in Mirza's rise to fame back "home" in Pakistan later that year.

2005-2010: Rise to fame in Pakistan

In 2005, Mirza began self-promoting Earthiotic in Pakistan, where his song, Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa), caught the attention of popular DJs Sohail Hashmi in Karachi and Wes Malik in Islamabad on Pakistan's biggest radio network, City FM89.  Thanks in large part to their support, the song became a national sensation and broke onto the Top 10 chart. City FM89 later named the song to its "Top 62 Songs of the Last 62 Years of Pakistan's Independence."^[1]

As a result of the song’s popularity, Mirza toured Pakistan from 2005 to 2008^[2][12][13] with sponsorship from the local French government through Fête de la Musique (World Music Day)^[1], playing packed shows and making waves in Pakistan’s national newspapers, including The News^[3], The Nation and Dawn. Mirza also appeared on national television and radio, including Dawn, 24/7-TV, CNBC Pakistan, ARY-TV and GEO-TV. Fans began calling Mirza the Halwa King, a reference to his signature song and unique sound. Additionally, Mirza was named a Gem of Pakistan^[14] by the eponymous cultural group.

Back in the United States, Mirza became a popular fixture at Desi music events^[15], toured Southern California for Starbucks^[1][8], and produced two music videos with director, Christian Jean.^[16][17][18] Disappeared (starring Brit Shaw), played The Other Venice Film Festival in Venice, California. Hallucination (starring Jocelin Albor), an homage to Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up, played 13 events, winning The Van Gogh Award for best avant-garde film at the Amsterdam Film Festivaland and a Golden Palm at the Mexico International Film Festival.^[19][20][21]

Mirza was profiled in The Huffington Post^[4] and named to Music Connection Magazine's "Hottest 100 Unsigned Artists" five years in a row.^[5] After his fifth year being honored, Mirza respectfully requested to be withdrawn from future consideration in order to create opportunity on the list for new artists. Additionally, Mirza was asked to play John Lennon’s 25th Memorial at Capitol Records in Hollywood, where he lit the first of 25 peace candles.

2010-Present: Halwa King of Santa Monica

After wrapping the Earthiotic tours in Pakistan, Mirza continued celebrating music and friendship ("spreading the halwa") in America. In 2010, he began weekly Sunday showcases at Palisades Park under the green pergola “Rehearsal Hall,” in Santa Monica, California.  He's often joined by Malibu-based musician, AL the Bassman (Albert Reyes), who plays upright bass.  The showcase has become legendary among city officials, residents, fans and visitors to the area, with Mirza frequently in the news, including on NPR^[1], Brazil-TV and interviewed by Maria Memon for Pakistan's GEO-TV. Additionally, as special guests of the local Kiwanis and Santa Monica Recreation and Parks Commission, Mirza and Reyes have three times rode the Santa Monica 4th of July parade float.

In 2014, Mirza launched an annual summer community event in Palisades Park called "TEE-M Celebrates Life & Rock 'n Roll." A video of Mirza performing Bollywood-classic Baar Baar Dekho from the 2017 show went viral, generating over 3,000,000 views on Facebook.^[22] Also in 2014, Mirza was invited to play The Beatles' 50th Celebration at Capitol Records in Hollywood, covered by KTLA. Additionally, Mirza's single Kisses By The Bucket made its worldwide debut on Wes Malik's popular "Drive Thru" show on City FM89 in Pakistan. A fan from Kashmir remarked, "Luv that song Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa) and Kisses By The Bucket is an epic..."

In 2015, Mirza became the first artist ever to perform in Santa Monica's City Hall chambers. He also played John Lennon's 75th Birthday Celebration at Capitol Records.^[23]

In 2017, Mirza released his second solo record, 14 Songs You Just Might Know, a compilation of originals and favorite cover songs from his Palisades Park showcase series.  Like Earthiotic, the record was produced independently.

In 2018, it was announced Mirza would be the subject of a documentary film^[1][24] (developed by Jean), exploring his life in the context of immigration, religious freedom and the American Dream. The film is entitled Earthiotic, a reference to Mirza's album and philosophy of spreading the halwa.

Discography

(1993) Not Another Demo (Demo) (as TEE-M and the Noizemakers)

(1994) Demonstrate Their Might (Demo) (as TEE-M and the Noizemakers)

(2004) Earthiotic… songsfromaoneroomplace

(2017) 14 Songs You Just Might Know

Singles

(1992) Thinkin' 'Bout James Brown (as TEE-M and the Noizemakers)

(1996) Man Without A Country

(2001) Don't Bother Me (George Harrison cover)

(2005) Aao, Aao, Aao (Suji Ka Halwa) (Pakistan)

(2014) Kisses By The Bucket

(2016) Picture of You

Filmography

(2002) The Ultimate Song

(2008) Disappeared

(2011) Hallucination

References

External links

• Official Website

Tariq TEE-M Mirza

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