Abida Parveen (* 1954) has become an unlikely star with a cult following, due to the splendid, dazzling voice with which she interprets Sufi poetry. She is also a rarity within the medium, as a female lead performer from Pakistan, where women are discouraged from performance of every kind. Her father Ustad Ghulam Haider, himself a prominent singer, recognized her talents at a young age and encouraged her to study music. Her marriage to a prominent Pakistani radio producer further aided her career, and before long she was entrancing audiences both religious and secular all over the world. Her vocal talents cannot help but inspire a kind of ecstasy in her listeners, as her soulful vocals praise God while reaching out in communion with all those nearby. While she takes her words from ancient Sufi texts, she composes the music herself, and sings in the Urdu, Sindhi, Hindi, Punjabi and Seraiki languages. Parveen believes firmly in the ability of Sufi music to heal the rifts between peoples, uniting them in the love for god and humanity.