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Mountain House's Multicultural Celebration to Close with International Star Zoe Viccaji

Coke Studio star Zoe Viccaji brings her genre-blending mix of jazz, pop and Sufi influences to Mountain House on September 26, headlining the city's third annual Multicultural Celebration alongside the local band, Sawaaz.

Observer staff · Published Sep 22, 1:40 PM · Updated Sep 22, 2:16 PM

Zoe Viccaji with her band Sawaaz

Mountain House's Parks & Recreation Department will host the city's third annual Multicultural Celebration on Saturday, September 26, at Central Community Park, with the day building toward a headline performance by internationally acclaimed Pakistani singer-songwriter Zoe Viccaji.

The free, family-friendly event runs from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. and will feature live entertainment, food and retail vendors, and a dedicated kids zone, organized around the theme "Many Cultures. One Community."

About the Headliner

Zoe Viccaji is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and actress from Karachi who began her career as a backing vocalist on Coke Studio before becoming one of the show's featured artists. Born in Karachi to an Anglo-Indian Christian mother and a Parsi father, Viccaji grew up singing in church choirs and performing in musical theater before formally studying fine art and sociology at Hamilton College in New York, where she also sang with the college choir.

She launched her professional music career in 2009 as an English-language jazz singer, releasing early singles influenced by pop, disco, reggae and funk. In the years since, her sound has expanded to draw on the subcontinent's musical heritage, blending Sufi, eastern classical and folk traditions into her work. While English remains her first language, she has increasingly embraced singing in Urdu, describing it as both a professional and creative challenge she has come to relish.

Viccaji joined Coke Studio in 2010, where she has collaborated with acts including Strings and Bilal Khan. Her catalog includes the albums "Chal Para" (2010), "Star" (2017) and "Bolo Bolo" (2020), and she has been honored with a Lux Style Award for Best Emerging Talent and a Hum Award for Best OST. Beyond music, she has also served as an ambassador for Girl Rising, an initiative promoting girls' education worldwide.

About the Band

For her Mountain House appearance, Viccaji will be backed by the local band, Sawaaz, featuring Asim Wali, Noor Lodhi, Maneshwar Judge and Michael Nathanial. Together they'll bring Viccaji's genre-spanning, multilingual style — jazz, pop, rock, classical and Sufi influences woven together — to a live local audience.

Event Details

What: Mountain House Multicultural Celebration, featuring Zoe Viccaji When: Saturday, September 26, 3:00–9:00 p.m. Where: Central Community Park Cost: Free admission More info: mountainhouseca.gov/309/Multicultural-Celebration

Viccaji's set is expected to close out the evening's lineup of live entertainment, capping a day built around celebrating the diversity of Mountain House's community.

Corrections & updates

  • Update — Corrected band acreditation

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Mountain House's Multicultural Celebration to Close with International Star Zoe Viccaji · MH Observer