One Pound Fish Man

Muhammad Shahid Nazir
(One Pound Fish Man)
Muhammad Shahid Nazir performing for West Ham fans
Background information
Native name Saith Shahid Nazir
Birth name Muhammad Shahid Nazir
Also known as One Pound Fish Man
Born 1981 (age 36–37)
Pattoki, Punjab, Pakistan
Origin London, England
Genres Pop
Occupation(s) Fishmonger and recording artist
Years active 2012–present
Labels Warner Music Group
Website onepoundfishofficial.com

Muhammad Shahid Nazir (Urdu, Punjabi: محمد شاہد نذیر‬; born 1981), also known as the One Pound Fish Man (sometimes stylised as £1 Fish Man), is a Pakistani trader and recording artist who found fame as an internet sensation for his viral video "One Pound Fish". His subsequent appearance on The X Factor led to a record deal with Warner Music.[1]

Personal life

Nazir was born in the town of Pattoki, near Lahore in Punjab, Pakistan.[2] He grew up listening to Bollywood and Punjabi music, and would sing religious songs during assembly at school. Prior to emigrating to the United Kingdom for a better life, Nazir worked for the family-owned transport company.[3] He is married to Kashifa. The couple has four children. His mother, wife and children are still living in Pattoki.[3]

Career

"One Pound Fish"

Following brief employment at a pound shop, Nazir, who had since settled in East London, began work at a fish stall at Queen's Market, Upton Park, where his employer instructed him to use a trader's call to attract customers. He soon composed the song "One Pound Fish":

Come on ladies, come on ladies
One pound fish
Have-a, have-a look
One pound fish
Very, very good, very, very cheap
One pound fish
Six for five pound
One pound each

After passing customers uploaded videos of him performing his song onto YouTube, it became an internet smash and a viral video, and he was invited to perform the song on the television show The X Factor. The song was later covered by Alesha Dixon, Timbaland and Mindless Behavior.[4]

In 2018, Nazir confirmed via Twitter that the low-cost fish to which he was referring were mackerel.[5]

Post X Factor

In November 2012, Nazir was signed by Warner Music as a recording artist, and released a dance version of his market sales pitch. A video was also filmed which featured Bollywood-style dancers and an appearance from former weatherman Michael Fish.[6] The song was in the running for securing the Christmas Number One for 2012 alongside X Factor winner James Arthur's release of his winning song "Impossible".[2][7][8]

Return to Pakistan

Nazir had arrived in the United Kingdom on a student visa, but soon left his studies to work, contrary to the terms of his student visa, as a fishmonger.[9] In December 2012, it was revealed that he had been ordered by the Home Office to leave the country as his visa had expired.,[10][11] he returned to Pakistan in December 2012. His management said he would return to the UK to promote his musical career with a new entry visa. It added that his departure to Pakistan was in part to appear on Pakistani national television as he had gained huge popularity in his own country after the song and that he would be able to see his family before returning to the United Kingdom. His agent, Samir Ahmed, said: "He will be returning to Pakistan and will be celebrating New Year with his family. His return to the UK is pending approval of a working visa. We fully expect him to return in the coming weeks".[12]

Discography

Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
UK
[13]		 UK Asian Chart FRA SCO
"One Pound Fish" 2012 28116924 Non-album single
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

References

  1. ↑ "Fish seller's catchy tuna may hit No1". The Sun.
  2. 1 2 "Video: One Pound Fish song makes bid for Christmas No1 - Telegraph". Telegraph.co.uk. 11 December 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Family of "One Pound Fish Man" is praying for his video hits on Christmas". Dawn. 16 December 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
  4. ↑ Susannah Butter (20 November 2012). "The One Pound Fish man: everyone's hooked, including Warners". Evening Standard.
  5. ↑ "One Pound Fish on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2018-04-13.
  6. ↑ "Oh my cod, is this for reel? Michael Fish stars in the £1 Fish Man's video".
  7. ↑ "Merry fish-mas! Market trader vies for festive No1 with One Pound Fish song".
  8. ↑ "James Arthur smashes X Factor sales record". Evening Standard. 11 December 2012.
  9. ↑ "BBC News - One pound fish song an internet smash". BBC News.
  10. ↑ "One Pound Fish: Market singer hoping for Christmas number one is in visa wrangle". Mail Online. 23 December 2012.
  11. ↑ Mughal, Ubaid (24 December 2012). "One Pound Fish man, Shahid Nazir, faces deportation from UK over visa issue". The News Tribe. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  12. ↑ Laura Martin (24 December 2012). "One Pound Fish man told to return to Pakistan because of visa issues - Mirror Online". mirror.
  13. ↑ "The Official Charts Company – One Pound Fish Man". The Official Charts Company. 5 May 2013.
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