Acclaimed in India with her 1996 Miss India theme, Indi-Pop diva Mehnaz took a leap of faith and journeyed to Seattle to further pursue her dream. There, she joined forces with some well-known local musicians who opened new doors for her. After her initial introduction in May 2007, which produced a lively performance at "The Triple Door" nightclub, she returned in November to collaborate with Mark Nichols and Todd Fogelsonger to create new songs for Manooghi Hi's self-titled debut CD that combines the two worlds, along with fellow band members Ava Chakravarti, Jarrod Kaplan, Jimmy Thomas and John Hollis. This blend of traditional Indian rhythmic sounds and words, fused with American rock, pop and a soulful sweetness, travels through many styles effortlessly. After an active summer of performances in 2009, Mehnaz returned to India. Upon her return to Seattle in early 2010, the band resumed activity. Nichols' other musical commitments necessitated the introduction of Kent Halvorsen (Sky Cries Mary) on keyboards. Successful performances followed, along with new tunes and sessions working towards a second album. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.