Tag: Pakistan

South Asian Creators Share Their Sounds and Culture on Spotify

July 21, 2022

a graphic design of things native to south asian like a butterfly, elephant and lion

July 18 marked the start of South Asian Heritage Month, which celebrates the history and culture of eight countries in South Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. This year marks a particularly monumental milestone: the 75th anniversary of India’s and Pakistan’s independence.

On Spotify, we’re using this occasion to celebrate the wide breadth of talent in and inspired by these countries. Through a revamped on-platform hub, listeners can find popular Desi playlists, exclusive playlist takeovers from noteworthy community members, a curation of podcasts from South Asian podcasters, and more.

To kick off the month, For the Record asked a collection of artists, podcasters, and creators about how their South Asian culture has influenced their work. 

 DIVINE, Indian hip-hop artist

DIVINE looking straight at the camera with his hands in a prayer gesture

“I feel like the spirit of South Asia, at its very core, is about hustling and overcoming circumstances where the odds are stacked against us. Throughout my career, I have tried to pen down lyrics that represent this very undying spirit. Musically, while I draw a lot of my influences from the West, I often try to pick up nuggets from more traditional South Asian music—whether it be interpolation of lyrics from an iconic Bollywood hit/film or picking up samples from classic Indian melodies. Music from film has been a shared heritage and a connecting thread for all of us who call South Asia our home or have roots going back here.”

Trisha Sakhuja-Walia, CEO and cofounder of Brown Girl Magazine 

Trisha Sakhuja Walia posting in front of the camera wearing a pink dress and holding pink roses

“Born out of the lack of minority representation in mainstream media, Brown Girl Magazine was created by and for South Asian women who believe in the power of storytelling as a vehicle for community building and empowerment. Over the past decade, we’ve continued to serve as an anchor for South Asians by remaining steadfast in publishing premium, multimedia content so that it uplifts, creates deeper understanding and connection, and cultivates meaningful dialogue in communities around the globe. It’s more important than ever before to continue telling our stories from our mouths so the next generation has a piece of our lives, hyphenated identity, and our blended cultures.”

Asim Azhar, Pakistani singer-songwriter

Asim Azhar standing in front of a car with its headlights on at night.

“I started doing music in 2012 because I felt like there was a void in our South Asian music scene where there wasn’t enough culture crossing. That was my main aim. What I do now is incorporate and try to blend Eastern sounds and instruments in my pop-oriented songs, which usually have a Western arrangement—whether it’s melodically or lyrically representing my South Asian culture. For instance, we added qawali in one of my really popular songs, and I feel like a lot of people resonated with it because it brought them back to their culture as soon as the chorus hit and the qawali started. I try my best to slip in South Asian themes and sounds in my music and make a modernized version out of it. Also, I’m really happy how it’s being done more often and so well in our side of the world now. We’ve come a long way, but a lot more to go!”

Hasan Raheem, Pakistani singer-songwriter

Hasan Raheem wearing sunglasses and posing in front of the camera

“I’ve grown up listening to South Asian music, so melodically I’ve been influenced and inspired by a lot of other artists and their songs without losing my own essence and originality. Sampling old classical songs and experimenting pop, R&B, hip-hop with those samples has been very helpful in setting the sound that I have now. Musically, I was inclined to incorporate the sounds of instruments such as shehnai, tabla, and sarangi in my songs, which are a huge part of Pakistani classical and North Indian music.”

 Raja Kumari, Indian American rapper 

Raja Kumari wearing sunglasses and posing in front of the camera in the desert

 “My South Asian heritage is integral to everything I do as an artist. Whether it be the sounds or visuals, my culture is just a part of who I am.”

Mumzy Stranger, British Bangladeshi rapper and producer

Mumzy Stranger wearing sunglasses and looking off in the distance standing in front of a palm tree

 

“As a British Bangladeshi, I have grown up listening to Western and Eastern music, especially Bollywood music. I have picked up instruments and melodies from South Asian culture and fused this with Western genres to create a unique sound, which I am championing currently.”

Ahsun Zafar, Brown History podcast

“It is important to me to use my platform to tell South Asian stories because not only does it provide a source of strength and self-love for other South Asians, an opportunity to build and fortify communities, and a medium to promote respect and empathy for each other, but it is also a support system that can provide us with courage and help us in the fight against any false narratives, racism, and different systems of oppression that we encounter in our lives.” Photo credit: Oumayma B. Tanfous

 

Find more voices to listen to and learn from on our South Asian Heritage Month hub.

Get To Know the Sounds of Ramadan Around the World

April 13, 2022

Ramadan is a month dedicated to spiritual rejuvenation, tranquility, and contemplation by those celebrating across the globe. Many Muslims come together with their families and communities for suhoor, the predawn meal, iftar, the post-sunset meal, and everything in between. For some, audio also plays a large role in setting the tone of the holiday. 

And just as Holy Month traditions play out differently in communities around the world, so does the audio people listen to for reflection or celebration. In the Arab world, observers will mostly play traditional instrumental nasheeds; Turkish celebrants may stream tracks from their favorite Ramadan television series; and in Indonesia, the top tracks played during Ramadan have a pop feel—all while guiding listeners to self-reflection.

Some tracks are universal—Lebanese Swedish R&B singer Maher Zain’s song “Ramadan – English version” is one of the most popular during Ramadan, with listeners tuning in from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Australia, Canada, Germany, the U.K., and the U.S. last year. Depending on where you’re listening from, you can find plenty of options throughout the month on Spotify’s Ramadan destination. 

For the Record asked five of our music editors celebrating Ramadan around the world to share some of the themed playlists they curated during the Holy Month and what makes the playlists unique to their communities. 

Middle East and North Africa

Curation: Ramadan Series مسلسلات رمضان and Ramadan Spirit by Alaa Ismail and Naoufal El Amrani

What is one element or tradition during Ramadan that is unique to your market? 

The Holy Month is a rich and diverse experience. People across the Arab world are very disciplined in fasting and praying in Ramadan; they decorate their homes with Ramadan lanterns and organize iftar banquets for families. Arabs tend to listen to spiritual hymns (nasheeds), especially during fasting times. After iftar, family and friends gather to watch their favorite Ramadan series, and therefore Ramadan series songs have a distinctive mark during the Holy Month. Ramadan Spirit and Ramadan Series playlists are inspired by the culture, customs, and traditions of the region. 

What are some consistent themes behind the songs or artists you’ll program during Ramadan?

Ramadan is very special and has its own charm; it is like a guest who comes to the house once a year and is welcomed with pleasure. Reflecting the spirit of the month in our Ramadan playlists with relaxing, spiritual, and instrumental tunes is key to our curation process. 

Pakistan

Curation: South Asian Sufi by Rutaba Yaqub

What is one element or tradition during Ramadan that is unique to your market? 

Pakistan is a family- and community-oriented nation. And in the month of Ramadan that feeling of togetherness grows even stronger. Families spend more time together for suhoor, iftar, and in between. Pakistanis love to host big iftar feasts for their families as well as for the needy. Thousands of people are fed on the streets with langar (a communal free kitchen). 

How does that come through in the audio played during the month? 

Because of the busy nature of Ramadan and Pakistan being a majority Muslim nation, the consumption of music, specially in the first 10 days of Ramadan, drops significantly. Most of the consumption happens before suhoor. After the 10 days, audiences ease into consumption of music with more Sufi/devotional content, which is musical content of mystical nature. “Tajdar-e-Haram,” a track performed by Atif Aslam, jumps to the top of charts as soon as Ramadan starts. That’s a very clear indication of listeners’ inclination to Sufi content. 

Turkey 

Curations: Ramazan and İftar by Nazlı Yırtar

What is one element or tradition during Ramadan that is unique to your market? How does that come through in the audio played during the month? 

Gathering with family, neighbors around the iftar table; hosting visitors for big iftar dinners. Also the Ramadan-themed TV shows starting before iftar, where conversations around Ramadan are had and music reflecting the theme of the month is played between conversations. Our Ramazan and İftar playlists are definitely inspired by the music I used to hear on TV and radio during the Ramadans of my childhood.

What are some consistent themes behind the songs or artists you’ll program during Ramadan?

I try to reflect the calm spirit of the month in our Ramadan playlists with instrumental music or Turkish classical songs that would bring our users the experience around those feelings of peace and serenity.

Singapore and Malaysia

Curations: Penenang Hati, Satu, MendekatiNya, Lagu Raya, Salam Raya by Nurul Husniyah

What is one element or tradition during Ramadan that is unique to your market? How does that come through in the music played during the month? 

Ramadan is a time for connecting and reconnecting with loved ones, so one of the top priorities for most people is coming home to buka puasa or iftar with their families and to also spend time with their friends. Singapore saw the return of two really popular annual Ramadan bazaars at Geylang Serai and Kampong Glam after a two-year hiatus. Even though they are scaled down, these events definitely add festive cheer to this year’s celebrations. Raya (the South Asian way to address Eid al-Fitr) songs will also be soundtracking homes and bazaars as early as the first couple of days to the first week of Ramadan.

What are some consistent themes behind the audio or artists you’ll program during Ramadan?

Indonesian artist Opick’s “Ramadan Tiba” (Ramadan is here) and Anuar & Ellina’s “Suasana Di Hari Raya” both start showing up in our viral charts as early as the first day of Ramadan. You can find both of these on Lagu Raya, the quintessential playlist for familiar tracks that dominates the charts throughout the month of Ramadan leading up to Eid al-Fitr. 

Penenang Hati and Satu are usually updated weekly due to the steady stream of artists releasing Ramadan-themed and spiritual tracks throughout the month. Penenang Hati features tracks that are more mellow, and nasyid (nasheed) tracks as well. Satu features more modern-sounding and upbeat Islamic and spiritual tracks.

Indonesia 

Curations: Refleksi Diri, Ketupat Lebaran by Dyah Paramita Saraswati  

What is one element or tradition during Ramadan that is unique to your market? How does that come through in the audio played during the month? 

The unique element in Indonesia during Ramadan is people here usually hang out together or do something unusual in the evening while waiting for iftar. We call the activity “ngabuburit.” That is why Spotify in Indonesia launched a campaign titled #NgabuburitDiSpotify for the second year in a row! Since Ramadan is a big cultural moment in Indonesia, television and radio stations tend to play Islamic songs that are related to Ramadan. Also, some artists launch Ramadan-themed songs during this period, mainly around self-reflection. 

What are some consistent themes behind the audio or artists you’ll program during Ramadan?

For Refleksi Diri, on top of Islamic songs, I also program pop songs themed around wellness, self-reflection, and life contemplation. That is why one of the two music playlists I have programmed is named Refleksi Diri, which means self-reflection in English. As for Ketupat Lebaran, which loosely relates to “The Best of the Festival of Breaking Fast” in reference to the local delicacy ketupat that is served during this period, I program songs that are centered around the celebration of Lebaran or Eid (a period which marks the end of the month of fasting and celebrations over the control over one’s desires).

 

Stream one of the most popular songs during Ramadan—Lebanese Swedish R&B singer Maher Zain’s “Ramadan – English version.” 

Spotify Pakistan Partnered With ‘Coke Studio’ This Season To Amplify Artists in the Region and Beyond

March 23, 2022

When Spotify launched in Pakistan at the start of 2021, we instantly encountered the presence of a fellow powerhouse in music and media: Coke Studio. Since the television show’s premiere in 2008, it has become the longest-running music franchise in Pakistan. Coke Studio’s unique format features in-studio collaborations with both music legends and industry newcomers. And since Coke Studio was already a household name across the South Asian diaspora, both Spotify and Coca-Cola Pakistan (which produces the show) saw that partnering up for Season 14 had the potential to bring generations of Pakistani music to an even larger audience around the world. 

“While Coke Studio has been producing music for years, it presented a new vision for 2022, which matched Spotify’s mission to unlock the massive potential of creators and music across Pakistan,” said Khan FM, Head of Artist and Label Partnerships in Pakistan. “At Spotify, we’re proud of our global reach in music, so it made absolute sense for the ‘Sound of the Nation’—Coke Studio’s tagline—to be heard all around the world.” 

This season, Coke Studio introduced fans to 13 new songs with contributions from more than 30 artists. And following this week’s season finale, they can all be found on Spotify’s Coke Studio: Pakistan hub.

Beyond the new tracks from Season 14, Coke Studio: Pakistan also gives fans access to all the hits from previous seasons. And listeners who want to dig deeper into the Coke Studio discography can find curated playlists like This is: Coke Studio Pakistan, Women of: Coke Studio Pakistan, Best of: Coke Studio Fusion, Best of: Coke Studio Sufi, Best of: Coke Studio Pakistan, and more. The hub is a destination for artists to share their music with Spotify’s 406 million listeners, many of whom can be found in the U.S., the U.K., Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, India, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.

For the Record got to speak with Khan to learn about Spotify’s vision for music in Pakistan and what it was like to bring this Coke Studio partnership to life.

How would you describe Coke Studio‘s influence on the music market in Pakistan?

Coke Studio paved the way for music to remain consistent in Pakistan. It allowed Pakistanis to look forward to new music and stay connected with their favorite artists. The program itself has not only created immense pride in Pakistan, but it has also become a representation of South Asian music and culture. With the success of Coke Studio in Pakistan, several other markets like India, the Middle East and North Africa, and the Philippines have tried to activate their own versions of Coke Studio—the latest being in Bangladesh—proving it to be a very influential approach. 

How does a platform like Spotify help elevate the listening experience for fans of Coke Studio? 

Other than allowing fans all over the world to listen to Coke Studio’s latest music on Spotify, we enhanced the experience by creating exclusive content with the artists, which was released exclusively on Spotify Pakistan’s social media accounts. Moreover, we held three exclusive prerelease listening sessions with the creators and artists for the die-hard fans and senior members of the press, which had never been done before in Pakistan. 

What insights did you gain throughout Season 14 and after it had wrapped up? 

The biggest learning for us is to always have clear objectives from the beginning. We both knew this collaboration would have various challenges, but both parties had one very clear objective: amplify Pakistani music and represent it in the absolute best way possible. This objective became more of a passion point and therefore allowed us to work efficiently to ensure that all teams were aligned, that all artists were excited about the partnership, and that listeners all over the world would experience Pakistani culture unlike ever before. 

What is your goal when seeking out partnerships with brands? 

When collaborating with brands, one of my most important goals is to be able to select brands that match our values. Almost every brand out there is trying their best to succeed and roll out a plethora of activations. It’s important to understand the objectives of a successful brand collaboration. This will set the right tone and help us work toward a shared goal. In this case, it was the presentation of Pakistani artists and music to a global audience while highlighting the amplification of Gen-Z artists. 

What emerging-established artist duos were you most excited to bring together this season? 

For 2022, the most exciting duo was for the first single, “Tu Jhoom,” which brought together the living legend Abida Parveen with Naseebo Lal. The song resonated across South Asia and eventually the world, becoming one of the most sought-after releases from Coke Studio. 

A fan-favorite would be Ali Sethi’s “Pasoori,” which not only introduced the audiences to a new artist—Shae Gill—but also became one of the most-streamed tracks on Spotify’s global charts. Lastly, another favorite would be “Mehram,” a slow ballad of sorts that brings together Asfar Hussain (lead vocalist from the band Bayaan) and two-time Grammy nominee Arooj Aftab, who is also the EQUAL Ambassador of the Month for Spotify Pakistan this March.

Excited about Spotify’s partnership with Coke Studio? Check out the Coke Studio: Pakistan destination on Spotify to discover all of this season’s singles and more.

What Nigeria, Pakistan, Ghana, and More of Our Newest Markets Are Streaming—365 Days In

February 24, 2022

Last year at Stream On, Spotify announced that we’d be launching in 80+ new markets around the world and adding 36 new languages to our platform—a sweeping expansion that would introduce Spotify to more than 1 billion people around the world. With this launch, we furthered our ongoing commitment to building a truly borderless audio ecosystem that connects creators, listeners, and content—and helped ensure that sounds and stories that once remained local could reach a global audience.  

By reaching even more countries across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America, we gave millions of new creators the opportunity to create, discover, and build a career in audio creation—and gave a billion new fans the opportunity to hear it. 

Now, a year in, there’s plenty of progress to look back on. See for yourself: 

Can’t get enough of new music? Listen to Asakaa, the Ghanian drill genre making waves around the world.

Get a Taste of the Trending Genres in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka

May 24, 2021

Ninety days ago, we announced that we were launching in three new markets in South Asia: Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. Since then, listeners in the region have explored Spotify and a world of music now at their fingertips. 

We were particularly excited to see what homegrown genres and artists were gaining popularity and traction in each country. So we picked out one playlist per market based on what’s been trending most to give listeners around the world a taste. 

Pakistan – Pakistani Indie 101



Traditional Pakistani music includes instruments like sitar, rubab, and flute, and falls into genres like qawwali, rock, and Sufi. Modern Pakistani musicians, who are extremely diverse in their creations, have combined those traditional elements with contemporary ones, leading to a new crop of musicians that can only be described as indie. 

Pakistani Indie 101 is a compilation of the best of new-era Pakistani Indie musicians, producing indie-pop, fusion house, hip-hop, retro-wave, sufi, classical, progressive math pop-rock, and more. Some of the key creators include Hassan Raheem, Shamoon Ismail, Abdullah Siddiqui, Arooh Aftab, Bayaan, Zahra Paracha. 

Bangladesh – Bangla Rock

Rock is one of the top-performing genres in Bangladesh—even more than pop. (In Bangladesh, you might say that rock is the new pop.) This means listeners can easily explore rock subgenres including heavy metal, folk rock, soft rock, thrash metal, and alt rock. 

Bangla Rock focuses on the best rock music coming out of Bangladesh. It features creators like Artcell, Nemesis, Warfaze, and Black, who create music across rock’s many subgenres. 

Sri Lanka – Sinhala Pop

Unlike Bangladesh, Sri Lanka is still big into the top trending artists and songs. However, pop in Sri Lanka differs from that of other regions: A large number of songs in the genre open with a soulful, ballad-like quality. Piano is a key instrument. By the chorus, however, some of these songs change in tempo and tone, infusing catchy drum beats and underlying synth beats. 

Sinhala Pop is one of the top playlists in the region. (Sinhala is one of the two languages spoken most in the country). Up-and-coming artists like Yohani and Hiyum, in addition to longer-time favorites Ridma Weerawardena and Raj Thillaiyampalam, all have hits on this playlist.

Dive into the top genres of South Asia with Pakistani Indie 101, Bangla Rock, and Sinhala Pop.