Pakistani singer Atif Aslam paid tribute to late musician Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in a recent performance that was circulated on social media on Friday.
Aslam was recently on tour, completing a short run of shows in the United Kingdom and Europe from June 2-11. During one such performance, the singer paid tribute to the late Qawwal by offering his own rendition of a classic, while adding his own lyrics to the version.
The result is a fusion of both their distinct styles of music.
Of his recent tour in an interview, Aslam said, “I am super thrilled to be performing for my fans because performing live gives an artist the opportunity to connect with the energies of the audience.
“This tour is also extra special as I complete 20 years of my singing journey and what better way to celebrate it; with people who have given me so much love and admiration for all these years. 2023 has been extremely special so far as my wife Sara and I also welcomed our baby girl,” Aslam was quoted as saying by Rolling Stone India.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, called the ‘greatest singer of his generation in the genre of qawwali’ by The New York Times, was a legendary Pakistani musician and vocalist largely credited with popularising Qawwali for contemporary audiences. He passed away due to health problems in 1997.
He also collaborated with musicians such as Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam and Peter Gabriel, performed at sold out shows globally, and featured on soundtracks of films made in India and Hollywood.
His prodigy includes his nephew, the popular musician Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, who is also a global artist.
Aslam is a singer, songwriter, composer and actor. He has recorded many songs in both Pakistan and India, and known for his vocal belting technique.
Best known for singing ‘Woh Lamhe,’ from ‘Zeher’ in 2005, ‘Tu Jaane Na’ and ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon’ both from ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’. In recent years, Aslam has been less focused on Bollywood and more on building himself as a globally-known artist.
Aslam’s latest international tour comes on the back of singles like ‘Moonrise’ and ‘Go’ with producer-singer Abdullah Siddiqui.
Starting out with band Jal, Aslam released his first solo album titled ‘Jal Pari’ in 2004 which became an instant hit. He is a regular collaborator and performer on Coke Studio Pakistan and recently also featured on the soundtrack of Hollywood’s ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist’, based on Mohsin Hamid’s novel.
In 2008, he recorded three versions of ‘Pehli Nazar Mein’ and ‘Bakhuda Tumhi Ho’ for Bollywood films, ‘Race’ and ‘Kismat Konnection’. ‘Pehli Nazar Mein’ catapulted him to Bollywood mainstream success and also won him an International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA) Award.
He is a recipient of the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, as well as seven Lux Style Awards. He has been nominated for the Filmfare award five times.
