Shafqat Amanat says it's just a matter of time before we're technically at par with India

"Technical facilities aren't the same but we're moving ahead rapidly and it's just a matter of time before we'll be at par with India," said Shafqat Amanat Ali at the music launch of Mehreen Jabbar's Ramchand Pakistani in Karachi. Shafqat has lent his vocals to the background score of the film and a video film of one of his songs - Phir Wohi Raastey - was played to the delight of the audience. Shafqat's vocals, combined with Anwer Maqsood's thoughtful lyrics and the extremely poignant music composed by India's Debyagoti Mishra (music director for Raincoat and Choker Bali), were indeed haunting enough to send a shiver down the spine.

"I felt the same way when I heard it first," Shafqat shared with Instep Today exclusively. "When I told my friends in India that we were working on a film called Ramchand Pakistani, they just couldn't believe that a Pakistani film could be this sensitive."

We guess they will be proved wrong as this film will be a cut above the flicks being churned out of commercial cinema. Back to the music score, it also includes the strong vocals of Shubha Mugdal, who unarguably adds to the depth and quality of the soundtrack.

Shafqat added that Pakistani music's strength was its pop music industry but that would change once films started gaining ground.

"Our pop music has flourished in the absence of films," he said. "And that's a good thing because it has continuously generated exceptional talent. But that will change once films take off because movie music reaches out to another level of listeners. The market is huge, in comparison with pop music."

Source : http://thenews.jang.com.pk/instep_today.asp

"My new album will be refreshingly different." Says Faakhir

It's been three years since his

last album Mantra released,

but recently in Karachi for

the LSA press launch,

Faakhir promises he will

be back with his next

this September

Anum Opel

Karachi

Faakhir, popular for his soft melodious vocals, is aiming for a comeback into mainstream music this September, as he prepares to launch his next album. It's been three years since Mantra was declared hugely successful, but since then the artiste has restricted his appearances to concerts and tours outside of Pakistan. Instep Today caught up with him in Karachi, where he disclosed that the forth coming album would be "extremely diverse" and would perhaps help him break out of the mushy-love-song mold that he is popular for.

Instep Today: Your fans have been looking forward to your new album. When is it due to be released?

Faakhir: My upcoming album is in its creative process and its taking time because I'm not compromising on the quality of it. The beauty of music is to take time with it, it is an art. One should never work, keeping a 'goal' in mind. Goals never work out and I wanted to take time with this. But I can promise that the album will be in your hands by Eid.

Instep Today: Other pop bands – Strings, Roxen, Atif Aslam – are doing so well in Pakistan and India these days and the scene has changed in the past three years. Where do you think you stand today?

Faakhir: There is no doubt that these boys are good at what they do, but it shouldn't be forgotten that there is a demand for everything in the market. One has got to have a music market that offers all kinds of music genres.

Instep Today: What is your genre and how is it different from what other bands are creating?

Faakhir: My latest creation is easy going, smooth and swift. It's hard core entertainment; one can indulge himself in the album as it focuses on the experiences we all go through in life. There are no lectures involved, mind you, just pure entertainment.

Instep Today: How would you compare your new album with your previous work.

Faakhir: What I have produced is the exact opposite of what I have done in the past. It's as important to mix and master music as it is to build concepts. This time around my work will be an entity on its own. It will be refreshing and different.

Instep Today: How will it be different?

Faakhir: My new album focuses on intricate sensitive relationships and circumstances and situations attached to them. Anything and everything life has to offer is what this album is about, from love to forgiveness, accepting changes, moving on, romance and all the bitter sweet experiences we all go through.

Instep Today: The concept sounds a lot like what you have been doing. So how do you say this album is different?

Faakhir: This time around, I have experimented with new words and phrases which I thought I would never use! They might have sounded odd in the past, but I'm willing to bring it out in the open as they don't seem all that odd anymore!

Instep Today: Are you planning the videos for your album as well? Mahi Ve, was an award winning video; do you think the new ones will be anything like that?

Faakhir: I have a few ideas but haven't really thought over the videos all that much. Plus, video execution is not up my alley. It's all in the hands of the art and creative directors just as long as they suit the song. The visuals should be what the audio represents. I departed from the 'Mahi Ve' style ages ago and the new videos will certainly be created according to the songs.

Instep Today: Do you think your image needs a makeover as well, since everyone is so image conscious these days?

Faakhir: I laugh at those who say I need an image makeover. Let me make one thing very clear - I don't wear make-up or lipstick for that matter. The slightest bit of puff or powder makes me look overdone, can't help it, that's the way I look. I wear smart casuals and do not believe in running to a designer to make myself feel or look like a star. I think those who are too made up are idiots and no, my image needs no makeover whatsoever.

Instep Today: You have been involved with soundtracks as well. What is the next step here?

Faakhir: Soundtracks, for now, are in the last page of my book. Currently, the criterion is to focus on my new album.

Instep Today: Tell us about your recent tours.

Faakhir: I've had a number of concerts in the States, India and two in Dubai. To me, the audience is the same all around the globe. The Indian market is much more familiar to the Pakistani crowd, but overall, I could relate to all and sundry.

Source : http://thenews.jang.com.pk/instep_today.asp

Album Cover: Shehzad Roy Kismet Apnay Haath Main

Shehzad Roy Is Coming Very Soon With His New Album Which Is Named "Kismet Apnay Haath Main".

so keep visiting us for more information

Instep Profile : Deconstructing Atif Aslam

In a span of just four years, Atif Aslam has released three albums, won countless awards and has developed a massive following in and outside Pakistan. Its not exactly rags to riches and yet his success story remains unique. In this interview with Instep, Atif Aslam reveals all…

By Maheen Sabeeh

A star is born "I always dreamed of being a rock star as a kid," says Atif smiling. At the age of just 25, Atif Aslam is living his dream. With three albums to his credit, in a span of four years, the mess of a break-up (with his former band Jal) behind him and a mass appeal that extends all the way out to India and beyond, Atif Aslam's story is truly unique. He is sitting on a sofa in denims, a polo top and his guitar on his lap when we meet. It's a crisp Sunday afternoon and Atif has a hectic schedule ahead. He is flying back to Lahore and is then heading for a massive US, UK and Canada tour. We meet the morning after the Atif Aslam Lookalike-Singalike contest, where five men, who adore Atif, belt out Atif ditties, imitating his antics, attempting to impersonate the man himself. Atif came to the finale and picked the winner himself. "It was a little bizarre," admits Atif and continues, "but a good effort. Some of those guys were confident, others had a decent voice but Gibran matched my style more than the others so it had to be him." As a person, Atif is friendly, open and confident. What drives him is his ambition to bowl out the world. He doesn't look at Asians as his target market. The world is his stage and he is here to perform and entertain. What sets him apart is his ability to mould himself, that elastic factor. Whether it is through lending his vocals to Indian films or dancing with Aaminah Haq at the Lux Style Awards or going out all-rock on a single like 'Hungami Halaat', Atif is willing to bend and break norms to make his mark. His latest is his new album, Meri Kahani. A sharp, conscious turn from his commercially hit album Doorie, and a return to form, the kind one first witnessed on his debut record Jalpari. Meri Kahani sees Atif don the roles of singer, songwriter and lyricist. But most importantly it sees the various emotions of the man that is Atif Aslam. Not surprisingly, it is a mixed bag. And even though Jalpari remains the best Atif Aslam record, Meri Kahani shows off his skills as an artist and his will to experiment. To make sure that it is his brand of music, Atif brought in Overload men Farhad Humayoun, Shiraz Siddique and Mahmood Rahman to play on the album.
"I did Doorie but afterwards I wanted to do my kind of music. Meri Kahani is just that. It is an album that is filled with personal reflections. I got Overload guys involved because I love their music, especially the Pappu Saeen bit and it was fantastic working with all of them," says Atif. The record comes after Atif received severe criticism for Doorie, the smash hit album that consolidated his position firmly in India and Pakistan. At the same time, it brought out criticism on the fact that the album was purely commercial and Indianised. But Atif has never shied away from criticism. His defense has always been one, breaking into the Bollywood-friendly Indian market. "A commercial album has the power to hit the masses. To me making commercial music is a bigger challenge than anything else. If I'm singing songs that I don't really believe in and are not challenging me as a musician and they become a hit, that to me is an achievement," explains Atif. Today Atif Aslam is more restrained and self-assured than he has ever been before. But this self-assurance has taken its time. Atif may have become a huge star but his beginning was shaky and rather controversial. There was the Jal-Atif controversy which aroused questions about his debut album and the well-known debacle of writing credits.
"That wasn't the only thing. When I began, I wasn't accepted. Back when I was starting out, Noori was huge. I went to Ali Noor and made him hear 'Aadat' and he thought it was crap. I was very discouraged. Gumby then said to me that the song's good. I would go to channels and they would be in a blackmailing mode. If one channel was airing a video, another wouldn't," says Atif of his struggling days. Atif Aslam has had no backing in the industry and neither did he have parents who were dishing out finance to record his album. Coming from a middle-class background, Atif found his groove playing at colleges. 'Aadat' first made buzz through the Internet. 'The video released and a star was born. But no one could've predicted where this star would go.
Jal broke up and Atif went solo. Jalpari was released and soon, Atif rolled with the punches. He was destined for bigger things. Soon India came calling. And from thereon, there has been no looking back for this star. Last year Atif picked up Best Music Album for Doorie at the Lux Style Awards. Among other countless awards that he has to his credit includes the prestigious Tamgha-e-Imtiaz award from the government of Pakistan for portraying a positive image of Pakistan abroad. Pros and cons Criticism and stardom, it seems, go hand in hand. Where Atif was singing to packed houses, in and outside Pakistan, there has also been some criticism. And that has been changing to fit the Bollywood mould. Atif has sung for a variety of films like Kalyug, Zeher, Bas Ek Pal and Race but most of the films have been average projects (barring Race) and Atif has been criticized for letting his own compositions go under the knife of Indian music directors. "There have been times when I have sung tunes that I'm not too crazy about. Sometimes directors listen to me and sometimes they simply say no to my ideas. Like Race for instance. I never wanted to sing, 'Meri Bahon Mein Aa.. .'. I wanted those words to be changed but I was told no. So I tried to sing it a little differently. The reason I go for Bollywood projects is simply because they help in capturing a wider audience," justifies Atif. While pure pop and rock loyalists have frowned upon Doorie, that album increased Atif's star power to a whole new level. It was Indian actress Bipasha Basu who vouched for Atif when the star-studded Race was being made. The high profile film is one of the biggest grosser of this year, in and outside India and featured huge stars like Saif Ali Khan, Anil Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Katrina Kaif, Akshaye Khanna and Sameera Reddy. Atif's single on the Race soundtrack, 'Pehli Nazar' has been a massive hit. A little while later it turned out that the tune was a rip-off of a Korean tune. "I never knew that. I hope that such things don't happen again," admits Atif. But despite the plagiarism bit, 'Pehli Nazar' remains one of the biggest hits of 2008, right here and in India as well. The local scene Right here at home, Atif Aslam remains an unmatchable singer. His vocals have been off-key many a times, but he has improved as a singer and a live act tremendously. The experience of world tours has armed him with the know-how of dealing with different kinds of crowds. And he maintains an image that stands out. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Atif avoids stylists and lets his brother Shabaz Aslam manage his wardrobe as well as career. This team-up has also had its fair share of criticism. "As far as my image goes, I think Shabaz has done a great job. They were some mistakes. He has made some blunders but now he knows exactly what I want, what looks good so I'm pretty happy with that," Atif says of his equation with his brother. On the management front, Shabaz Aslam suffers from a strange reputation. Industry insiders maintain that he is harming Atif's career. But Atif brushes these stories aside. "He has straightened out a lot of people. Shahbaz has created a market for Atif. Making sure that I perform at Royal Albert hall in UK at such an early stage of my career, shows in Norway and Belgium, that isn't an easy task. He plays a bad guy but it doesn't mean he is. We always take money in advance. I don't play for free. And I don't do favours. Why should I charge any less? This is my money and Shabaz has made sure that these rules get implemented and I'm not taken for a ride," Atif sets the record straight. This attitude comes after seeing first hand an industry that is still struggling despite growing in talent for more than a decade. The local music industry still lacks a proper structure. In the last few years, as musicians have gained experience of playing abroad and have understood the importance of doing decent live shows, live concerts here have become scarce. Barring acts like Atif Aslam and Ali Azmat, both of whom do countless shows, more and more musicians are shying away from doing shows here. The reason: lack of proper sound management, engineers, lighting and investment by promoters. "I still try to do shows in Pakistan and not just the three main cities - Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad but others as well. Recently I have performed at Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Sargodha. Nowadays schools and colleges are also facing threats so they aren't doing many live concerts. The change we need is decent sound engineers, lighting. If a show is sounding great on the ground, it shows sound great on television as well. But it us who have to push for that change. I really think it's a lame excuse to use for not doing shows. Look at India, they have made films like Raja Hindustani but make a film like Black today," says Atif emphatically. His frequent visits to India have given him the knowledge to differentiate between the two industries. While they lack a pop industry, they have the infrastructure that has taken its time to develop. Atif maintains that to overcome these issues, the industry has to unite as a single force. On a farewell note "I see myself as a spiritual person," says Atif. He doesn't exactly come across as a spiritual person, in all honesty, but it is his personal belief that is truly surprising. "In this industry I don't find time for myself and my god. The industry is bad, the people part and the business part. It is seductive and completely attractive but I fight that part. I don't fear losing the success and the money that comes with being a star. What I do fear is losing my originality," Atif reveals in a moment of vulnerability. Rumour mills about Atif have been forever going on. His rise to super stardom has resulted in rivalries that go beyond professionalism. "I know people who are threatened by me. I know who they are and I have heard and seen them bitch me out. But it doesn't frighten me. It makes me happy because it is a telling sign of my own significance within this industry," explains Atif. Some might even take this attitude as smugness but to Atif, it is his way of survival. Pop stardom can be fickle and Atif understands it well. It remains unclear what Atif will do next but with his passion and thrust to continue conquering hearts and minds, it is clear that for Atif, the journey has just begun.

Source: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jun2008-weekly/nos-29-06-2008/instep/mainissue.htm

Download Yasir Jawed Debut Album Ibteda

About The Album:
The Album

IBTIDA is a tasteful mélange of the Classical and the contemporary. It is a fresh chapter in Pakistan’s rich musical heritage and is the result of two valuable and worthwhile years of sweat and toil. The album is a thumping amalgamation of mainstream rock and conventional classical melodies.

‘Ibtida’ is a collection of mellow, traditional ballads written by some of the best poets of our times. The most extraordinary feature of this album is its multi-genre amalgamation of rock, classical ragas and instruments from both worlds that do not add up in the real world. However, the album has taken poetry and music on a unique voyage that should keep audiences humming for years to come.

With ‘Ibtida’ Yasir has created a unique niche for himself in the neo-classical, raga-based genre. The intense and sometimes dreamlike ballads take you on an odyssey to the perfect dream with the perfect person in all the perfect situations.

The album is a valiant attempt to revive the dying art of classical music while bringing this abandoned tradition into mainstream fan-based music arena.

“I leave it to my treasured audience to enjoy the music presented in Ibtida. Your comments and suggestions are warmly anticipated and will pave the way for remodeling Pakistan’s musical heritage.”

Download Ibtida The Album From Here
(videos are also available to download there)

Watch Judai (Jannat) feat Kamran Ahmed - 82Rocker

Watch Out The Video Of Song "Lambi Judai" Of The Bollywood Hit Movie Jannat Featuring Kamran Ahmed a.k.a 82 Rocker.Imran Hashmi And Sonam Kapoor Are Playing The Roles In This Film.

Download Coke Studio Episode 2 - Strings & Ustaad Gullu Videos

Experience the second episode of Coke Studio with Strings, Ustaad Hussain Bakhsh Gullo and Saba & Selina.

Artists: Strings, Ustaad Hussain Bakhsh Gullo and Saba & Selina
Drums: Gumby, Qaiser Zainul Abedin (Strings)
Lead Guitar: Omran Shafique, Adil Ali (Strings)
Bass Guitar: Mannu, Shakir Qayyum (Strings)
DJ, Keyboard: Zeeshan Parwez, Haider Ali (Strings)
Backing Vocals: Saba and Selina
Percussionist: Shezi
Dholak: Babar Khanna
Balochi Percussions: The Abdul Latif Band
Producer: Rohail Hyatt

Part 1: Strings - Sarkiye



Download Audio
Download Video

Part 2: Ustaad H.B. Gullu - Jam Session


Download Audio
Download Video

Part 3: Saba and Selina - I'm in Love


Download Audio
Download Video

Part 4: Strings - Anjaane


Download Audio
Download Video

Part 5: Strings - Zinda


Download Audio
Download Video

Part 6: Strings and Ustaad Gullu - Duur




Download Audio
Download Video