Page 31 - Pakistan Link - December 31, 2021

ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT & LIFESTYLE DECEMBER 31, 2021 – PAKISTAN LINK – P31
DECEMBER 31, 2021 - PAKISTAN LINK

arachi: 2021 was the year of new musicians tak- heart and soul. It is a rendition that might not please a purist The video accompanying the song is also heartwarming,
ing centre stage as veterans showed the way. Many ghazal fan but stands on a merit of its own. featuring glimpses of Sadpara from the various expeditions he
like Taha G brought their A-game to live shows Aftab’s Mohabbat first gained more popularity after land- went on. While some accused the Channo hitmaker of profiting
Kthat finally kicked off after several halts because of ing on former US President Barack Obama’s summer playlist from the climber’s death, others appreciated his efforts to “sing
the pandemic. Everyone grooved to Hassan Raheem’s Joona of 2021, following which, Aftab nabbed Grammy nominations for an unsung hero.” Even Mahsud’s son threw his weight be-
while Natasha Noorani’s Choro sprinkled life over a dark and in the categories of Best New Artist and Best Global Music hind Zafar for using his father’s song as a vessel to reach and
commercialised world. Danish Roomi also made room in our Performance, the former being a first for any singer of Paki- celebrate Sadpara.
hearts with his Iraday while many of our established perform- stani origin. ‘WOH KAUN THI’ – KASHMIR
ers shined too. ‘DIL JALANE KI BAAT’ – ATIF ASLAM Kashmir have proved time and again that they really know
Ali Suhail released White Flag and Noori went back in After mesmerising listeners with soulful renditions of de- how to make any song their own. Be it their infamous rendition
time with a music video for Bol. Meesha Shafi’s Hot Man- votional offerings like Wohi Khuda Hai and Mustafa Jaan-e- of Aamir Zaki’s Mera Pyaar or EP’s Waqt, the band has been
go Chutney Sauce became all the rage and Abdullah Siddiqui, Rehmat, this year, Atif Aslam tried his hand at Noor Jehan’s making great covers for years now. Their recent, an acoustic
Aima Baig made us stop, and think with Be Myself. Asim Aashiyane Ki Baat and took the trophy for providing the per- take on the Vital Sign’s classic Woh Kaun Thi, is another that
Azhar, with his revamped live band and Bilal Maqsood’s help, fect example of a cover done right. struck a chord with listeners instantly.
had quite a few successful concerts too and Faraz Anwar teased Aslam’s Dil Jalane Ki Baat fuses South Asian Classical Bilal Ali’s soothing voice leads with a charm that is
his upcoming music ensemble, Tale of the Lunatics. elements with western music, courtesy of Saad Sultan, who’s chiseled further by the band’s minimalistic percussion
But while it’s great to see so much original music final- created a trance of sorts to offer us with a taste of two worlds. work which is fun and goes with the vibe. The guitar
ly churning out and being appreciated in Pakistan, 2021 also Released by SufiScore, the song is backed by Aslam’s soft vo- strums beautiful open chords while the bass grooves lurk
brought with itself its fair share of memorable covers and one cals, making his interpretation of the song much sadder than behind. The rendition doesn’t take away much from the
of them even nabbed a Grammy nod. Here’s a lowdown of the the original without bringing many changes to how it is sung. original but definitely adds a dose of fresh, youthful en-
five best renditions we heard this year without any branded Aslam also hits all the right notes, impeccably crooning the ergy that is inspiring.
show forcing them down our throats. track using his signature vocal belting. ‘MANIKE MAGE HITHE’ – NATASHA BAIG
‘MOHABBAT’ – AROOJ AFTAB ‘PAHARON KI QASAM’ – ALI ZAFAR Natasha Baig is no stranger to the realm of cover songs
This year saw Arooj Aftab take the world by storm with After becoming an instant hit among residents and tour- either. Known to excel at singing in various languages and of
the release of her third album Vulture Prince which features ists up north, Paharon Ki Kasam gained new life following Ali different folklore from around the region, the Hunzai singer
her beautiful take on Hafeez Hoshiarpuri’s ghazal, Mohabbat. Sadpara’s demise in the form of Ali Zafar’s rendition. Orig- recently rendered a version of Yohani’s Manike Mage Hithe, a
Initially rendered by the likes of Mehdi Hasan and Farida inally sung by Kamal Mahsud, Tum Chalay Aao Paharon Ki Sri Lankan Sinhala-language song by Satheeshan Rathnayaka.
Khanum, Aftab’s version of the song is quite dissimilar to its Kasam (Come back for the sake of the mountains), assembled Baig rendered the track after sharing how she fell in love with
predecessors but keeps the vigour alive. Its minimalistic in- the late mountaineer’s journey into phrases that hauntingly de- its melody. Effortlessly crooning the same with a ukulele in her
strumentation and subtle brass sections remind one of Nusrat livered everything he longed for while expressing the grief and hand, Baig’s rendition is on point, courtesy of her commend-
Fateh Ali Khan’s collaboration with Michael Brookes, Night guilt of those that longed for him. Zafar reenvisioned the song able pronunciation and enunciation.
Song. The harp blends in seamlessly with the acoustic strum- with a modern sound while retaining its core elements. His While she plays a simple three-chord structure on the in-
ming pattern, almost sounding like a sitar in places, creating a version allows the flute and rabab to create an eerie mountain strument, the heavy timbre of her vocal tone also adds a very
melancholic vibe. Aftab resorts to singing only three couplets atmosphere with the signature Pashto groove being brought to raw and authentic feel to the song previously made famous in
of the nine written by Hoshiarpuri but does so with precision, life using electronic percussive elements. Yohani’s featherweight voice.

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