Highlighting female artists from Pakistan has been one of Spotify’s major goals. Starting with Arooj Aftab as its Equal Pakistan ambassador for March, the global music streaming site has followed up the initiative on a monthly basis. Sufi-rock artist Natasha Baig is the ambassador for July and will enjoy the perks that come with the initiative such as entrance in global playlists and its variants. It also includes a billboard in the heart of New York City’s Times Square in Midtown Manhattan, a commercial intersection that plays home to the city’s entertainment and tourist destination.
Past ambassadors include Zoha Zuberi (June), Hadiqa Kiani (May), Mehak Ali (April) and Arooj Aftab (March) and the selection, so far, shows a combination of iconic artists and newer names. For Natasha Baig, it has arrived at just the right time since she dropped her second album, Khirad in May 2022.
However, apart from Natasha Baig making the cut as Equal Pakistan ambassador initiative, which will give her music a strong push from the music streaming site to a global audience, Spotify is also celebrating South Asian Heritage Month.
Beginning from July 18 to August 17, it includes countries such as Afghan-istan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka. As this year will also mark the milestone of India and Pakistan independence for 75 years, Spotify is playing its part musically.
“Through a revamped on-platform hub, listeners can find popular Desi playlists, exclusive playlist takeovers from noteworthy community members, and more.”
Artists and content creators were asked how South Asian culture had influenced their work. A number of artists from various countries were covered with Pakistan’s Asim Azhar and Hasan Raheem also a part of the initiative. In a press statement, Asim Azhar observed, ““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 qawwali 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 qawwali 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!”
When Hasan Raheem was asked the same question, he noted, “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.”
Other artists tapped for South Asian Heritage Month included DIVINE (Indian hip-hop artist), Raja Kumari (Indian-American rapper), and Mumzy Stranger (British Bangla-deshi rapper and producer).
