Verdict:
Khumariyaan’s decision to add Obaid Khan to their lineup has proven to be a wise one

For at least a decade, Khumariyaan, a four-piece band featuring Farhan Bogra, Sparlay Rawail, Shiraz Khan, and Aamer Shafiq, has played some of the best hyper-folk in instrumental style.

When the band reached its tenth anniversary, they appeared on Coke Studio 11 and gave fans unforgettable songs, including their biggest hit, ‘Ya Qurban’.

In 10 years, Khumariyaan has already accomplished a lot, playing shows both domestically and internationally, including in Kenya (Africa), the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and New Zealand.

But surprisingly, this hybrid folk quartet announced that they were adding Obaid Khan to their lineup as a vocalist.

Given their success as an instrumental band, it was hard to predict whether this was a good decision or one that would detract from their traditional folk-meets-hybrid folk act.

However, after listening to this five-piece act now, it has become clear that it was a good decision—one that would increase the band’s longevity.

There are several songs by Khumariyaan that have been re-released with Obaid Khan taking the mic. When the group performed in South Korea, Khumariyaan played alongside Obaid Khan, and if you watch their vlogs on YouTube, the result was as successful as the band could have hoped for.

Songs like ‘Kochiyaan’, ‘Da Swat Rangoona’, and ‘Laila’ are three examples of how adding a vocalist has given a new dimension to this glorious hybrid-folk act from Peshawar and Islamabad.