Vying for the most coveted title of Pakistan Idol, thousands of voices from all over the country auditioned over a period of several months to become part of the largest singing platform not only in Pakistan, but in the world.

Naturally not all of them could become part of the show, and so Pakistan Idol’s judges – Ali Azmat, Bushra Ansari and Hadiqa Kiani- spent months selecting just the right contestants who could bring ‘the complete package’ to the table. And eventually they selected 24 contestants. Now their efforts have almost come full circle and Pakistan is down to its top four finalists.

Pakistan Idol’s Top 4 – all male singers – could be mistaken for a boy band. They are not only good looking but also extremely talented. Interestingly, the Top 4 hails from all over the country.

In alphabetical order, Ali Asad from Karachi, Kashif Ali from Lahore, Muhammad Shoaib from Peshawar and Zamad Baig from Mandi Bahiuddin have proved themselves worthy of being in the Top 4.

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Ali Asad aka Pakistan Idol’s Zayn Malik has made an impact in Pakistan Idol from the very beginning of the competition. People immediately took notice of his striking resemblance to the band One Direction’s Zayn Malik. And it is due to this huge fan club that the host of the show Mohib Mirza has dubbed him Pakistan Idol’s heartthrob.

Ali Asad’s style has become all the rage for youngsters, who keep sending him pictures of how they have changed their hair style to look like Ali Asad.

"I have always been interested in the newest trends and styles but I am amazed that people are actually copying me. It is such an ego booster but I am so humbled at the same time," shared the shy Ali Asad.

Not many people are aware of this but Ali Asad may be a great showman and comes alive on the stage, but in real life he is a quiet and shy person. Yes, Pakistan Idol’s heartthrob is an extremely shy person and would rather not be in the limelight unless he is performing.

Ali doesn’t speak unless he is spoken to or unless he really has to, which is why he is often seen standing alone, almost aloof from the group.

"I don’t like speaking without reason," Ali tries to explain, "and I don’t give my opinion unless I really have to. A lot of people think I am arrogant because of this; on the contrary, I am just a private person."

But even this couldn’t stop his fan following and as the show’s progressed, Ali Asad’s fans increased.

"Being part of such a huge platform has been an amazing experience. I am humbled to think that my dreams have come true and that too at such a grand level. Geo and Pakistan Idol have done a great thing for our talent. Who would have thought that singers from all over the country would get a chance to display their talent in one place?"

"The other day I met a boy who wanted to take a picture with me, saying that it was the most important moment in his life that he will always remember. I was amazed and quite humbled," says Ali quietly. "I think I am blessed that God has given me this opportunity to participate in this competition and that people like my performances."

"Pakistan Idol has been a great experience. I am a big fan of Ali Azmat and Sajjad Ali, and because of the show, I have not only met them but I got the chance to perform with, and in front of them."

Ali’s fame has crossed borders, and he has made some fans outside Pakistan. "The great actor Raza Murad invited me to India. Raza sahib said he was a great fan of mine. I was amazed and very humbled that a great actor like Raza sahib was saying this to me."

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Kashif Ali from Lahore bears an uncanny resemblance to the Bolywood actor Ranveer Singh but he has proved that he has much more than just good looks; he also has a lot of musical talent that he has revealed on Pakistan Idol.

Music is probably the first choice as a profession for Kashif, as he has been singing since he was just seven. His father is a renowned Pakistani flutist who has given music to many Pakistani films.

In addition to being a creative person, Kashif is quite the prankster and is the sort who always crack jokes and
pull pranks on his friends. However, the otherwise energetic person, Kashif loves sleeping and you will often find him curled up in a corner.

His colleagues call him "Sleeping Beauty" but once the music is on, Kashif Ali is completely awake and alive and ready to go.

Kashif Ali says that Pakistan Idol has been a great journey for him. It has jump-started his dream career, and he is very happy that he was given a chance to be part of this incredible journey.

"I have learned a lot after appearing on the show," said Kashif, "I got a sense of music and an understanding of the kind of songs that would suit my voice. Another thing that I learned here was that I could experiment with my voice and sing different songs that I wouldn’t have otherwise, mainly because I always believed that my voice has been made for a certain genre of music. Now, I realise I can do a lot."

"I got many great compliments from the stars who were on the show. Rahim Shah said something which pleased me a lot. He said that people were listening to your song but I was listening to you."

"The judges have always been kind and very encouraging. Alamgir said that I was a complete package, which was a great compliment. Ali Azmat said my voice has an emotional button that is switched on every time I sing. And Hadiqa Kiani said I am a musician. I was so happy."

Considering that Kashif Ali has been on Pakistan Idol for so long, you would think he would be used to the attention. "I was so happy to see that I have been able to reach out to so many people through this platform."

Kashif added, "I was nervous to perform Sajjad Ali’s song in front of him – I was worried that he wouldn’t like my variation in his song but I’m glad he liked it."

Pakistan Idol’s very own Ranveer Singh lookalike Kashif Ali says he would also like to act in the future and make a musical. He says he wants to make a romantic movie but with a twist. Of course he didn’t reveal the twist; you will have to watch the movie to find out the twist!

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Muhammad Shoaib hails from Peshawar. A journalist by profession, his first passion has always been music. He believes in positivity and wants to enjoy life to the fullest. He is full of affection, which is evident when he is on Pakistan Idol’s stage as he hugs his friends, lifting them up at a happy moment. Shoaib’s million-dollar smile has become his signature, as he smiles in every situation.

Used to meeting deadlines, Shoaib sometimes finds things a bit different here at Pakistan Idol. He laughs as he tells us, "I am used to working long shifts in the most difficult circumstances as a reporter and I seldom worry about the little comforts. But here, we are pampered and our every need is catered to, it is lovely….it is a lot of fun."

"Although I am a journalist and have been working in the field for the last seven years, my first passion has always been music." Shoaib says, "I started working as a journalist at the age of 16 and have done a lot of hard core stories. And I believe living and working in a city like Peshawar has moulded my personality differently from other people of my age. Then Pakistan Idol’s auditions were held in Peshawar, and I was selected – I was thrilled."

Commenting on his looks and style, Shoaib said laughing, "As a field reporter or even a journalist, unless you are an anchor person, you seldom pay attention to your clothes or looks, but now look at me…Pakistan Idol is all about talent and looks…I am wearing the best designers and getting my hair and make-up done. Hahahaha!"

"I had always wanted to do something in music but I didn’t know that I would be performing on such a big platform. It has been a great learning experiencing. We’ve been given the opportunity to not only meet but perform in front of so many great singers, which was a great experience," said Shoaib.

"This stage is amazing – we have not only been given music training but we have been taught how to socialize with people. It is great to see people appreciate our hard work."

As the Pakistan Idol journey continued, Shoaib evolved as a performer as he danced and swayed on the stage. He took the judges’ criticism with a smile -  his beaming smile even in the most difficult of situations has become very popular and his fans love him for his positivity.

"Yes, I have faced criticism in this competition but I believe criticism only makes me work harder and improve myself. I don’t let criticism affect me in an adverse way, I always focus on the point that has been made and try to improve or change it. And so I have selected some difficult and challenging songs – not only bringing flavour to the competition but also to see how if I can handle them or not."

Shoaib has a great fan following, and he says, "It is a quite humbling to see people are actually appreciating our work. Fans are great and I am so thankful to them for supporting us. The things they say are so nice and the way they show their love is overwhelming."

"I have generally received mixed reactions from the judges. But Bilal Maqasood and Faisal Kapadia of Strings and Ali Zafar said some very kind words, which were very encouraging and they appreciated me a lot it. I am thankful to them for their support."

Commenting on Hadiqa Kiani, Shoaib said, "Hadiqa is a great singer and has been singing for a long time; if she has criticised me, it has only been to help my performance. She has always pointed out things that she thought were lacking and I always worked harder to improve these and I guess my efforts paid off and now I am in the Top 4 – which is extremely exciting for me."

"But Pakistan Idol gave me an opportunity that has given me a new perspective to life and probably changed some things in my future."

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Zamad Baig hails from Mandi Bhauddin but lives in Lahore. He has made a big impression on the judges from the start. Zamad loves to sing and believes his life would be incomplete with music. He is a serious person and thinks a lot before he speaks.

However, when Zamad performs on the stage he transforms and gives his best. He says when he sings he is lost in the song; songs he selects for this competition are those that he connects with personally, which allows him to perform with a lot of feeling.

"If I feel the song while I sing, the audience will also enjoy my performance," Zamad said.

"I was so excited to be part of the biggest singing platform. Pakistan Idol has been a live-changing experience for me. It has given me a completely different outlook to life. Music was always an important part of my life, but I evolved not only as a musician but also as a performer at Pakistan Idol," says Zamad.

"Before coming here, my perspective was different, but things have changed completely now and it has been a great learning experience. My focus on my aim and music abilities has improved. I had done concerts before Pakistan Idol but performing live on this platform has been exhilarating."

Zamad says he has a positive outlook to life and likes positivity, "I am a calm person who doesn’t like confrontations. I want people to be happy."

This has been a great experience, says Zamad. "Performing in front of Pakistan’s great singers has been great. I never thought I would meet so many great people in my life."

"I was nervous to perform in front of Sajjad Ali but once I got on the stage and started singing I went into a trance and forgot everything. I usually do that when I am performing, I go into a trance like state."

Zamad says he has received many great comments on the show. "The judges say I have an earthy tone – I believe this is because I am a patriot. But the best comment was when Ali Azmat called me "Ustad Zamad Ali Khan Baig" – I was so happy."

"I always knew I would make a mark in music but I believe the journey would be slow and steady. But Pakistan Idol has accelerated this journey and my career had begun. I will be making a lot of music after Pakistan Idol as I initially intended, but the things I learned here will help me a lot."

"Pakistan Idol has taught us a lot of things besides understanding music better. We have been taught how to handle the attention, the stress and how to work hard to achieve our goal. But on top of it all the show has also taught us to be patient and accept that you have to work very hard to prove yourself."