Ali Sethi, the acclaimed Pakistani musician, took to the stage for the second weekend of Coachella, one of the world’s biggest music festivals, and left the crowd in awe with his blend of traditional Pakistani music and contemporary Western sounds.
"Coachellva Balamva" wrote the singer in his Instagram post. "Thank you, Fahad Hussayn for sending this Mughal angarkha in the mail. Thank you Raja Kumari and Leo Kalyan for singing with me onstage, and thank u Coachella for the cute pictures, There is no representation without inclusion, and I was so thrilled to see our manifold, many-splendoured family light up the gobi tent. Also thanking Pooja in the last slide, twaada jazba bemisaal (your vigour is incredible)."
During his initial performance on the first weekend. Sethi opened his set with an alaap, a complex melody from Indian classical music, before launching into a folk song from Punjab, a region that has been home to generations of musicians. The crowd was mesmerised by the combination of traditional Pakistani sounds and modern Western beats.
However, it was Sethi’s performance of his viral hit Pasoori that really got the crowd going. The energetic and infectious song had the audience on their feet, dancing and singing along to the catchy tune. He revisited the same worldwide sensation for the second weekend, leaving the crowd swaying to the sound of his voice.
Sethi, who wore an all-white Mughal angarkha designed by Fahad Hussayn, spoke to the crowd about his journey as an artist and the importance of adapting and evolving as reported by The Washington Post. “Stay with me as I morph, as I speak in tongues, as I switch, as I adapt, as I reveal, as I cocoon. Every artist wants to be able to have that journey,” he said. “I want to be known by that and not by some preconceived idea of what I’m supposed to do.”
Sethi’s performance at Coachella highlights the growing interest in traditional Pakistani music and its ability to captivate audiences worldwide. His unique blend of traditional and contemporary sounds has earned him a devoted fanbase and cemented his place as one of Pakistan’s most exciting and innovative musicians.
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