Lahore's son sings its story
Singer Murtaza Qizilbash premiered on Spotify RADAR, reflecting on his ancestral home, cultural heritage, and the traditions that inspired his love for music, as well as the story behind many of his hit songs, including 'Hum'.
Qizilbash emphasised how the textures of his ancestral Mubarak Haveli its sounds, sights, and storieshave become inseparable from his music. He spoke about the family heirlooms woven into his artistic expression, particularly his clothing, which carries generational significance.
"We're sitting in Mubarak Haveli. This is my ancestral home. I am a Lahori through and through. After the British, Mubarak Haveli and Nisar Haveli were given to the Qizilbash family. Everything that you see inside my music today stems from what I've seen visually and heard sonically over here," he said.
"The shawl that I wore on 'Boomerang Shaam-e-Sad' belonged to my great-grandfather Nawab Fateh Ali Khan Qizilbash," he said, speaking about the heirlooms woven into his artistic expression. "It's almost 200 years old. It highlights my roots and where I'm from."
The singer reflected at length on his love for Urdu and its literary tradition, underscoring the profound influence of classical poetry and traditional instrumentation on his work. "I have a deep affinity for the Urdu language. I grew up reading the worlds of the 'Two Mirzas' and the 'Two Meers,' and I've seen people put that poetry into the most beautiful melodies," he shared.
He added, "Even today, if you go to Taxali Gate, you will find shops for harmoniums and tablas. Everyone is a maestro over there. This had such a huge impact on me that I decided to take the plunge and pursue this as a career and add my own flavour to it."
Qizilbash also spoke about his early days in music, recalling the raw beginnings of his journey and a project that remains especially close to his heart. "Kohraam started as an indie duo with my friend. Back then, we didn't even know how to produce or anything," he said.
"One project that I was particularly proud of was a Sufi Kalam that I wrote and sang right here in Mubarak Haveli. It's called 'La Fatah'. Now, my music has taken a very different direction, but you can still see the traces of what I did back then in today's music," he added.
He also opened up about the making of 'Hum', a fan-favourite track that captures his deep connection to Lahore's history and landscape. "The biggest inspiration for 'Hum' is the Walled City itself. I felt as if the Ravi River was flowing right in front of the Badshahi Mosque," he said.
As a proud Punjabi, Qizilbash highlighted his bond with the Punjabi language, describing it as an essential part of Lahore's soul and his own expression. "Punjabi is the language of Lahore, and I needed to have an ode to it in this song.
"One line became very famous: 'My home has burned down, where shall I go? How do I explain to my heart, my friend? The paths are very difficult, I have to turn back.' I keep telling my restless heart that the paths ahead are difficult and arduous, and I don't even know if there is a destination or not."
The singer concluded with a poignant reflection on Lahore, a city that remains at the centre of his identity and artistry. "There was a time when our river used to flow right across the city, but now there's so much distance. Maybe I've written their love story into this."
Qizilbash has become one of the most popular young artists in Pakistan, with hits like 'Hum,' 'Tum', 'Maya', 'Saya Figan', 'Bhool', and many more. "This city is everything to me. This city has made me who I am," he said.