BY SM ABDULLAH ARIF
Here’s a list of five Pakistani artists who made their way to the top in 2021. These artists are admired by both millennials and Gen Z alike.
1- ATIF ASLAM
Our first pick for this list is none other than the legendary Atif Aslam. This artist from Wazirabad, Punjab is best known for his hit songs in the Pakistani and Indian film industries. He has received many awards as well as the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz; the 4th highest civilian honor in Pakistan, for his priceless contributions to the Pakistani music industry. Atif also has the honor of being the most-streamed Pakistani artist in Pakistan, and at number 2 of Pakistan’s most streamed artists for the year 2021.
2- YOUNG STUNNERS
The next pick for this list is an iconic duo rather than a single artist; Talha Anjum, and Talhah Yunus. The 2 Karachiites, born and bred, rose to fame when their song “Burger-e-Karachi” debuted on YouTube in 2013. Their songs “Gumaan” and “Afsanay” were part of the top 20 songs streamed in Pakistan for the 2021 year. It will be exciting to see what the music industry has in store for these 2 nascent artists.
3- ASIM AZHAR
This Pakistani singer, songwriter, musician, and actor, in at number 3, is another noteworthy mention on our list. In February 2020, he received The Best Stylish Performer award at PSA in Dubai. His song Jo Tu Na Mila featuring Iqra Aziz hit 100M views on YouTube making him the fourth Pakistani singer to cross 100M views. You might’ve heard more of his songs including the “Sinf e Aahan” OST ”Soneya” and “Tum Tum” in collaboration with Young Stunners. It can be safely said that with artists like Asim, the future of Pakistani Music is certainly looking up.
4- HASAN RAHEEM
Hasan Raheem has managed to make quite a name for himself in a short span of time – thanks to his distinct and free-flowing approach to the Pakistani music scene. Simultaneously, he is a heartthrob of sorts, the chiseled ‘sad boi’ who has ladies going gaga over a pink hoodie and a one-take video, shot on a random road in Karachi’s DHA. His songs “Aisay Kaisay” and ”Joona” both have over a million streams on Spotify, with the numbers growing every day. We have yet to see how Hasan’s vibrant freelance style with music producers plays out in the Pakistani music scene.
5- ANNURAL KHALID
The lockdown period has served as an era for the emergence of many talented young individuals, such as the likes of Annural Khalid. This 21-year-old, based in Islamabad, is a Pakistani singer and social media influencer. She rose to fame by singing cover songs and posting them to her Instagram page that has now over 128K+ followers. Her debut song, “Dil de Bol” with Toshi has 1.8 million views and counting. It can be safely said that the Pakistani music scene could use a beautifully refreshing voice as Annural’s. Hope you all are as excited to follow her journey as an amazingly talented and aspiring musician as we are.
Which of these singers is your favorite? Have your say in the comments’ section below.