Hailing from the Jalandhar Nalan Gharana, Akbar Ali’s life has always been closely tied to the wonders of music. Born to Bashir Ahmed Khan, a Qawwal himself, qawwali forms itself as an innate form of Akbar’s musicality. While it is a genre that Akbar has mastered, his training with the revered Ustad Mubarak Ali Khan (associated with the Sham Chaurasi Gharana), Ustad Nazakat Ali Khan and Ustad Salamat Ali Khan, Akbar’s repertoire is extensive. His recognition extends across the border, where Akbar Ali gained traction by featuring in Indian talent show, ‘Junoon Kuch Kar Dikhane Ka’.

A tantalising blend of traditional sensibilities and contemporary intuition, Akbar Ali masterfully takes on a complex thumri with his crystalline, ethereal voice to set the benchmark for his Coke Studio debut.