Jawad Ahmed, one of the most renowned artists of Pakistan, first reached fame with his song “Allah Meray Dil Kay Ander” which showcased his fondness of Sufism. Since then he has added 3 studio albums and several singles to his portfolio and has also participated in the OSTs for popular TV dramas, which now make him a household name. Jawad draws inspiration from a diverse range of musical figures such as Ustaad Amanat Ali Khan, Mehdi Hassan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Kishore Kumar, Madam Noor Jehan and Lata Mangeshkar as well as iconic Western artists including Elvis Presley, Pink Floyd and Michael Jackson; this dynamic mix of genres is reflected in his diverse body of work.
Hailing from Lahore, Jawad initially completed a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Lahore, where he was actively engaged in the musical and literary societies, and was part of a party band by the name of Jupiters with Ali Azmat which later disbanded. These early projects formed the basis of a serious consideration of adopting music as a career much later in his life.
Having had no formal education in music, Jawad taught himself by relying heavily on the work of those he aspired to be. Being his own tutor allowed him the independence to delve into various musical genres and develop his own style.
“I have trained myself through listening to these prestigious singers and the first lesson that I learnt and always uphold is an uncompromising attitude towards producing good music. Once I had set this premise, I got inclined towards greater experimenting evident through my first two albums, the first having a Sufi tinge and the second being somewhat commercially oriented. It has also made me a versatile singer in terms of wanting to use both Urdu and Punjabi expression in my songs which has been much appreciated by my listeners,” says Jawad of his musical journey.
The versatility of style that has always appealed to Jawad has also led him to take a keen interest in fusion music, hence his participation in Coke Studio Season 7.
“To me, fusion music is the new, modern music, created by mixing and amalgamating different trends and styles of music, which has more of a regional or a global appeal than only local, provincial or national. Coke Studio, in Pakistan, to me is a platform to create good fusion music which is a blend of Pakistani folk and western or world music.”