KARACHI: Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan spoke about his music at a pre-launch gathering of his music album titled Back to Love at a hotel on Friday. The ceremony was attended, among others, by personalities from the entertainment industry.
Introducing the album, producer Salman Ahmed, who hosted the event also, said it was after a gap of four years that Rahat recorded an entire album. “It has 10 romantic songs, which were premiered at the recently concluded Indian film awards, IIFA, in Tampa, Florida,” he said.
On the stage, Rahat was accompanied by lyricist and his cousin Jawad Ali Khan, who wrote seven of the 10 songs for the album. Sitting beside him was music composer Sahir Ali Bagga and socialite Yusuf Salahuddin.
Speaking about the album, Sahir and Yusuf both stressed the fact that it was a “labour of love” and was a contribution to the Pakistani music industry.
“Our musicians and singers have earned us respect worldwide and we should respect them as much as we can,” said Yusuf. “This album is the celebration of love with all its complexities.”
Getting on the dais, Rahat said he was a singer above anything else and “I would continue to make music.” He said through his album he wanted to bring about the message of “going back to love and of supporting it”. He added that the album was the “first among many more that I and my team will eventually release”.
At that moment, the host announced that the album would be properly launched worldwide on June 9.
Earlier, he was mobbed by his fans as he entered the venue. Songs from his album played all along as the guests took their seats. The songs included a variety of genres Rahat is known to be dabbling in, such as Qawwali, classical and fusion of Arabic and western music.
Published in Dawn, May 17th, 2014