oke Studio brings together Ali Sethi and Shae Gill with Pasoori, the sixth song from Season 14.  Pasoori has a secret story in it. Performed by Ali Sethi and Shae Gill, the song’s gentle rhythm and melody will take you to a joyful place. The message of this folky tune however, was borne from frustration.

Ali started writing Pasoori at a time when local performers were barred from working across the border. Turning angst into art, he wrote two lines of the song – one inspired by the need to celebrate artistic self-expression, and the other a fun quote he had seen on the back of a Pakistani lorry.

Imitating the fluid comings and goings of a trucker, Pasoori is a call to the artist in all of us. It’s a song about accepting who you are and expressing it; even if it scares the heck out of you. Production Designer Hashim Ali creates a communal space where artists can celebrate every dimension of humanity – not just through ethnicity, but also through variety in emotion, style and spirituality.

This song is a true mix of cultural influences, from its reggaeton-inspired beat to the inflections of the Rubab. Ali’s classically-trained vocal range combines beautifully Shae Gill’s honeyed texture. Pasoori, according to Associate Music Producer Abdullah Siddiqui, is of “a groundbreaking new hybrid genre […] one of the most modern tracks of the season”.

Each moment of this piece expresses communal spirit while it talks about transcending boundaries. Video Director Kamal Khan chooses a portraiture style; focusing his lens on iconic Sheema Kirmani and a mix of Seraiki jhoomar-style dancers. Stylist Fatima Butt’s looks take inspiration from everywhere: Ali is in a modern West-African inspired suit, while Shae Gill is a gypsy in a colourful jacket adorned with traditional motifs. Everyone looks bohemian, glamorous and ethnically ambiguous, and that’s the point. This is Pakistan as it is today: aware of its traditions, but also looking miles ahead into the horizon.

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Pasoori can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/5Eqb_-j3FDA and streamed on Spotify at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4yMeVCWuBUrzOAJY54yVHM   

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