Hasan Raheem

Riding the crest of a new wave of Pakistani pop that’s been sweeping South Asia and the diaspora since the turn of the 2020s, Hasan Raheem makes the kind of heartfelt tunes that cut across genres and feature a sprinkling of English among poetic Urdu verses. In addition to the frequent presence of producer Abdullah Kasumbi, there’s a common thread running through his material: love. “Love as subject matter [has] challenged me mentally, emotionally and spiritually,” says Raheem on his official website. “I don’t regret any instances that ‘love’ has put me through, as it has shaped me into what I am today.” The singer and songwriter, born in 1997 in Gilgit-Baltistan and who now splits his time between Karachi and Islamabad, has clocked in career milestones at a swift pace. He caught national attention with the smooth R&B vibe of “Aisay Kaisay” in 2020 and followed it up with the funky pop of “Joona” in 2021, the same year he graduated from medical school and won Breakthrough Artist at the Pakistan International Screen Awards. In 2022, key releases included “Peechay Hutt”, which was part of season 14 of Coke Studio Pakistan and also synched on streaming series Ms Marvel; “Faltu Pyar”, a dancey duet with Natasha Noorani; and his experimental debut album Nautanki. But it was collaborative 2023 EP Maybe, It’s Love, which featured guest spots from Young Stunners’ Talha Anjum and Talhah Yunus, and “Wishes”, a reggaeton-tinged duet with Punjabi singer Talwiinder, that brought international crossover success.