PESHAWAR: Budding singer Shanza Ali Khan has recently released her new video showcasing most popular Pashto folk songs.

The new video Pashto titled ‘Mazigar’ (afternoon), carried some popular folk songs corresponded to the changing weather conditions casting deep impact on one’s mood. A combination of rock, roll jingle western and Pashto folk music has received an overwhelming response from folk music buffs.

Niaz Mohammad Khan, a music lover, said that artists and writers should continue search for introducing fresh ideas and set new tends to make old songs and poetry relevant for young audience. He said that Ms Khan was still young and had to polish her talent further but her fresh video album impressed him and his colleagues due to her new way of expression.

Shanza Ali Khan says her morale is up for new experiences in Pashto music

He said the singer had rendered and performed popular folk songs in a tasteful manner, which appealed to both mind and hearts.

“It is my fourth album. This time around I decided to bring out a video showcasing some popular old Pashto folk songs that befit feelings and emotions of audience in a typical summer break in this part of the region,” said Ms Khan.

She said that she understood that such poetry and compositions impacted mood and psyche of people in an enjoyable manner. She added that the audience could easily motivate, inspire and identity with word images.

“The folk song Au Za Saray Oba Rawarrma Mazigar day Ka Na day contains a subtle romantic touch. The young virgin in fact faking an excuse to fetch cold water from a nearby spring sprouting cold water to help her mother to quench her thirst but secretly she intends to have brief tete-a-tete with her beloved at the side of spring of cold water in the hot summer season especially at the afternoon time associated with rendezvous between two lovers -- a metaphor often used to capture the true spirit of the mood in a befitting environment,” the budding singer explained.

Arshad Ali, the music director, said that Ms Khan was a new entrant in the arena of Pashto music but she being very enthusiastic was doing quite different experiences. He said that most scenes of the video had been shot in hilly areas of Abbottabad and Mansehra, lending an extra aesthetic sense and beauty to the album.

Mr Ali said that being a genuine and inspired artist, Ms Khan was not doing it all for commercial interests but she was determined to innovate Pashto music.

Talking about her future, Ms Khan told this scribe that she had planned to release another video album comprising some patriotic songs in August. She had already launched a Pashto patriotic song on the occasion of March 23, 2018 on social media but couldn’t attract audience the way she had been expecting.

“My morale is up for new experiences in Pashto folk music because as an artist I believe I should continue my struggle to build a taste and create a space for much more innovations in the field of music,” she added.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2018