PESHAWAR: In the culturally vibrant city of Peshawar, a promising new voice is emerging in Pashto music.
Hamza Wisal, the grandson of the revered ghazal maestro Ustad Khayal Mohammad, has stepped into the professional music scene, carrying forward his family’s rich artistic legacy with sincerity and youthful passion.
The third generation artist, who is currently in his first year of pre-engineering at a local college, sat down with his father Wisal Khayal, himself a noted folk singer, for an intimate conversation about heritage, rhythm and future.
Speaking with quiet eloquence, Hamza Wisal said that his main inspiration remains his grandfather’s timeless ghazals. “Those verses were the heartbeat of our Pakhtun soul. As the third in this line -- grandfather, father and now myself -- I feel both honour and duty to keep this flame alive,” he added.
Hamza Wisal sees himself as bridge between past and future
Wisal Khayal has played a central role in nurturing his son’s talent. “From the day he placed the harmonium in my hands and sang with me, he taught me that music is not just performance but prayer,” recalled Hamza Wisal. His father’s gentle guidance turned casual practice into a serious calling.
Balancing studies and music is challenging, yet rewarding. Hamza Wisal finds special joy in mathematics, whose precise equations remind him of the harmony in folk tunes. Still, he says his real education comes from the enduring verses of Pashto poetry.
He holds a deep affection for Pashto folk music, describing it as “the pure river of our land -- untamed, honest and filled with life’s colours.” It feels like home to him, ever since he first heard his grandfather’s voice.
His career shot him to fame when a simple TikTok clip of a Pashto folk song went viral. The clip catapulted him into the spotlight almost overnight,a drawing admiration from far and wide. Soon, audiences across the Pakhtun diaspora rated the young singer as the brightest rising star of his generation.
The overwhelming response encouraged him to release his debut album. “True music reaches its audience when the heart is sincere,” he noted humbly.
Listeners across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and beyond have embraced his work, saying his songs revive childhood lullabies and wedding memories. A recent duo with the son of senior folk artist, Sarfaraz, also received appreciation for its fresh yet rooted feel.
Looking forward, Hamza Wisal sees himself as a bridge between past and future. He hopes to create albums that gently blend tradition with innovation, hold live shows that bring people together and inspire young Pakhtuns to value their musical inheritance.
“Engineering may shape my mind, but music will always guide my spirit. Insha Allah, this legacy will not only survive but flourish,” he said with quiet confidence.
This warm father-son dialogue highlights a beautiful generational continuity in Pashto music. With the support of his father Wisal Khayal, a noted folk singer, and his own grounded approach, Hamza Wisal is poised to become the next shining star in the illustrious Khayal Mohammad family lineage.
Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2026