Tag: PSL Anthem

  • ‘Hired a harasser’ PCB slammed for choosing Ali Zafar for PSL 9 anthem, calls for boycott

    ‘Hired a harasser’ PCB slammed for choosing Ali Zafar for PSL 9 anthem, calls for boycott

    Social media users are slamming the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for hiring Ali Zafar for the anthem of the ninth edition of Pakistan Super League.

    PSL released a video on social media with the caption “Ali Zafar is set to immerse his magic to the official HBL PSL anthem 2024”, making it clear that Ali Zafar will sing the anthem for PSL season 9. The last time he sang the anthem for PSL was in 2018.

    Just a few weeks ago, Ali revealed that he would not be performing the anthem for reasons he didn’t want to disclose.

    Read: ‘Informed that PCB can’t go ahead with the anthem for reasons that I would not like to disclose’, says Ali Zafar

    Here is how social media users are reacting on it:

    It should be noted that in 2018 singer Meesha Shafi made allegations against Ali Zafar for sexual harassment. Meesha stated that she was sharing her story because she feels that speaking about such issues will break the culture of silence in our society.

  • Abdullah Siddiqui’s explanation of the PSL anthem will leave you in awe

    Abdullah Siddiqui’s explanation of the PSL anthem will leave you in awe

    Music Composer and Music Producer Abdullah Siddiqui has already made his name that one cannot deny that he has achieved a lot at such a young age. The young music expert has recently broken down the Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem Agay Dekh for Spotify, giving us a look into his journey of producing the masterpiece.

    Abdullah, who is assisting Xulfi (Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan) in the 14th season of Coke Studio, worked on the PSL anthem sung by singers Atif Aslam and Aima Baig.

    “When I knew I was going to be doing this anthem, I knew that the first thing I wanted to make sure [of was] it had a dance beat because these anthems normally don’t have dance beats and I love a good club beat. It has more of a dance hall pattern,” the electropop prodigy explained on Spotify’s “How To Sound Like Me” feature.

    Siddiqui said he found a trumpet loop that sounded “instantly super catchy” so he added that to the mix. “Then I decided that it needed a lot of crowd sounds so there are all these samples of crowds clapping and chanting, it’s like the ambiance of a stadium. When you put all of that together, it kind of feels like the foundation for the song.”

    He mentioned another instrument that played a big part in the music. “There are also these very big cinematic drums.” He said they also had “vocals that are very tightly treated, like very crisp pop vocals”. “There are some synths happening and I kept building and building just to add more intensity because I felt like this song needed to be super intense and upbeat.”

    Agay Dekh was released on January 24 and like its predecessors, received mixed reactions.

    Siddiqui first gained national fame with his Nescafé Basement original Resistance, and later his super hit Kingdom for Peshawar Zalmi in PSL 6 last year. The song was Zalmi’s official anthem.

    The singer-songwriter has three albums in his kitty — Heterotopia, Metannoya and Dead Beat Poets, and was also featured on US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s Spotify playlist called ‘Muslim Vibes’, along with Shamoon Ismail. He has also been featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list.

  • Viral dancer on PSL song opens up about his dream profession

    Viral dancer on PSL song opens up about his dream profession

    Wasif Ghafoor, a young boy who became an overnight star after a video of him dancing on the Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem, ‘Agay Dekh’ says he has big dreams.

    Speaking on Geo News programme ‘Geo Pakistan’, Ghafoor revealed that he wanted to be a cricketer. Ghafoor said,” Singing is my passion and I have a craze for cricket.”

    Revealing his passion for cricket, Ghafoor said, “I said goodbye to cricket when I was not supported,” he said, adding that he later joined a pharmaceutical company in the city.

    When asked if he made special preparation for the dance on the PSL anthem, the youth replied that he is not a “professional dancer,” adding that his performance on the PSL anthem was simply in the heat of the moment.

    Praising the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Ramiz Raja for holding such a mega sports event in the country, he said: “I will be available for all PSL matches if asked.”

    Ghafoor maintained that he was not expecting that his dance performance on the PSL anthem will go viral. He said that people sitting in the enclosure told him that he has gone viral on the internet and started taking selfies with him.

    Ghafoor said that he only realized that he has gone viral when he started getting phone calls from his friends.

  • Who designed Atif Aslam’s PSL outfit? He says it’s someone ‘beautiful’

    Who designed Atif Aslam’s PSL outfit? He says it’s someone ‘beautiful’

    Pakistani superstar Atif Aslam has praised his wife Sara Bharwana for her style sense, while announcing that she designed his outfit for the Pakistan Super League’s (PSL) anthem.

    Taking to Instagram, Atif shared some clicks from the PSL 7 anthem Agay Dekh and credited the people who made him look good.

    “Thank you so much for all the love and respect I knew my wife’s sense of style was a class apart when she chose to marry me. Styled by my beautiful wife Thank you Sara,” quipped Atif.

    He added: “What a video – considering the short amount or time we had. Well done @zparwez The powerful sound scape @abdullah.s.siddiqui.”

    Agay Dekh is sung by Aima Baig alongside Atif and is composed by budding music producer Abdullah Siddiqui.

    This is the first time that the Aadat singer has sung a song for PSL. Atif’s fans are gushing over his new style in the video and many are showering their love on his PSL debut.

    Check out the song here:

  • PCB releases Atif Aslam, Aima Baig’s PSL Anthem ‘Agay Dekh’, netizens compare it with ‘Groove Mera’

    PCB releases Atif Aslam, Aima Baig’s PSL Anthem ‘Agay Dekh’, netizens compare it with ‘Groove Mera’

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Monday released the much-awaited Pakistan Super League (PSL) anthem for the seventh edition of the tournament.

    The song, Agay Dekh is produced by Abdullah Siddiqui which features the rockstars Atif Aslam and Aima Baig.

    Sharing the official video of the anthem on the official Twitter handle, the PCB wrote: “The wait is over. Presenting to you the official #PSL7 anthem.”

    Last year, the PSL anthem ‘Groove Mera’, featuring Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners, had become a hit. At first, a few netizens did not like the song but later it became a treat for cricket lovers.

    This is the first time that Atif Aslam sang a PSL anthem and his fans are gushing over his new style in the song and many are showering their love on his PSL debut.

    We have collected a few reactions of Twitterati, have a look:

    A few thought that ‘Groove Mera’ was better than ‘Agay Dekh’.

  • Ramiz reportedly instructs marketing team to find sponsor for PSL anthem

    Ramiz reportedly instructs marketing team to find sponsor for PSL anthem

    Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Ramiz Raja has reportedly instructed the marketing team of the tournament to find a sponsor for the anthem of the seventh edition.

    As per reports, the release of PSL’s anthem is delayed and only the concept of the song is finalised.

    It has also been reported that Pakistani star Atif Aslam has been contacted to compose the song but there has been little progress.

    The seventh edition of the league is set to be started from January 27 and international player will start arriving in Pakistan from January 15.

    Raja chaired a high level meeting with the government of Sindh and District Administration officials/police at the National Stadium Karachi ahead of the upcoming edition of the league. The meetings were reportedly held to finalise the final preparations and security measures of PSL.

    The first leg of the tournament will be played in National Stadium Karachi while the second leg will be played in Gaddafi Stadium Lahore. The final will be played in Lahore on February 27.

  • To celebrate six successful years of PSL, PCB releases first ever music album

    To celebrate six successful years of the HBL Pakistan Super League (PSL), an album comprising six “Taranay “, was released yesterday.

    The album comprises five tracks – composed and performed by youth artists namely Maanu X Rozeo, Lyari Underground, Janoobi Khargosh, Talal Qureshi and Khumariyaan – and the album also includes 2021 edition’s widely popular anthem ‘Groove Mera’.

    Here is the complete list of Tracks :

    Googly

    “Working with team of HBL PSL 6 has been a dream come true! It was a pleasure working on the song and a process that Rozeo and I enjoyed thoroughly. We hope you enjoy listening to our song as much as we enjoyed making it,” said Maanu [Rehman Afshar], while talking about his experience of working on the song.

    Maidaan

    “It’s heart-warming to see HBL PSL engage artists from all over this diverse country. The band is humbled to have been given a great level of respect and acknowledgement and because of it we’ve put all our energy into our production. Excellent experience through and through being a part of HBL PSL Taranay. Pakistan Zindabad,” stated the band Khumariyaan.

    6ixer

    Talking about the track ‘6ixer’, Singer Talal said, “It has been a great experience working and contributing to the HBL PSL’s original music album. I’ve always been passionate about cricket and when I got this opportunity, I couldn’t say no. With 6ixer, I just wanted people to feel the energy of the game. Due to the pandemic, many people will not be able to attend in person. But I wanted them to feel connected and give everyone something to dance to.”

    https://twitter.com/thePSLt20/status/1363830511345438721

    Bazi Paltay Gi Yahan

    The band Janoobi Khargosh in a collective statement said, “It was a bit of a challenge, creatively, to write a song that would be played for a massive audience in a stadium. Getting this opportunity to compose a song for HBL PSL Taranay allowed us to think in a completely new kind of way. Overall, it turned out to be a rewarding and fun experience, and we learned something new about ourselves: we can do anything we set our minds to.”

    Laibo

    “We are really proud to present a song for HBL PSL 6 in our own style and language. This is a great opportunity for people to interact with the culture of Lyari and to celebrate its music and its people,” stated the music band Lyari Underground about the track, ‘Laibo’.

  • Meesha Shafi says ‘Groove Mera’ is a win over ‘classism & post-colonial inferiority complex’

    Meesha Shafi says ‘Groove Mera’ is a win over ‘classism & post-colonial inferiority complex’

    Meesha Shafi has said that Groove Mera is a win over classism and post-colonial inferiority complex.

    Sharing a behind the scenes (BTS) video of the song, the singer said: “Groove Mera isn’t just a musical win! It’s a win over classism, over post-colonial inferiority complex, over a rigged system that favours only a select few repeatedly.”

    “A shame that we deny ourselves legendary talent like Naseebo Lal over these hangups,” continued Meesha, adding: “Kudos to the whole team.”

    Meesha had earlier also praised the song referring to Naseebo as “Queen”.

    The official anthem of the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Groove Mera has stirred up a storm in the country. While some, including celebrities, have appreciated the song, others have strongly criticised the composition and choice of artists.

    After Shoaib Akhtar claimed he could have done a better job with the anthem, the speedster had to face immense backlash from Pakistani celebrities including Adnan Siddiqui, Farhan Saeed and Hira Mani.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has defended its decision to hire Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners to perform the anthem, saying that the three artists were chosen as the board wanted to feature voices that were new and had not sung any PSL anthem before.

  • Akcent hints at making new PSL anthem after controversy

    Akcent hints at making new PSL anthem after controversy

    The official anthem of the sixth edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) Groove Mera has stirred up a storm in the country. While some, including celebrities, have appreciated the song, others have strongly criticised the composition and choice of artists.

    After Shoaib Akhtar claiming he could have done a better job with the anthem, several fans have requested Romanian band Akcent to remake the song, in what appears to have become a tradition before the start of PSL every year.

    Responding to fans’ requests, the official account of Akcent said that the band might remake the PSL 6 song.

    In another comment, the band said that they might make the official anthem for the next edition of the PSL.

    Meanwhile, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday defended its decision to hire Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners to perform the anthem, saying that the three artists were chosen as the board wanted to feature voices that were new and had not sung any PSL anthem before.

    Earlier, Akcent had also tweeted: “PSL 7 or PSL 8?”

  • PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    PCB defends Naseebo Lal, ‘Groove Mera’

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Friday defended its decision to hire Naseebo Lal, Aima Baig and Young Stunners to perform the anthem of the sixth edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL).

    According to a report, a PCB spokesperson said that the three artists were chosen to do the song as the board wanted to feature voices that were new and had not sung any PSL anthem before.

    “Naseebo Lal is an extremely talented, underutilised vocalist whose voice has the strength to carry this cricket anthem,” the official is reported to have said. He further added that Aima gave young energy to the anthem. 

    The spokesperson said that Young Stunners were a “natural choice” to be a part of the anthem as they are leaders in the country’s hip-hop scene.

    “Cricket and music have always formed a natural union in Pakistan. The thought process was to pave the way for a new sound of cricket in Pakistan that appeals to the multi-dimensional audience that comes with Pakistan’s biggest cricketing event,” added the spokesperson.

    Meanwhile, PSL also shared a behind the scenes (BTS) video of the song’s shoot in which the singers spoke about the song and their role in it.

    “It feels so good because this is the first time I’ve done a project which is making me happy,” said Naseebo in the video.

    “My groove is my beloved Pakistan and the camera is also my groove,” added the singer.

    On the other hand, the song’s producer Zulfiqar Jabbar (Xulfi) while talking about cricket and music, said: “There is one thing common in cricket and music, which is rhythm. You might have heard commentators talking about a bowler’s rhythm and rhythm is excitingly called as ‘groove’.”

    Elaborating further, Xulfi said: “We usually say that if Shaheen Afridi has taken 4 wickets in a match, then on that day, he’s in groove.”

    “Groove Mera is everyone’s groove in PSL. This can be anyone’s groove – a commentator’s groove or a cricketer, batsman, baller or we all musicians and artists’ groove, who are singing or it may be yours [public] as well,” he continued.

    Xulfi further said that he “could feel Naseebo’s voice echoing in the stadium.”

    “We knew how to get the balance among Naseebo, Aima and the Young Stunners. We exactly knew what their vibe is separately and we then made a connecting melody, which is basically the hook of the song,” he added.

    “It is the hybrid of all the personalities of the singers, who are in this song,” he concluded.

    Meanwhile, Aima speaking about the song said: “The anthem’s vibe is pretty street and I really like it because our public really like street songs and music and it is very festive EDM. Overall I love the vibe.”

    Groove Mera has created a stir with social media divided on the song. While many including Shoaib Akhtar slammed the song, other celebrities including Mehwish Hayat, Adnan Siddiqui, Faysal Quraishi, Haroon Shahid and Farhan Saeed praised the anthem and its composition.

    Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan also criticised the song. Talking to media, Dr Awan said that she did not like it at all, adding that it “could have been improved further”.

    Referring to Naseebo as Pakistan’s ‘laal,’ or beloved, Dr Awan said: “Here we were representing the league in front of international players. This is not district-level league. The Lal should have been presented as a jewel and voice of the nation.”

    “If there is any chance of improvement, then we should go for it,” she concluded.