Pakistani-American singer Ali Sethi is set to release his debut solo album, Love Language, blending traditional South Asian music with hyperpop and global pop influences. The 41-year-old artist, known for his shiver-inducing voice, aims to create a space for collective catharsis and self-expression, drawing from his childhood experiences of Sufi whirling at shrines in Punjab.
Love Language builds on the success of his 2022 hit Pasoori, a raga-meets-reggaeton track that surpassed a billion streams on YouTube Music. The album, produced with Brockhampton’s Romil Hemnani and Colombian musician Juan Ariza, incorporates elements of 00s R&B, Bollywood, drill rap, and flamenco, all rooted in north Indian classical music.
Sethi’s fusion has drawn criticism from traditionalists, including his mentor Ustad Saami, who questioned whether his music is fusion or confusion. Sethi responded, 'In today’s completely monstrous world, what could be a better reflection than confusion?' He remains committed to using South Asian ragas rather than western chord progressions.
The album also addresses geopolitical tensions. Pakistani musicians, including Sethi, have been banned from streaming services in India, and a duet with a Bollywood singer was censored after threats of blacklisting. Sethi has been unable to obtain a visa to enter India for nearly a decade, despite his largest audience being there.
Inspired by revolutionary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Sethi’s lyrics explore forbidden love, ethno-nationalism, and queerness. The track Bridegroom subverts a 13th-century qawwali, responding to fake news about his marriage to painter Salman Toor. Sethi says, 'I realised the appropriate response is to troll them back with what they think of as semi-sacred music.'
