Loyal readers, this will be our final newsletter issue. While we have loved knocking on your inbox twice a week, we’re now bringing our e-mail era to its end. We made this difficult decision after realizing this takes a lot of time, a lot of work, and because… it’s April Fools’ Day!

Of course, we have no intention of stopping. Now more than ever, South Asian arts are getting their moment in the global spotlight. From Pakistan’s rising stars in music to India’s rich artisanship in fashion, the world is recognizing the creative power of the subcontinent. Read on for more.

— Rosh & Raghu

Are We Living Through a Pakistani Renaissance?

Pakistan beats to the sound of music. Over the last two years especially, the relatively young country’s entertainment industry has established itself as a creative force to be reckoned with. With a wave of new, underground artists and their fresh, experiential takes on traditional music forms, Pakistan’s music scene is quickly gaining global recognition.

While Pakistan always produced beloved music, only recently did their unique, cultural sounds become more visible. Spotify launched in the country at the start of 2021, and it didn’t take long for a musical revolution to emerge after.

Coke Studio, Pakistan’s longest-running music franchise, released their latest season last year with Spotify Pakistan, which Khan FM, the Head of Artist and Label Partnerships, said “matched Spotify’s mission to unlock the massive potential of creators and music across Pakistan.”

That mission was seen to its end. Coke Studio’s season 14 reached unparalleled virality with its diverse tracklist. Kaifi Khalil’s Balochi track, “Kana Yaari,” transcended language barriers with its stunning visuals and contagious rhythms. Pasoori, with its 542M streams, was the most Googled song of 2022, and launched Ali Sethi into a North American tour that includes a spot on this year’s Coachella lineup.

Independent artists have also never lived through a more advantageous era, with the rise of the digital age making music production more accessible than ever. Farasat Anees, who creates electronic versions of treasured Nusrat Fateh Aki Khan Qawwalis, now has nearly half a million monthly Spotify listeners. Lahore’s Natasha Noorani grew a loyal following with hits like “Faltu Pyar,” a collaborative track with Hasan Raheem and Talal Qureshi. Raheem and Qureshi also had viral tracks like “Peechay Hutt” featured on Ms. Marvel, a show whose soundtrack served as another catalyst for Pakistani music’s international rise.

Last year, Arooj Aftab became the first Pakistani artist to win a Grammy. The year before that, the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film went to a film based on Riz Ahmed’s hip-hop album. It’s an undeniable truth: Pakistani arts are on a global come-up. With talent like this, we hope it's here to stay.

Editor’s Note: We’ll be continuing to platform Pakistan’s immense amount of emerging talent in the year to come. Until then, here are some of the Pakistani artists on PopShift’s immediate watchlist: Meesha Shafi, Bilal Maqsood, Omar Mukhtar, Aima Baig.

Dior Finally Honors Mumbai

The luxury French fashion house, Dior, presented their Pre-Fall 2023 collection in Mumbai this week. Using the backdrop of the city’s most iconic landmark – the Gateway of India – as their runway, the international fashion spotlight shined upon the City of Dreams.

The highly anticipated show did not disappoint. From the marigold and diya visuals to Anuradha Pal’s tabla beats, India’s rich heritage was proudly on display. The collection itself was an ode to Indian fashion, featuring vibrantly colored selections of Madras check and Benarasi brocade fabrics, mirror work, kurta shapes, Nehru collar references, and more.

With Bollywood superstars like Rekha and Sonam Kapoor, and international models like Karlie Kloss and Cara Devligne, all in attendance, Dior’s Mumbai show has brought much-appreciated, but long-overdue, attention to the artisans of India. The European luxury market goods that get globally recognized spend the majority of their production process in India, within the dexterous hands of the country’s fine artisans.

This collection was a celebrated collaboration between Dior’s artistic director, Maria Grazia Chiuri, and Chanakya International, the Mumbai-based atelier that has served as the Parisian brand’s embroidery source for decades now. With this quintessential show, we hope more awareness can be brought to the subcontinent’s impressive history of artisanship, and more credit for its pivotal contributions to the mainstream European luxury markets’ success.

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Watchlist: Sliime and His Culturally Driven Rap Flow

Meet the Bengali, UK-based rapper – Sliime. Since releasing his first single in 2019, Sliime has built a steady fanbase with his ability to seamlessly blend different facets of his dual-identity into his music.

His January 6 single “Lehenga” took TikTok by storm, racking up millions of hits on the platform, in addition to the nearly 1M views from YouTube. The song’s opening rap lyric, “I put my Asian ting in a lehenga, and now she look ten times lenger,” is now quoted across the internet.

While Sliime is blunt in his delivery of articulate rhymes, his production is subtle in its homage to South Asian sounds. His most recent releases, “Dusk Mask” and “24 Carat,” have traditional flute and sitar melodies floating against a background of trap beats.

You’re going to want to keep an eye out for Sliime’s upcoming releases, where we will hopefully continue to hear him bring his Desi “ting” to the R&B genre. Until then, watch his latest SUBTXT video with PopShift and hear him break down the context behind his now iconic lyrics.

Play the PopShift Word Search

Other Notable News

• Rahmaan released a new track, “LOVEISWAR.”

• Mena Massoud premiered his new cooking show, “Evolving Vegan,” with guest stars Lilly Singh and Tesher.

• Khanvict released a new collaboration with Equanimous, Insight, based on his original track, Akhiyan.

• Indian fashion labels Manish Malhotra and Papa Don’t Preach by Shubkhika dressed cast members, including Jennifer Aniston, in the new Netflix movie, Murder Mystery 2.

• Madhur Jaffrey became the first South Asian to win the prestigious James Beard Lifetime Achievement Award.

Listen to the PopShift Playlist on Spotify.