One of Pakistan’s leading music producers, singer/song-writer Shuja Haider is back as a music director on the country’s biggest music show, Coke Studio with his production, Allahu Akbar featuring Shafqat Amanat Ali and Ahmed Jehanzeb.
Written and composed by Shuja Haider, Allahu Akbar was featured in Episode One of the historic Season 10 marking his second consecutive association with the platform.
Allahu Akbar is a musical masterpiece which blends Middle-Eastern and South Asian musical motifs in a confluence of devotion. Ahmed Jehanzeb’s ethereal voice interwoven with Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan’’s commanding murqiyaan & harkatein light up the soundscapes that Shuja Haider has carefully crafted. The song instantly sets the mood for a musical proclamation that is captivating and ethereal. Cascading through the complex structure of the song, Jehanzeb and Khan create a larger-than-life atmosphere with their vocal prowess finally reaches a crescendo of spirituality and virtuosity.
Shuja will be producing 5 session performances in Coke Studio this season and will also appear as a featured artist on one song in Season 10.
Indeed, Shuja is one of Pakistan’s most influential producers in the contemporary Pakistani music having produced over 50 music albums and now iconic songs for artists such as Atif Aslam, Reshma Ji, Runa Laila, Strings, Ali Zafar and Ahmed Jehanzeb to name a few.
Shuja is also known for his collaboration with ace film-maker Shoaib Mansoor on his films ‘Khuda Kay Liye’ (2007) and Bol (2011) and OSTs of several drama serials including Muqaddas (2015), Sehra Main Safar (2015) and Mann Mayal (2016). In 2016, Shuja Haider featured on Coke Studio Season 9 as a music director where he produced 5 songs; Aaqa, Khaki Banda, Aaya Laariye, Tera Woh Pyaar (Nawaazishen Karam) and Sab Jag Soye all of which receivied critical acclaim. His songs featured artists such as Abida Parveen, Ali Sethi, Ahmed Jahanzeb, Umair Jaswal, Naeem Abbas Rufi, Meesha Shafi, Asim Azhar, Momina Mustehsan and Quratulain Balouch.