Abdullah Qureshi is young, good-looking and gifted with a deeply soulful voice. In demand for concerts both locally and internationally, this multi-talented musician is sure to go places. Afshan Shafi catches up with Abdullah for a fun rapid fire round and more
How would you describe your journey in the music industry?
I started out doing covers on YouTube until it got banned. But I didn’t stop, I kept releasing studio recorded covers as well as live videos, which got me the initial recognition and because of that I started getting a lot of calls for concerts. Now I have 4-5 originals out and I’m focusing on making original music only. I’ve played more than 150 to 200+ shows easily in the last few years and I’m touring nationally and internationaly right now but it’s just the beginning.
Which musicians inspire you?
There are many. John Mayer, Bob Marley, Dave Grohl, Bruno Mars, Steven Wilson, Guthrie Govan, Chris Martin to name a few.
Locally, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Azmat, Gumby, Mekaal Hasan, Amir Zaki and many more.
Describe your sound in three words.
Acoustic
Pop
Rock
What is next for you? What are you working on?
I’m coming up with two brand new original songs very soon, and also working on a few commercial projects on the side. There are a lot of surprises in store.
Rapid Fire
Ideal girl:
Beauty with brains and a good sense of music/art
Local/international crush:
Iman Ali, Margot Robbie
Love or money:
Love
Musician you’d love to collaborate with:
Gavin Harrison and A.R. Rahman
Songs on your playlist:
l These Days by Foo Fighters
l Havana by Camila Cabello
l Island In the City by Keeray Makoray
These are the last three played.
Last dream you had:
I saw Quaid-e-Azam holding an apple and nodding in disappointment, that’s all I remember. I think he was sad but don’t know what the apple referred to, maybe he liked apples.
What scares you:
Being in the middle of the ocean, because I don’t know how to swim. And heights.
Where are you happiest:
On stage and when I’m travelling with friends.