Latest news with #Strings
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistan Idol stages comeback
After 11 years, Pakistan Idol is returning with a new panel of judges: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, former Strings member Bilal Maqsood, vocalist Zeb Bangash and actor Fawad tourism packages Pakistan Idol is an adaptation of the British musical talent show Pop Idol and first aired in 2014 on Geo TV, attracting thousands of viewers and participants from across the country. Junoon's Ali Azmat, actor Bushra Ansari, and singer Hadiqa Kiani served as judges. Zamad Baig from Lahore was crowned winner of the season. Pakistan Idol launched careers. "It advertises you," said Waqas Ali Vicky, a contestant from Season One, in an interview with the Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. "You are musically groomed when you go to this show." One of the finalists of the competition, Rose Marie, said, "Every artist wants a boost in their career and Pakistan Idol is a stage where all of the country can watch them and appreciate them. Something at such a big scale in Pakistan was amazing and the management was great too." The show has helped young artists learn by experimenting with genres. "All of us boys who went into Pakistan Idol were raw talent," said Vicky. "We learned how to dress ourselves. There are people to teach you and there is an environment where everyone is focused upon their music only. Everyone has different music styles so you observe and learn to experiment from each other." Pakistan Idol has proven helpful in making industry connections. "I got to know a lot of people from the set, and later continued to stay in touch with them," said Marie. "These people gave me a lot of work. I did original soundtracks for dramas, film songs, and advertisements." Through Pakistan Idol, these emerging artists were able to find a community. Vicky did not belong to a musical family and the show helped him build a sense of identity. "Your name gets attached to this platform and people start getting to know you," he said. "They start to follow you from around the world and you stay engaged with your fans this way. In Pakistan, an opportunity like this becomes a great chance for gully boys who want to do music at an international level." Zoya Merchant, director of MHL Global, responsible for streaming the show across five TV networks, said in an interview with Variety, "Pakistan has incredible musical talent, and this platform will not only spotlight it nationwide but elevate it to the global stage." The show aims to launch online auditions and casting calls, and a premiere date will be announced soon.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistan Idol stages comeback after decade long hiatus
After eleven years, Pakistan Idol is returning with a new panel of judges: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, former Strings member Bilal Maqsood, vocalist Zeb Bangash and actor Fawad Khan. Pakistan Idol is an adaptation of the British musical talent show Pop Idol and first aired in 2014 on Geo TV, attracting thousands of viewers and participants from across the country. Junoon's Ali Azmat, actor Bushra Ansari, and singer Hadiqa Kiani served as judges. Zamad Baig from Lahore was crowned winner of the season. Pakistan Idol launched careers. 'It advertises you,' said Waqas Ali Vicky, a contestant from Season One, in an interview with the Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. 'You are musically groomed when you go to this show.' One of the finalists of the competition, Rose Marie, said, 'Every artist wants a boost in their career and Pakistan Idol is a stage where all of the country can watch them and appreciate them. Something at such a big scale in Pakistan was amazing and the management was great too.' The show has helped young artists learn by experimenting with genres. 'All of us boys who went into Pakistan Idol were raw talent,' said Vicky. 'We learned how to dress ourselves. There are people to teach you and there is an environment where everyone is focused upon their music only. Everyone has different music styles so you observe and learn to experiment from each other.' Pakistan Idol has proven helpful in making industry connections. 'I got to know a lot of people from the set, and later continued to stay in touch with them,' said Marie. 'These people gave me a lot of work. I did original soundtracks for dramas, film songs, and advertisements.' Through Pakistan Idol, these emerging artists were able to find a community. Vicky did not belong to a musical family and the show helped him build a sense of identity. 'Your name gets attached to this platform and people start getting to know you,' he said. 'They start to follow you from around the world and you stay engaged with your fans this way. In Pakistan, an opportunity like this becomes a great chance for gully boys who want to do music at an international level.' Zoya Merchant, director of MHL Global, responsible for streaming the show across five TV networks, said in an interview with Variety, 'Pakistan has incredible musical talent, and this platform will not only spotlight it nationwide but elevate it to the global stage." The show aims to launch online auditions and casting calls, and a premiere date will be announced soon.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakistan Idol stages comeback after decade long break
After eleven years, Pakistan Idol is returning with a new panel of judges: Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, former Strings member Bilal Maqsood, vocalist Zeb Bangash and actor Fawad Khan. Pakistan Idol is an adaptation of the British musical talent show Pop Idol and first aired in 2014 on Geo TV, attracting thousands of viewers and participants from across the country. Junoon's Ali Azmat, actor Bushra Ansari, and singer Hadiqa Kiani served as judges. Zamad Baig from Lahore was crowned winner of the season. Pakistan Idol launched careers. 'It advertises you,' said Waqas Ali Vicky, a contestant from Season One, in an interview with the Lifestyle desk at The Express Tribune. 'You are musically groomed when you go to this show.' One of the finalists of the competition, Rose Marie, said, 'Every artist wants a boost in their career and Pakistan Idol is a stage where all of the country can watch them and appreciate them. Something at such a big scale in Pakistan was amazing and the management was great too.' The show has helped young artists learn by experimenting with genres. 'All of us boys who went into Pakistan Idol were raw talent,' said Vicky. 'We learned how to dress ourselves. There are people to teach you and there is an environment where everyone is focused upon their music only. Everyone has different music styles so you observe and learn to experiment from each other.' Pakistan Idol has proven helpful in making industry connections. 'I got to know a lot of people from the set, and later continued to stay in touch with them,' said Marie. 'These people gave me a lot of work. I did original soundtracks for dramas, film songs, and advertisements.' Through Pakistan Idol, these emerging artists were able to find a community. Vicky did not belong to a musical family and the show helped him build a sense of identity. 'Your name gets attached to this platform and people start getting to know you,' he said. 'They start to follow you from around the world and you stay engaged with your fans this way. In Pakistan, an opportunity like this becomes a great chance for gully boys who want to do music at an international level.' Zoya Merchant, director of MHL Global, responsible for streaming the show across five TV networks, said in an interview with Variety, 'Pakistan has incredible musical talent, and this platform will not only spotlight it nationwide but elevate it to the global stage." The show aims to launch online auditions and casting calls, and a premiere date will be announced soon.
Express Tribune
28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Pakkay Dost' earns Sajal's seal of approval
Singer-songwriter Bilal Maqsood released a second volume of nursery rhymes from children's puppet show Pakkay Dost on YouTube on Tuesday. The first volume came out in 2023 and the show's vibrant visuals and engaging narratives garnered widespread acclaim, fostering a love for Urdu and enriching the lives of countless young viewers. Actor Sajal Ali lauded Maqsood's work on social media, penning, "Bilal Maqsood, you are doing a great job!" She appreciated the show's reignition of Urdu language amongst the youth, "Urdu is a beautiful language and it's high time we stop running away from it." The actor reminded us that it's cool to embrace our mother tongue, "It was always cool! Let's own it, celebrate it and make it even cooler!" On Wednesday, Maqsood took to Instagram to promote the new episodes, "I make Pakkay Dost for kids. I have always longed to make quality content for children and have finally gotten the opportunity to do it after Strings ended. I believe the entertainment industry has stopped focusing on children since the last two decades." Being a father himself, the singer observed, "Our kids are being raised on foreign content, which is out of our control. We cannot limit their screen time but the least we can do is to introduce them to shows that teach them good values, are safe and keep them connected to their culture and language." Expressing why he chose Urdu, Maqsood stated "I made Pakkay Dost because I wanted to make Urdu cool. Kids and parents often run away from Urdu and I wanted to change that. I want to request all parents and teachers to make sure that kids around them watch Pakkay Dost." The show has been captivating young minds with playful storytelling and colourful visuals, fostering a love for the Urdu language while imparting valuable life lessons. This makes it an enjoyable experience for children and a meaningful one for parents who want to instill cultural and linguistic pride in their children. Each episode offers laughter, lessons, and an opportunity for children to connect with their roots. The show has garnered acclaim from parents and educators alike. In January, Maqsood announced partnership with ConnectHear to make Pakkay Dost accessible to the hearing-impaired community through the integration of sign language interpretation. "We are very excited to partner with ConnectHear," said Maqsood. "Our mission is to bring joy, learning and cultural enrichment and create a brighter childhood for all children. This collaboration is a significant step towards making Pakkay Dost truly inclusive and ensuring that every child can experience the magic of our show." "At ConnectHear, we believe in creating a world where no one is left behind," said Arhum Ishtiaq, CTO and Co-Founder, ConnectHear. "This alliance with Pakkay Dost allows us to bridge the gap in children's entertainment and education for the Deaf community. We're not just adding sign language to the show, we're adding joy, imagination, and inclusion to every deaf child's life."
Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Sajal Ali applauds ‘Pakkay Dost' for making Urdu fun for kids
Singer-songwriter Bilal Maqsood released a second volume of nursery rhymes from children's puppet show Pakkay Dost on YouTube on Tuesday. The first volume came out in 2023 and the show's vibrant visuals and engaging narratives garnered widespread acclaim, fostering a love for Urdu and enriching the lives of countless young viewers. Actor Sajal Ali lauded Maqsood's work on social media, penning, 'Bilal Maqsood, you are doing a great job!' She appreciated the show's reignition of Urdu language amongst the youth, 'Urdu is a beautiful language and it's high time we stop running away from it.' The actor reminded us that it's cool to embrace our mother tongue, 'It was always cool! Let's own it, celebrate it and make it even cooler!' On Wednesday, Maqsood took to Instagram to promote the new episodes, 'I make Pakkay Dost for kids. I have always longed to make quality content for children and have finally gotten the opportunity to do it after Strings ended. I believe the entertainment industry has stopped focusing on children since the last two decades." Being a father himself, the singer observed, 'Our kids are being raised on foreign content, which is out of our control. We cannot limit their screen time but the least we can do is to introduce them to shows that teach them good values, are safe and keep them connected to their culture and language.' Expressing why he chose Urdu, Maqsood stated 'I made Pakkay Dost because I wanted to make Urdu cool. Kids and parents often run away from Urdu and I wanted to change that. I want to request all parents and teachers to make sure that kids around them watch Pakkay Dost.' The show has been captivating young minds with playful storytelling and colourful visuals, fostering a love for the Urdu language while imparting valuable life lessons. This makes it an enjoyable experience for children and a meaningful one for parents who want to instill cultural and linguistic pride in their children. Each episode offers laughter, lessons, and an opportunity for children to connect with their roots. The show has garnered acclaim from parents and educators alike. In January, Maqsood announced partnership with ConnectHear to make Pakkay Dost accessible to the hearing-impaired community through the integration of sign language interpretation. "We are very excited to partner with ConnectHear," said Maqsood. "Our mission is to bring joy, learning and cultural enrichment and create a brighter childhood for all children. This collaboration is a significant step towards making Pakkay Dost truly inclusive and ensuring that every child can experience the magic of our show." "At ConnectHear, we believe in creating a world where no one is left behind," said Arhum Ishtiaq, CTO and Co-Founder, ConnectHear. "This alliance with Pakkay Dost allows us to bridge the gap in children's entertainment and education for the Deaf community. We're not just adding sign language to the show, we're adding joy, imagination, and inclusion to every deaf child's life.' Have something to add to the story? Share it in the comments below.
