Karachi, January 16, 2026 – Recognized as one of the country’s top emerging voices, Shae Gill has been named Spotify RADAR Pakistan’s featured artist for 2026. Shae Gill’s unique vocals and her commanding ability to blend contemporary with the traditional has allowed her to conquer the hearts of audiences not just locally but abroad.

To celebrate her achievements, Spotify is featuring her most recent release, “Insecurity”, a powerful Punjabi track that depicts dealing with exactly what the title says. With more than 256K streams accumulated since its launch, the track continues to hit all the right notes for listeners.

Simultaneously, the world’s most popular streaming platform will also showcase Shae Gill’s personal and professional evolution as an artist through a special mini-docuseries which is part of the global artist development program.

Over the past month, Shae Gill’s powerful notes have resonated with audiences not just in Pakistan but across borders with top streamed countries including, but not limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Bangladesh and Canada.

Additionally, Shae Gill’s 2025 releases including “Gila,” and “Staring At Me” have played a further role in cementing her position as an artist putting her own spin on modern melodies.

“It’s great being chosen as a Spotify RADAR artist—I have so much appreciation for what they do. This year has been full of learning, and I hope that continues for many years to come, as I’m always striving to improve. I’m focusing on creating solo tracks and am excited to find my voice and sound as an artist, and to connect with the people who relate to it,” Shae Gill shared, reflecting on being recognized by RADAR Pakistan.

Rutaba Yaqub, Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for Pakistan and the UAE, said, “By introducing the world to her solo, original tracks, Shae’s journey is taking an exciting new turn. With songs like ‘Insecurity,’ listeners get to experience her vocals and melodies truly shining through. RADAR is designed to give artists the boost they need at key moments of creative momentum, and that’s exactly what we aim to do with Shae Gill.”

RADAR Pakistan is part of Spotify’s global RADAR program, which champions emerging artists worldwide by giving them the tools, visibility, and support needed to build sustainable careers. By spotlighting emerging homegrown talent such as Shae Gill, Spotify continues to amplify local voices—connecting their music and stories with audiences in Pakistan and beyond. Now active in 183 countries and having supported more than 1,000 artists to date, RADAR is powering what’s next in music by fueling discovery, connection, and cultural impact.

Spotify and FC Barcelona are back with their seventh jersey takeover, and the latest artist to feature will be Ed Sheeran, marking the first time a solo male pop artist has fronted the shirt. During El Clásico on Oct 26, FC Barcelona players will wear a version of the iconic blaugrana jersey featuring the logo of Ed Sheeran’s latest studio album Play.

The launch lands as Play becomes Ed’s eighth studio album release. Play is rooted in joy and inspired by the sounds and stories Ed has encountered around the world. That spirit of exploring different cultures and connecting fan communities maps naturally to FC Barcelona’s global footprint. By placing Play on the front of the jersey, the collaboration shines a light on music’s ability to travel across borders and bring people together.

FC Barcelona’s identity has long been defined by youth and an expressive style of play, shaped by La Masia’s next generation. Ed’s own love of football anchors the partnership in something real; a shared belief that creativity, community, and play can move people, on the field and off it.

With over 92 million monthly listeners and fourteen songs in the Billions Club, Ed is one of the most streamed artists on Spotify. The jersey takeovers have become a bi-annual franchise, with Spotify continuing to remove its own logo and hand over the front of the jersey to spotlight artists during the El Clásico games against Real Madrid. The blaugrana jersey has featured the names of superstars such as Drake, Rosalía, The Rolling Stones, KAROL G, Coldplay and Travis Scott.

Ed Sheeran said: “Seeing my new album Play on the Barca shirt is something I’m proud of. I’m a big fan of football and FC Barcelona, and I love that we get to merge the worlds of music and football in such a fun way.”

For the first time, we’re taking a jersey takeover into gaming. On October 23rd, the jersey with Ed’s latest album on it will be available in eFootball™, putting the moment in front of a platform that has over 900 million downloads, letting players worldwide select and play in the jersey in-game.

The release is accompanied by a capsule collection, including a retro jersey inspired by the 2004/05 season, a nod to the period when Ed first began recording music, alongside select pieces that honor both Ed’s creative identity and FC Barcelona’s heritage.

Marc Hazan, Senior Vice President, Partnerships and Marketing, Spotify said: “We’re excited to bring a true fan of the game into an El Clásico moment. Ed’s genuine love of football and being one of the world’s biggest artists made it natural to put Play on the front of the Barça jersey.”

FC Barcelona player Robert Lewandowski said: “Ed’s songs have been part of our dressing-room playlist for a long time, so seeing his new album on the front of our shirt for El Clásico feels really special. Music and football both bring fans together in powerful ways, and I’m proud to represent that connection on the pitch.”

Manel del Río, General Manager of FC Barcelona said: “We are very proud to have an artist like Ed Sheeran featured on our shirt. The logo change has become one of the most iconic moments of every season and exemplifies how the collaboration between FC Barcelona and Spotify continues to successfully explore how far we can go with this union between sport and music.”

The FC Barcelona Hub on Spotify has become a go-to place for fans worldwide. Fans have streamed more than 182 million plays of Barça player matchday playlists, featuring players such as Lamine Yamal, Jules Kounde, Alexia Putellas, Aitana Bonmati, and others, making music an integral part of the pre-match fan experience. FC Barcelona will share a special edition of the matchday playlist, curated by Ed Sheeran.

Inspired by the club’s founding year there will be 1899 limited edition jerseys available to purchase. The Spotify x Ed Sheeran x FC Barcelona jersey and merch collection can be purchased via Barça Official Stores in Spain and online from 10am CEST on Oct 15.

The Play logo from Ed’s new album will feature on the FC Barcelona jersey, which will be worn for the El Clásico match against Real Madrid on Oct 26. FC Barcelona Femení will be wearing the jersey in their Liga F match vs. Granada on Oct 19. You can read more about the partnerships here and check out the FC Barcelona hub on Spotify.

Spotify has announced Samar Jafri as its RADAR Pakistan artist for the fourth quarter of 2025, celebrating his fast-rising success and the deep connection he has built with young audiences across the country. As part of this global artist development program, Spotify will bring Jafri’s story to life through a special mini-documentary, exploring his creative evolution, the inspiration behind his music, and the moments that have shaped him into one of Pakistan’s most exciting emerging artists.

Jafri’s music resonates with a generation that sees its own experiences reflected in his heartfelt lyrics and soulful sound. In the last 28 days alone, some of the top countries streaming his music beyond Pakistan include Bangladesh, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the UAE. His audience remains almost evenly split between male and female listeners, with listeners aged 18–24 making up more than half of his fan base. His 2025 releases, “Main Rahun” and “Guzaarishein,” have together garnered over 23.3 million streams, with “Main Rahun” surpassing 14 million and “Guzaarishein” crossing 9.2 million streams since their release in April and May, respectively.

Rutaba Yaqub, Spotify’s Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for Pakistan and UAE, shared, “Samar Jafri is a remarkable talent and a fitting choice to close out RADAR Pakistan Season 2025. We’re excited to spotlight his journey and share his music with even more listeners through this platform.”

“As an independent artist, this truly feels like the beginning of something I’ve been dreaming about for years,” Samar Jafri stated, sharing his excitement on being recognized by RADAR Pakistan. “I’ve been making music for over six years now, but it took a lot of time and courage to finally start putting out originals. Seeing that music connects with so many people, especially on a platform like Spotify, means everything. It’s overwhelming in the best way, and I’m so grateful for the love and support. I’ve always believed that God is with the patient, and this moment feels like a reminder of that. Being able to tell my story through Spotify RADAR is surely one of the highlights of this year for me. There’s so much more to come, and I can’t wait to share it all with you,” he added.

Spotify’s RADAR program is a global initiative dedicated to spotlighting emerging artists and giving them the visibility, tools, and audience reach to grow their careers. In Pakistan, RADAR continues to play a pivotal role in elevating the next wave of local talent. Through Jafri’s feature, Spotify reinforces its commitment to supporting homegrown artists — connecting their music, stories, and voices to a global audience that is eager to listen.

Karachi, July 18, 2025 – Spotify’s RADAR Pakistan returns this quarter, spotlighting Afusic as its latest featured artist. Afusic is one of the country’s most compelling emerging voices in the indie music scene, and this milestone marks a significant moment in his rapidly rising career with his viral track “Pal Pal” being featured on the “RADAR Pakistan” playlist.

Affan Khan, better known as Afusic, has been active in the local music scene since 2020, drawing initial inspiration from his father, Jameel Khan. In a short time span, the young artist has carved a unique following for himself blending South Asian music with contemporary hip-hop and pop. The popularity of his music is quite clearly reflected in the data released by Spotify, showcasing the surge in his listenership growing by over 440,000% in streams since its first playlist appearance on February 17 on “Fresh Finds Pakistan.”

Since April 2025, Afusic has witnessed an audience growth of more than 1,200%, which showcases a growing fan base that is not only appreciating but loving his genre of music. His music has landed on nearly 270,000 playlists, reflecting a groundswell of listener support that extends beyond borders. In the past 28 days alone, the demographic breakdown of his global audience reveals a strong connection with younger listeners, 60% male and 40% female, led by the 18–24 age group, followed closely by 25–34-year-olds.

Expressing excitement on his journey from a Fresh Finds artist to RADAR Pakistan, Afusic noted; “Being selected as Spotify’s RADAR Pakistan artist is a huge moment for me. RADAR is an incredible platform that shines a light on independent artists and helps us reach new audiences, while also giving fans a chance to connect with who we are beyond the music. I’m truly grateful for the support Spotify has shown me—watching ‘Pal Pal’ grow from Fresh Finds to Hot Hits Pakistan shows just how powerful this journey can be.”

As part of Spotify’s global emerging artist program, RADAR aims to support rising talents by providing them with strategic marketing, editorial placements, and fan-facing opportunities designed to elevate their careers on and off the platform. With Afusic now stepping into the RADAR spotlight, the stage is set for another dynamic chapter in Pakistan’s thriving music landscape.