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 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.

Karachi, September 18, 2024: Spotify is gearing up to launch Spotify ICON Pakistan, a nostalgia-driven music program that shines a spotlight on legendary Pakistani artists who have shaped the country’s music scene for decades. This innovative and first-of-its-kind initiative is designed to connect these iconic musicians with a new generation of young listeners—an audience that is mobile-first and already enjoying tracks from the past.

Through a blend of curated playlists, on-platform promotion, and offline activations Spotify ICON Pakistan bridges the gap between past and present, allowing younger audiences to discover and rediscover the timeless music that has been instrumental in shaping Pakistan’s cultural heritage.

“From October, Spotify ICON Pakistan will reintroduce & pay tribute to iconic artists from eras spanning the 1950s to the 2000s — legends like Noor Jehan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Saheb, Abida Parveen, and Vital Signs among others — who have experienced a resurgence in popularity among younger listeners,” said Khan FM, Spotify’s Senior Artist & Label Partnerships Manager for Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka. “With almost 400,000 new discoveries in 2024 alone, it’s clear that classic hits are striking a chord with today’s generation. This blend of nostalgia and discovery showcases the enduring influence of these legendary artists on modern audiences, proving that great music truly transcends time,” he added further.

The Golden Era of Melodies: 50s and 60s

On Spotify, Mehdi Hassan has seen a remarkable 142% year-on-year increase in streams, while Noor Jehan’s fanbase has seen a 66% year-on-year increase in active listeners, with 50% now being Gen-Z (aged 18-27), clearly demonstrating that classic hits resonate with today’s younger audience. Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan also saw an astonishing 82% increase in annual streams. What’s even more interesting is that 49% of these streams came from Gen-Z.

The Revolutionary Age: 70s and 80s

Gen Z’s deep connection to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s legacy is evident as they make up 60% of Nusrat’s listeners. Millennials (aged 28-44) make up 32% of Abida Parveen’s audience, suggesting that they have a particular affinity for Sufi and spiritual music, reflecting their deeper connection to soulful and introspective sounds. Nazia Hassan’s pop revolution also continues to have strong cross-generational appeal, with 54% of her listeners coming from Gen Z and 25% from Millennials.   

 The Expressive Wave: 90s and Early 2000s

According to Spotify’s data, 90s legends such as Sajjad Ali and Hadiqa Kiani have seen the highest year-on-year growth in listeners, with both seeing a 75% increase. 2000s icons such as Noori and Mustafa Zahid have also seen a 75% increase in their listener base within 12 months. Meanwhile, artists such as Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam, although relatively new compared to the older legends, have a significant 63% of their audience under the age of 27. This shows that Gen Z, the generation that grew up during the rise of these artists, is now the core audience supporting these modern yet legacy-conscious acts.

Spotify’s ICON Pakistan celebrates decades of music, honoring iconic artists who shaped Pakistan’s culture through the ages, from October onwards, and will exist next to other local and successful music programs of Spotify like Spotify EQUAL and Spotify RADAR. To mark the launch of ICON Pakistan, Spotify will host a special event this weekend at the HOUSE OF ICON, introducing the first artist featured under Spotify ICON Pakistan and bringing fans closer to the music that they have and continue to love to this day.

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