Ahmed Wahab Shah finds inspiration in Karachi
Singer Ahmed Wahab Shah launches his debut album. His hit single ‘Karachi’ proves that it’s not just love
that makes the world go round.
By Manal Faheem Khan
[Original Article Published in INSTEP]
AWS isn’t a new brand; it isn’t a new coffee shop either. Neither is it a new rock band. Who is AWS then, as he has managed to intrigue everyone with just those 3 letters? Ahmed Wahab Shah (AWS) is a man with a soulful voice, a sweet smile (that is rarely seen), and a somewhat of a mission: to bring about a change in the hearts and minds of every Karachiite. How is he going about bringing this change? Well, by doing what he does best: Singing.
AWS has only recently released his new album with Fire Records, and a new, inspirational video for his song ‘Karachi’, which has received way too much attention for it to be ignored. Featuring AWS on the streets of Karachi, the video is quick succession of shots of the sights and sounds of the metropolis. The song is speaking loudly for itself, and has captured enough appreciation to secure the top spot at the charts for the past one week.
Therefore when AWS made an appearance at U & Me Coffee on April 30, quite a few people flocked around the tiny interior of the café to find him presenting his new album, also titled Karachi, to try to meet the artist who has made his presence felt in a short amount of time.
To say that AWS is a new artist on the block would be unfair. The man has been in the industry for five long years, trying to construct the perfect masterpiece which could speak for itself. He first came out with a fun catchy single ‘Neend Mein’ in 2005, and has been working since then, on improving his skills and accumulating the best crew possible. Therefore he is a serious, mature artist who takes his music very seriously, as can be seen in the way he presents himself.
What are his thoughts behind this song? Here is what he had to say, “I made the song ‘Karachi’ because I believe that our city of 16 million has enormous potential. We see great work being done in pockets, but it will take all of us individually, to make a collective difference. I realized I can’t change anyone else, so I’ll start with myself, and that is the message to all the people who hear this song”
‘Karachi’ talks about how the city isn’t the same anymore, how life used to be different when there was more security and more safety. Perhaps the reason behind the song’s success is the fact that talks about what we all truly feel when we see how the city has changed.
Also adding to that, AWS explained how his album was a very personal piece, as each song has been written at some important junction of his life, which is why he has managed to provide some depth and soul into his music. Therefore, to him, compiling his album was like writing a book.
However, as interesting as his name and his concept may seem, the evening started out dull, almost grim – the fact that AWS never cracked as much as a smile while talking also added to the seriousness.
That all changed when an hour later musicians started pouring in, setting up their equipment and getting ready with their doses of caffeine, which was provided in ample amounts. AWS then displayed a different aspect of his personality: the live performer.
From the serious, mature adult, to the confident and loud musician, AWS has left no stone unturned. He proved that when him and his band performed at the café, at eight in the evening, which attracted a crowd of more than 50 people; a large number considering the size of U & Me Coffee.
The band, which consisted of Khalid (Ex-Aaroh bassist) on bass, Talha on lead guitars, Kamran and Bilal on drums, and Lenny on keyboards, continued to impress the audience with their diversity, as they performed live covers of U2 and Bryan Adams. Also, added to the list of covers was their very own brilliant version of Junoon’s ‘Jogia’.
However, the crowd started screaming for an encore when AWS began performing his own songs from his album. Amongst those were ‘Darr’ and ‘Neend Mein’.
‘Karachi’ was by far the most popular song of the evening, as every member in the audience connected with the song at a personal level.
As the evening came to an end, everyone had their fill of coffee, and a sense of purpose. AWS perhaps gained what he had wished to achieve: to bring about some realization amongst our people, even at a smaller level.
“I just hope that a few people out of all the people who are exposed to my music understand the essence of my songs, relate to it and like it. I believe that there is light at the end of the tunnel.”
