Category: Entertainment

Spotify Expands Blend with Two New Features – Providing Another Way for Users to Connect Through Music

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Earlier this year, Spotify celebrated Valentine’s Day with Blend in the Pakistan market. Blend is a unique feature that combines the best of Spotify’s personalization capabilities and collaborative playlist functionality into a single shared playlist, making it easy to get into a social listening session that is made just for you. Nothing like being able to listen to the music you all love in one playlist while gearing up to go to a picnic, getting ready for a wedding with your bridesmaids, or working out with friends.

Believe it or not, Blend just got even better. Beginning today, Spotify is now expanding the Blend family by adding two new features that give users even more ways to connect with their friends, family and even artists through music. 

Updated daily, Blend is an effortless and instant way to connect– making shared listening experiences almost as easy as hitting play. Previously, users could Blend with one friend or family member at a time – but starting today on Spotify, users can: 

• Create a Blend playlist with up to 10 people, receiving one playlist tailored to all of your tastes. 
• Blend with some of your favorite artists – including BTS, Diplo, Lauv , Megan Thee Stallion and more. 
  • Ever wonder what music your favorite artists listen to? Now, you and some of your favorite artists can merge musical tastes into one shared playlist made just for you. Users will receive a sharecard, showing your taste match scores. These will allow you to see your listening preferences compared to the artist, and are created to be shared directly to Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat or Twitter.

Spotify, the world’s most popular audio streaming platform, aims at bringing music and people together through Blend. By creating connections between people based on their music preferences, Blend gives users another way to reconnect and to continue fostering moments of sharing and discovery. 

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir)  Actor Ayesha Omar officially joined TikTok on Sunday. The Karachi Se Lahore star arrived on the video-sharing platform with a verified account and posted a video of her making an entry to TikTok on Michael Jackson’s song ‘Bad’.

The Bulbulay actor captioned her first video, “Hey hey hey!!! I’m finally here! And I’m stayin’. You know it. Love, A.O.” She grooved to the song Bad by the King of Pop, Michael Jackson and also replicated his iconic move in her TikTok video that went viral in hours.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ayeshamomar/video/7079415148238130459

The actor and model crossed nearly 14,000 followers, more than 550,000 views and 36,000 likes within a day of joining. Her account is rapidly growing as her fans join her on TikTok to see what she has in store for them.

https://www.tiktok.com/@ayeshamomar

The Yalghaar actress has proved her mettle in the entertainment industry with her work in mega projects. She is best known for her performance in Bulbulay seasons one and two and Meri Guriya. She is also vocal about how much social media has influenced her life.

Earlier, top celebrities of the Pakistan entertainment industry, including singers Atif Aslam, Aima Baig, Azaan Sami Khan, Haroon Rashid, Junaid Khan, actors Aijaz Aslam, Aiman Khan, Taimoor Salahuddin aka Mooroo, Syeda Tooba, and Suzain Fatima joined the video-sharing app as it continues to gain popularity in Pakistan.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Likee, one of Pakistan’s leading trendsetters in the social media landscape has partnered with One Two Records one of the largest music labels in Pakistan, in the first cross-promotional collaboration for the country. The two leading brands have come together to promote songs from the upcoming movie ‘Dum Mastam’. The first track being released under the partnership is sung by Bilal Saeed, one of the most renowned names in Pakistan’s music space for his iconic voice of ‘Baari’ fame.

Social media has been revolutionizing various aspects of traditional activities. Marketing and advertising are no exception. Likee, as the official content partner for Dum Mastam movie has initiated one of the biggest collaborations in the Pakistani entertainment sphere. As a platform hosting a vibrant community of creators promoting a diverse array of content, Likee has become the hub for music and talented individuals to showcase their skills in this field. In line with its objectives to resonate better with local audiences, the short video sharing platform has launched the in-apphashtagchallenge#BeqararDiland promoted thesongon its socialmediaaccounts,which gained millions of views among people around the country.

Commenting on the development, Likee Representative, stated; “Pakistan is a land of various unique treasures and music is one of them. As the nation’s leading avenue for expression and entertainment, Likee is always pushing the boundaries to deliver high-quality content for its audiences. We are delighted to announce this partnership with One Two Records for the release of the songs from the movie ‘Dum Mastam’ with the first one being sung by none other than Bilal Saeed himself.”

MurtazaNiaz, General Manager of One Two Records, commented: “We had a good collaborative working relationship with Likee Pakistan. This time releasing film music on Likee will be interesting as we understand the importance of Short Video Platform in the marketing aspect, especially reaching out to the masses.”

Ever since its launch, Likee has grown in popularity across the country through its distinct opportunity creation for creators that would otherwise remain unheard.

 

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Ajoka Theatre, Pakistan’s leading theatre group, observed the World Theatre Day on 27 March by holding a special meeting attended by Ajoka members, students of theatre and invited guests. The theatre day is observed the world over under the auspices of International Theatre Institute (ITI).

The event started with a screening of World Theatre Day message by playwright Shahid Nadeem which he had written on the invitation of ITI. The message titled “ Theatre as a Shrine” wAs translated in over 60 languages and read out in nearly 90 countries. Speaking on the occasion, Shahid Nadeem explained his concept of Sufi Theatre which can combine the spiritual forces of Sufism with contemporary themes.

He cited the example of his internationally acclaimed play “Bulha” which inspired both modern theatre-goers as well as traditional audience with strong association with Sufi values. Actors including Naseem Abbas, Nirvaan Nadeem, Qaiser Khan, Usman Raaj, Usman Zia, Rizwan Riaz and Usman Chaudhry, who had performed various roles in the play, shared their experiences of touring with the play in Pakistan and abroad. Others who spoke on the occasion included Ajoka Chair Zara Salman, Madeeha Rasheed, Ishrat Shaheen and Aisha Khan.

Karachi (Muhammad Yasir) Phenomenally talented singer Haider Mustehsan is ready to launch his brand-new single, ‘Safarish’ on the 26th of March after his feature on the wildly successful track, ‘Sohna Tu’ which garnered over 24 Million views on YouTube. ‘Safarish’ is described as a conflict between reality and imagined reality. It aims to show that people have a conflict between their hearts and minds about the people they love, often imagining a more perfect version of what they actually see. The track is a beautiful blend of western rhyme and eastern string melodies that acts as a request from the heart to the mind, to give love another chance. Haider, along with producer Ali Mustafa, came up with the piece and believe to have stumbled onto something very sonically unique.

Haider Mustehsan hopes that his music will be relatable to no single group of people, rather everyone across the globe, transcending the limitation of borders. He wants to be true to himself and create music he can always stand by and be proud of.

Haider Mustehsan always welcomes new challenges, constantly trying to figure out ways to be able to translate the rawest feelings into lyrics and melodies that will be able to touch the hearts of those who listen to it. He believes that this song ‘Safarish’ will be able to do just that. As can be seen from his journey as a talented musician, it can be expected that this new song will be nothing short of greatness and will be all that’s talked about once it’s released.

Haider took a keen interest in music in his earlier days and dreamed of cultivating his fascination into something more tangible. All the different forms of music gave him the inspiration to look at music as an ocean of possibilities from which he discovered his passion.

~Viewers from across the borders come together in support of the gender-bending love story of Mrs.& Mr. Shameem~

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Zindagia leading entertainment brand, has championed cross-border collaborations in art and culture with content from the South Asian regioncreated for viewers across the globe. After path-breaking content such as Churails, Dhoop Ki Deewar, Qatil Haseenaon Ke Naam, Zindagi launched yet another one-of-a-kind series titled ‘Mrs. & Mr. Shameem’ on 11^th March 2022 on ZEE5. A love story at its core, the series traces the journey of two characters ‘Umaina’ and ‘Shameem’ who break gender stereotypes while traversing a journey of friendship and companionship.

After years of distance between the hearts, audiences from India and Pakistan have united to show their love and appreciation for the superlative story-telling and the show has been receiving appreciation and acceptance from both sides of the border. With people from across the globe appreciating the trailer and the show’s unique concept, India and Pakistan are united this time pouring in their love and showing support for the content Zindagi is showcasing.

Some of the comments from India and Pakistan on the trailer that received 4M + views on YouTube read – “Saba Qamar and Nauman Ijaz light up the screen as they subvert norms”; “Highly matured content. This is next evolution of web series”; “If this is Pakistani web series then it is a great leap in their OTT platform. Hopefully, it will do well.”; “Kudos to the team for embracing and standing up for such an important yet sensitive topic”; “Divided by politics, united by art”.

Talking about this overwhelming response Director Kashif Nisar shares, “It is a great feeling to watch both the countries showering us with so much love. This feedback motivates us to further the cause of blurring the physical divide through art and story-telling. It is with great honor I would like to thank all our well-wishers across the globe for the response towards our show.”

Sharing her views on the same Saba Qamar says, “I am overjoyed to see such a response coming from both the countries. This takes me back to my Hindi Medium days, where I received so much appreciation from the audience for my character. To see such stories being welcomed by the audience on both sides of the border is a great feeling altogether.”

Produced by Kashif Nisar and Misbah Shafique, Mrs.& Mr. Shameem is a distinctive love story of a pure bond graduating from friendship to growing old together and everything in between.

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) Pakistani and British European fashion designers have participated in the tenth fashion show of Riwayat fashion and singer Sarah Baig held in London for the last ten years. Famous fashion designers from Pakistan take part in Fashion Week May while famous fashion designers from other parts of the world also showcase their garments.

Adnan Ansari, CEO of Traditional Fashion Show Famous Multi Talented Fashion Designer and Singer Sarah Baig of Pakistan is playing her role in introducing this fashion show. It was noteworthy that Sarah Baig performed on the ramp with her new song “Ishq Saza” which was well received by the fans. On this occasion, Pakistani Dream Girl singer and fashion designer Sarah Baig while talking to the media said that The Pakistani fashion industry has spread all over the world, including the country, it has succeeded in creating its own distinct identity which is exemplified by Tradition Fashion Week which for the last ten years has been providing its platform to international designer brands from Pakistan and other countries where fashion enthusiasts from all over the world participate.

Sarah Baig said that while the Pakistani and Indian communities loved the fashion design garments I made, the British people also expressed their liking for them. She further said that these days with their fashion brands. I am also busy preparing my new video cover songs. I am releasing a new video very soon .

Lahore (Muhammad Yasir) The acquisition of education is the fundamental right of every human being. As a country, Pakistan tends to face a lot of criticism in terms of illiteracy rates, which are lackluster to say the least. The country’s total population as of 2021 stands at 228,190,072. Unfortunately,the rate of children from 5-16 years not able to attend school is a staggering22.8 million. Although these stats are troubling, extensive efforts are being undertaken to revamp the existing ecosystem and digital tools like social media are playing a comprehensive role in this regard.

Today, GenZ is ruling the modern era, taking chances, exploring opportunities and creating distinct paths for future development. In their journey, social media platforms are providing extensive opportunities to this segment of the population.The field of education is no different.Opening up a new world where access to digital resources is simple and convenient, social media is carving pathways for education that are open for all.

Regardless of gender, age or educational background,both influencers and audiences on social media get the opportunity to learn every dayfrom a variety of sources. There are a variety of creators who are highly educated, designing their content in a professional manner just for the sake of spreading literacy amongst the youth. On top of that, every other person owns a smartphonewhich adds another aspect of ease to the equation.

Likeeis one platform that is making it easier for people in general to engage academic activities through a variety of content. The idea is to publicize education for all.The digital platform is playing its part in collaboration with its content creators, to create a cloud of new, impactful avenues for individuals to learn and educate themselves. The purpose is to engage audience in a fun way of learning.

Short video sharing platforms and theirusage for achieving milestones and getting things done has been unprecedented. Content creators are engaging with the audience in a fun and entertaining way.Influencers on Likee are going big because of what they create.

Muhammad UmairShakir, a B. Tech. graduate and currently enrolled in an MBA program, has carved a massive following for himself posting content that revolves around the theme of education.He mentioned that he has worked in various TVCs and with international influencers because of the fame he has gotten as an educational content creator. With 1.2 million followers, Umair takes his time to do research and incorporate all of the relevant information in his videos. “I always think out of the box because it is important to never limit yourself in a shell and try to learn new things wherever and whenever you get the opportunity. IQ and your sense of humor are the new things on which people judge you these days” he emphasized.

Influencing someone is a difficult job and doing it in a positive way is frustrating at times. This aspect is especially true when dealing with a technical domain like education.“I chose to be a mentor not by dancing to indecent songs but by creating something on which you get nothing but respect” expressed another video creator on Likee.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Arslan dug in to investigate the core concepts of the topic that he was willing to make videos on. For him, getting love and respects from the families he met keeps him motivated to do more and better. “Self-confidence is something you must have to succeed in this field. Talk to yourself, go through the struggles of those who are in the same boat as you” he further added while shedding light on the importance of reading books.

These creators together are building a platform to impart digital learning for the youth. They are contributing to forging a national identity that depicts social awareness and conduciveness for literal information.

 

Lahore (Nut Desk)

There has never been a doubt about the musical abilities of Pakistanis, but the top 10 musicians discovered by the Bajao.Pk online music competition, Nayi Awaaz, have blown our minds. When the competition was announced on January 28^th we downloaded the Bajao Music App and started following the talent pouring in from all over Pakistan. And talent is too limiting a word for what we heard!

Bajao.pk’s Nayi Awaaz competition put them through various rounds testing their abilities to write and compose songs and my God did they create soulful and amazing music. These undiscovered underground music wonders created songs that are an ode our musically rich soil. The competition was designed to ensure equal opportunity for all where Bajao.Pk provided an  efficient online platform where underground artists submitted their raw singing videos by filling in the relevant information.

We congratulate Zaira Ali from Lahore, Usman Qayyum from Talagang, Ali Baloch from Islamabad, Ghayyas Haider from Lahore, Sameen Khawaja from Quetta, Ayesha Nasir Khan from Kashmir, Noman Al Sheikh from Karachi, Ahmer Khan from Rawalakot, Danish Butt from Islamabad and Mudabbir Khan from Lahore on becoming the top ten ubeer talented musicians. We wish them the best of luck for the final round.

Umair Jaswal had hit the waves and encouraged the unheard crooners to send in their entries for amazing prizes and an opportunity to get their song produced by a leading music producer of Pakistan and the response was phenomenal with more than a 1000 entries received. These were then short listed to 125 and uploaded to the Bajao.pk app and social media platforms for voting. They were then short listed to 25. The third round short listed the top ten and now is time for the final three winners. In this final round they have been given three new hashtags (#ManzilKPas, #ChaltayRahay, #KhwabMere) to create original songs. And we can wait to hear what amazing music they will create in this round.

The three rounds of the competition have been designed to gage the full range of music abilities of the individuals to pick the best three winners who will receive cash prizes and the top winner will also have an original song produced by Sarmag Ghafoor.

The “Nayi Awaaz” competition is hosted by Yashal Shahid, Bilal Khan, and Abdullah Qureshi, and Umair Jaswal will announce the winners at the end of the competition.

Craze for music making amongst youngsters of Pakistan is unmatchable and underground artists hardly find a suitable platform to showcase their talent. Bajao.Pk responded to this relentless passion and provided a platform for rising stars.

The concept behind Bajao.Pk’s “Nayi Awaaz” initiative is to provide an online music competition platform unlike any singing/music show on Television by creating a pool of talented artists who will make the future of music industry in Pakistan. Bajao.Pk`s mission is to introduce a new voice in the music industry.

In the first round participants were free to sing a cover song of their choice. Consequently, 125 contestants were shortlisted. Their videos and profiles were shared on social media and the Bajao.Pk app and opened for voting from everyone in Pakistan. The contestants started their own campaigns on social media to get votes, and it was great to see the fun and healthy competition. After the voting lines were closed the marks were contestants were calculated and 25 top contestants were short listed for round two.

The actual thrill started from round two where the contestants were given 3 hashtags (#DilKeAwaaz, #NayaRasta, #ManzilSeDoor) on which they had to create their original song in a time span of only 5 days to assess their creativity in writing lyrics and composing their own song. The response from these talented artists was amazing. They made soulful songs for this round and their full songs were uploaded on the Bajao.Pk app under the section of round 2 where everyone from Pakistan could vote for their favorite artists once again. The selection for this round was based on 50% weightage of votes and 50% weightage of marks given by the judges.

To stay updated please download the Bajao Music App and follow the Bajao.pk Facebook @Bajao and Instagram @Bajaomusic.

Bajao.pk is an indigenous Pakistani music service that carries over a million audio and video tracks covering all the golden hits and latest Pakistani and international songs. Users can experience all this and exciting curated playlists ad free on the go, with or without internet access.