Written by: Muhammad Awais
Posted on: June 16, 2021 | 
Sajjad Ali Singing at Coke Studio
Very few in Pakistan’s music history have enjoyed the kind of longevity and popularity as the popular singer Sajjad Ali. As a semi-classical musician who has served as a bridge between Eastern Classical and 80’s pop, Ali has remained fresh and interesting to listen to throughout his career. His commitment and devotion to his craft has allowed him to ride the waves of musical history in Pakistan, and still emerge the Prince of Pakistani pop music.
Sajjad Ali was born in Karachi in 1966, and his father Shafqat Hussain (Sajan) was a famous actor and cricketer. As a child musical protégée, he attempted to sing the likes of Mehdi Hassan, Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Amanat Ali Khan at the age of 7, in his first album ‘Master Sajjad Sings Memorable Classics’. Television work came by sporadically afterwards, but it was not until the age of 14 that he acquired fame with Shoaib Mansoor’s PTV production ‘Silver Jubilee’.
After he completed his F.A. from the National Arts College of Karachi and briefly studied piano at the University of Karachi, Ali shifted his focus to classical training. He belongs to the Kasur Patiala Gharana, a musical brotherhood that has origins in Patiala, India and with whom he shares familial ties. He trained using the songs of fellow Patiala Gharana giants Bade Ghulam Ali Khan and Ustad Barkat Ali Khan, and briefly worked with Ustad Bade Ghulam Ali Khan’s son Ustad Munawar Ali Khan from India.
An important moment in Ali’s career came in 1983, when he sang ‘Lagi Ray Lagay Lagan Yehe Dil Mein’ and ‘Banwari Chakori’ during a PTV show, the latter of which was previously sung by Noor Jehan. While that cover earned him quite a lot of attention, it was after the release of his own composition ‘Babia’, that Sajjad Ali became a successful and bona fide star vocalist.
Sajjad Ali Bhanwari Chakori in 1983 for PTV
Following ‘Babia’s’ success, Ali went on to release several prolific albums, such as ‘Babia 93’, ‘Chief Sahib’ and ‘Sohni Lag Di’, frequently collaborating with his brothers Waqar and Lucky, who are also singers. Although Ali was trained in Eastern Classical, his area of interest were the upbeat pop melodies that became in-demand in the 1980’s. His catchy pop songs with sharp lyrics struck a chord with people of the 80’s and early 90’s, made unique by his soft, melodious and soulful voice. Even in his recent single ‘Har Zulm’ that was released in 2013, fans lauded and appreciated his ability to control the tempo and pitch of his voice, allowing him to make a meaningful delivery of his lyrics.
Sajjad Ali (R) with his Brothers Waqar Ali (L) and Lucky Ali (C)
Sajjad Ali continued to work in the early 2000s, when most of the industry was either performing underground or not writing new songs. In 2006, he released ‘Chal Rein De’ with a composition similar to his classical training. But in the same year, he also made ‘Sajjad-Ali Sinsym Fligh’ with more experimental, jazzy elements that also incorporated folk beats. He continued to produce more albums, which often include previously unheard songs as well as newer renditions of his best hits.
Ali is also no stranger to the film industry, as he directed his first film ‘Love Letter’ in 1989, and a full-length motion picture ‘Aik Aur Love Story’, in 1998. He has acted on occasion, and has also composed theme songs for popular television dramas like ‘Naa Tum Jaano Na Hum’ and ‘Sunn Leyna’. He also teamed up again with director Shoaib Mansoor, writing songs for Mansoor’s hit film ‘Bol’ in 2011.
Sajjad Ali Performing Onstage
In recent years, Ali has been a regular staple at Coke Studio, singing hits such as ‘Tum Naraz Ho’ and ‘Ronay Na Diya’ (with his daughter Zaw Ali). However, the difficulty of arranging concerts and financing albums independent of external funding in recent years, has left Ali largely disillusioned by the direction which the music industry has taken.
Sajjad and His Daughter Zaw Ali
“Why would I release these songs when there are no concerts happening? It’s pointless to invest in something which has no return and above all, no respect,” the singer explained, when asked about making another album.
Still, he perseveres, and has attempted to innovate on technological developments in music, while staying true to his classical roots. Alongside with putting up new music on his YouTube page, he has also released ‘Sajjad Ali’s Masterclass’, as a series of online tutorials that would help upcoming musicians learn the basics of vocal training, audio production, songwriting and more. For him, the core values of music are the discipline and passion with which one must practice the craft, and Ali places great importance in composing one’s own songs, rather than building a career on covering other songs.
“You’ll laugh if I tell you the kind of equipment on which Har Zulm was recorded,” he remarked in an interview. “No matter what the genre may be, songwriting will remain the central idea behind memorable music, and that can only be improved with more exposure to all sorts of music and a yearning for experimenting.”
Sajjad Ali with His Sitara-i-Imtiaz Award
If people have called Alamgir, the King of Pakistani Pop Music, then Sajjad Ali deserves the title of ‘Prince of Pop’, with his catchy romantic ballads and upbeat pop tunes. In his career of almost five decades, he has released over 20 albums, still listened to and adored by his fans. He has moved beyond genres, and has kept his unique sound fresh in each era of Pakistan’s music history.
Babia 93
Despite his pessimistic remarks about the future of Pakistani music, he is the product of a certain artistic method that is vanishing from the mainstream musical scene. He maintains an integrity that speaks of his training in a historic musical brotherhood, and his understanding of art as something that should be independent of commercial endorsements. As new generations are introduced to his prolific and popular songs, the Pakistani music industry can perhaps reimagine what it means to maintain one’s craft and technique despite the changing times.
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