What happens when the insanely talented Abdullah Siddiqui collaborates on a song with the insanely popular Shamoon Ismail? What happens is a single that transcends several sound clouds to deliver a track that is irresistible. These two contemporary artistes have gathered quite a following in recent times; one sings Electronic and Experimental pop in English while the other has mastered a genre called Punjabi Blues. Abdullah has been writing, composing and producing music since 2015 but he shot to fame with his hit single, ‘Resistance’ and has since then appeared on Nescafe Basement as well as Pepsi Battle of the Bands; he was also nominated at the Lux Style Awards for Best Emerging Artist. Last year he released a 9-track album called Metannoya and while the 18-year old from Lahore is currently at Uni studying Computer Studies, he’s simultaneously busy working on his next album. This collaboration, ‘Kids’ is the first track from his upcoming album, Heterotopia.
In an exclusive conversation with SomethingHaute, Abdullah explained that Kids is, in fact, a song about the entertainment industry. “It was my attempt to capture my time in music, and my observances about the culture of celebrity and media,” he said. However, he further conveyed that it’s more detailed than that. Saying, “…beyond that, it’s about imposter syndrome — the feeling that you don’t deserve to belong among successful people — and the insecurities attached to it.”Â
Talking about this upcoming album, Abdullah mentioned that there’s a lot more in store. “There’s going to be a few more singles from the album in the coming weeks before the whole thing drops in late July. It has 14 songs, and I’m really excited for everyone to hear them,” he said.
It seems that his fans can’t contain their excitement either. Since releasing a couple of days ago, ‘Kids’ has picked up amazing feedback. Some fans went as far as saying that this is the kind of music they’ve been waiting their entire lives for.
“Shamoon and I met for the first time after a show he played in Lahore, and right then we decided we should work together,” said Abdullah when asked about how this incredible collaboration happened. “We exchanged a few ideas and demos, but this track began when I sat down and decided to write something specifically for Shamoon to be on. In watching his career from afar, it just felt as if this would be a topic that he would have a lot to say on, and I’m so lucky that he did,” he added.
The song is soulful and the message behind it is just as deep. ‘Kids’ is a comment on pop culture and the superficial demands it makes on artists, leaving them in self-doubt and fragile.
We’ll be waiting for the next track from this album eagerly. Mental health, especially amongst teenagers and public figures, has been a matter of great concern since several high profile suicides brought attention to the cause. It’s great that young artists like Abdullah Siddiqui, who have rising popularity and influence, can change perceptions through their music.
