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Trending in Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s World

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Quick Facts

Born
1973

From
Pakistan

Journey

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is a vocalist whose mastery of Qawwali, Sufi devotional music, Ghazal, and Filmi song has placed him among the most prominent voices in South Asian music. He is the grandson of Qawwali singer Fateh Ali Khan, the son of Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan, and the nephew of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a lineage that established him within one of the most distinguished traditions in devotional music. Rahat's career began in earnest in 1997, the year he assumed leadership of the band previously led by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. From that foundation, he built a body of work spanning nearly three decades across labels including Hi-Tech Music Ltd, Saregama India Ltd, Major Moves, Times Music, and Speed Records. His discography features recordings such as "Mann Ki Lagan," "Sajna Main Ghaman De," "Satnam Waheguru," "Laal," and "Laal Sufi," titles that reflect his range across devotional and cinematic songs. Alongside his solo catalog, Rahat has collaborated with an array of international and cross-genre artists, including Eddie Vedder on the Dead Man Walking soundtrack in 1995, composer James Horner for The Four Feathers in 2002, the Derek Trucks Band on Maki Madni in 2002, vocalist Shreya Ghoshal on Teri Meri in 2011, and the production duo Salim-Sulaiman on the Back 2 Love album. His work as a playback singer has made him a recognized presence in both Hindi cinema and the Pakistani film industry. The recognition Rahat has received reflects the breadth of his reach across the music industry. In 2011 alone, he claimed the IIFA Award, the Filmfare Award, and the Apsara Award for Best Male Playback Singer, a rare convergence of honors that marked a high point in his cinematic career. Over the course of his career, he has received multiple Lux Style Awards, multiple UK Asian Music Awards, multiple Mirchi Music Awards, ARY Film Awards, and Hum Awards. The University of Oxford conferred upon him an Honorary Doctorate of Music in 2019, a distinction that acknowledged both the depth of his craft and the global reach of his contribution to Qawwali and Sufi music. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan continues to stand at the center of a living tradition, carrying forward a musical legacy shaped across generations.