Feature by Brig Syed Karrar Hussain Retired
ABOUT QALANDARI BAND
Qalandari Band is a genre-defying South Asian music project that fuses ancient Sufi poetry and Eastern classical music with EDM, jazz, and rap, creating a powerful global sound rooted in spiritual freedom and cultural authenticity.
Inspired by the Qalandari Sufi tradition—known for rejecting materialism and embracing inner truth—the band’s music is not merely performative, but transformative. Qalandari Band positions itself as a cultural and spiritual movement, reconnecting modern audiences with timeless wisdom through contemporary soundscapes.
Based between Austin, Texas, and Pakistan, Qalandari Band bridges continents, generations, and genres.
ARTISTS
Ustad Waseem Abbas Khan
Vocalist | Composer | Gwalior Gharana
Ustad Waseem Abbas Khan is a fifteenth-generation representative of the legendary Gwalior Gharana, one of the oldest schools of Hindustani classical music, tracing its lineage to Mian Tansen. He is the son of Ustad Ahmed Ali Khan and a veteran performer on PTV, HUM TV, GTV, and other major Pakistani networks.
Trained rigorously from childhood, his voice carries centuries of classical discipline, spiritual depth, and South Asian musical heritage. The Gwalior Gharana has also given the world icons such as Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, placing Ustad Waseem within a living continuum of musical history.
> Quote — Ustad Waseem Abbas Khan:
“After Fajr and Tahajjud, my father woke me at 5 a.m. for riyaaz. Morning, afternoon, night—this discipline made the music personal and truthful. We are leading this movement across Asia, America, the UK, and the world.”
Dr. Sarah Farid
Vocalist | DJ | Lyricist | Cultural Strategist
Dr. Sarah Farid is an Austin-based attorney, author, DJ, vocalist, and educator, bringing global perspective and narrative depth to Qalandari Band. Through her work with The Century International, she actively connects artists across continents, shaping cross-cultural dialogue.
She is also the creator and host of “Agents of Change”, Pakistan’s only global podcast filmed between Karachi and Austin, spotlighting filmmakers, writers, and theater artists working toward a more conscious future. Dr. Farid teaches creative writing in Austin and writes lyrics and spoken-word elements for Qalandari Band.
> Quote — Dr. Sarah Farid:
“Our sound is a chemical blend of home, longing, identity reconstruction, and truth. It soothes the soul in a world that is constantly distracted.”
THE QALANDARI SOUND
Qalandari Band uniquely combines:
Sufi poetry
Ghazal and Eastern classical forms
EDM and electronic textures
Jazz improvisation
Spoken word and rap
This fusion is intentional, spiritual, and narrative-driven, preserving classical integrity while speaking to global, contemporary audiences.
> Artist Statement:
“We are not erasing tradition—we are allowing it to breathe in the present.”
PHILOSOPHY & VISION
Qalandari Band is rooted in:
Freedom from materialism
Spiritual fulfillment
Cultural reclamation
Borderless artistic expression
The band rejects rigid genre labels and commercial formulas, instead offering music as a meditative, emotional, and human experience.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
🎶 Fifteen-generation Gwalior Gharana legacy meets global modern sound
🌍 Based between Pakistan and Austin, Texas
🕊️ Inspired by ancient Qalandari Sufi philosophy
🎧 Unique fusion of classical, Sufi, EDM, jazz, and rap
🎙️ Led by internationally active cultural creators
📡 Connected to a global arts network across three continents
MEDIA & PRESS ANGLES
“Reviving Sufi music for the digital generation”
“How South Asian classical music is evolving globally”
“Women leadership and cross-continental collaboration in music”
“From Gwalior Gharana to global EDM culture”
“Music as spiritual resistance to materialism”
UPCOMING RELEASE
🎵 Debut Single: Coming Soon
Qalandari Band’s first single promises a transcendent human experience, blending ancient spiritual wisdom with contemporary sonic expression. The release marks the beginning of a larger body of work aimed at redefining South Asian indie music on the world stage.
TAGLINE OPTIONS (FOR MEDIA USE)
“Ancient Sufi wisdom. A future-facing sound.”
“Where South Asian tradition meets global consciousness.”
“Not just music—a movement.”
