From folktales to frontlines

Amjad Mirani is telling the story of Sindh one song at a time

Arts and music have always had a close relationship with resistance and revolution. One can see it in popular anthems which wake people up to resist authoritarian governments, societal injustices or merely understand their rights.

For Sindhi lyricist and vocalist Amjad Mirani, music serves the same purpose. “Music is such an art form that if we don’t use it for resistance and revolution, it’s useless,” he says.

Abri to Karachi

Born in a small village Abri, nearly 20 kilometres from Larkana, Amjad moved to Larkana in 2017 and then to Karachi in 2023.

While the 21-year-old started making music in 2021, he spent his childhood listening to Sindhi folk tales and traditional music. These stories became deeply embedded in his core. “I was surrounded by the stories of Sassui, Marvi and everyone, all the folk tales, in my village. Sindhi poetry inspired me a lot. And as I grew up, I started reading more and then eventually pursued it.”

Even though Amjad had been releasing songs for a few years with Kaashi Haider serving as his first music producer (they continue to work together till this day), he realised he should take music seriously once he moved to Karachi. And his collaborations with Sindhi rapper and music producer Babar Mangi were the perfect way of doing so.

Together, the duo has released many songs together – from Enda Enda, Lapata, and Musafir  to Busin ja Dhika, Hayati and Sada Marhon.

“We work well together,” says Amjad. “He has his own ideas and melodies. I have my own. So, when we sit together, interesting combinations come out.” The two have several more tracks they intend to release in the future.

Amjad shares that his goal is to spread Sindhi music, arts and folklore globally and even collaborate with artists of other cultures, especially in South Asia. But right now, he is happy that Sindhi arts and music are slowly getting a bit of recognition in the Pakistani mainstream.

He himself has performed in Lahooti Melo and Nescafe Basement, and his music has won hearts among the Indian audience online as well. “The interest is there and people appreciate it. If people keep demanding it, it will spread even further and people will know what our music is.”

Reality and resistance

For Amjad, music is a “powerful tool for political activism.” Through music, he believes he can talk about people’s issues and resistance, create awareness, and express himself.

“As a Sindhi musician, it’s our duty to use our music to talk about what we want as a people, as well as what the river needs and how the river feels. We have to talk about the pain of the Indus River. It is important to me that I use my voice for these purposes.”

Be it through sombre or mellow melodies or in a fun, quirky satirical way, Amjad’s music and poetry definitely presents the ground realities of Sindh. “Satire works well because people enjoy the humorous touch and find it relatable.”

Most often, when artists born with a silver spoon talk about such ideas, it seems disingenuous since it becomes obvious they have no connection to the issues. The audience understands, whether we admit or not, that it’s being done for clout. But with artists such as Amjad, one can tell they have lived through the experiences they talk about in their art. His music becomes a diary of the times he’s lived in.