1982 — today
Two decades,
in order.
A grandfather who played piano, a father who sang, and a fourteen-year-old who built his own recording studio rather than wait for one. Everything after that came out of the same room.
“Personally, I have always enjoyed creating music far more than singing.”
A composer and producer first, and a singer second — the studio came years before anyone had heard the voice.
Raised on Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and on film composers — Mancini, Williams, Santaolalla. Both show up in the arrangements: nothing decorative, everything doing a job.
Lahore, the nineties
He was fourteen
when this was taken.
Speed of Sound was one room and one machine, learned by working it. Almost everything that followed was made there.
The timeline
The order it happened in.
- 19821982
Born into it
Born in Lahore into a musical family. His grandfather, Master Sadiq Ali, was a well-known pianist and his father, Sajid Ali, was a singer. He began learning music at seven, though for a while he wanted to play cricket for Pakistan.
- Early 90sEarly 90s
Karachi, and the pop boom
The family moved to Karachi just as Pakistani pop music was taking off. He was in the right city at the right time, and close enough to the studios to want one of his own.
- 19961996
Speed of Sound
At fourteen he built his own recording studio and called it Speed of Sound. Almost everything below was made there.
The studio
- 20002000
Producing Haroon
He produced Haroon's first solo album, Haroon Ki Awaz. Many more albums for other singers followed.
Producing
- 20032003
Parastish
He produced and arranged Ahmed Jahanzeb's second album. The two have worked together ever since.
- 20052005
Tera Woh Pyar
His first song as a singer. It became a hit, and years later he rebuilt it for Coke Studio.
- 20072007
Khuda Kay Liye
Shoaib Mansoor asked him to sing for the film. It changed Pakistani cinema, and his voice went with it into homes across the country.
Cinema
- 20082008
Yeh Hum Naheen
He wrote and produced an anti-terrorism song sung by many of Pakistan's best-known singers together. The petition that went with it set a Guinness World Record.
World record
- 20112011
Bol, and an anthem
Another Shoaib Mansoor film, and Josh-e-Junoon for the national cricket team — his first song written for the whole country.
- 2014 — 20192014 — 2019
The OST years
Mann Mayal, Baaghi, Alif, Pukaar, Sanam. He wrote and sang the title songs for many of the biggest dramas of the time, and won a Lux Style Award for Baaghi.
Drama
- 20162016
Coke Studio, Season 9
Coke Studio brought him in as one of its music directors. He wrote Aaqa for Abida Parveen and Ali Sethi, along with Khaki Banda and a new version of Tera Woh Pyar.
Coke Studio
- 2017 — 20202017 — 2020
Season after season
Allahu Akbar, Jaan-e-Baharan, Baanware, Dam Mast Qalandar, Aatish, Jind Mahiya, Saiyaan, Har Funn Maula. He came back season after season.
- 20182018
Parwaaz Hai Junoon
He wrote the songs for the Air Force film Parwaaz Hai Junoon, made with ISPR. More work for the Armed Forces followed.
- 20202020
The Idol Online
During Covid he started an online talent hunt with no sponsor behind it, just to find new singers. Thousands entered in the first week.
Idol Online
- 20222022
Shad Rahay Pakistan
He wrote, composed and sang this national song for ISPR with Yashal Shahid.
- NowNow
Shuja Haider Records
His own label, his own studio, and now teaching. The masterclass is where he passes on how he works.
The school
In the room with
On the other side of the glass.
- Abida Parveen
- Strings
- Ali Zafar
- Haroon
- Ahmed Jahanzeb
- Ali Sethi
- Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan
- Momina Mustehsan
- Aima Baig
- Umair Jaswal
- Meesha Shafi
- Asim Azhar
- Quratulain Balouch
- Sanam Marvi
- Zeb & Haniya
- Fariha Parvez
- Shehzad Roy
- Rachel Viccaji
- Shoaib Mansoor
- Anwar Maqsood
- Yashal Shahid
- Jabar Abbas
And now,
the teaching.
Everything on this page, taught first-hand — live, online, and worked through on your own material.