Global hit Pasoori opens doors for Pakistani pop

Song has more than 111m views on YouTube and has been heralded for transcending boundaries

From radio stations in Islamabad to the nightclubs of Delhi and house parties in Kathmandu, it is a song that in recent months has been impossible to avoid. As soon as the distinctive opening claps of Pasoori, by the Pakistani singer Ali Sethi and his collaborator Shae Gill, are heard, it is often greeted with a roar of approval.

And it is not just in south Asia: since it was released in February, the song, which draws on traditional and modern musical influences, has gone on to be a global phenomenon and one of Pakistan's most popular musical exports for years. It has more than 111m views on YouTube, it was the first Pakistani song to top Spotify's global viral charts, and the first Pakistani song to enter its official global songs chart.