Early Life & Background

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was born on October 13, 1948, in Lyallpur (now Faisalabad), Pakistan, into a family with a 600-year tradition of Qawwali music. He was the fifth child and first son of Fateh Ali Khan, a renowned musicologist, Qawwal, and classical musician.

Nusrat began learning music at age nine and started performing with his father's Qawwali party in 1964. His official public performance as the leader of the Qawwali party came in 1971 after his father's death, marking the beginning of an extraordinary musical journey.

Rise to Prominence

Nusrat's breakthrough came in the late 1970s when he began performing on Pakistan Television. His powerful voice, incredible vocal range, and spiritual intensity quickly captured the nation's attention.

Throughout the 1980s, Nusrat revolutionized Qawwali by:

• Introducing new forms and techniques while preserving traditional essence
• Collaborating with Western artists, creating fusion music
• Performing at international world music festivals
• Recording for international record labels

International Recognition

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan became the first Qawwal to perform at major concert halls across Europe, North America, and Japan. His international collaborations included work with:

He performed at prestigious venues including:

• Royal Albert Hall, London
• Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York
• Olympia Hall, Paris
• Opera House, Sydney