Composition wise, Sufi Rwak songs have lot of high pitched variarions with sudden abrupt prolonged twists n turns, along with majority of Urdu lyrics sung n pronounced in a Punjabi (Lahore) style.

Surely, Sufi Rwak FUZION has its roots n origination from da pure Pakistani Pop genre (i.e. da popular Pakistani bands over da years) whereby Pakistani became Sufi in terms of vocal singing style and Pop became Rock (or rather aka Rwak) in terms of heavy rhythmic mix of modern contemporary new-age music arrangement.

This is not to be confused with PURE Sufi / Qawali compositions that are much 'softer' in their orchestration, much 'slower' in tempo and more 'native traditional' in instruments e.g. couple of AR Rehman's compositions in Jodha Akbar who is known to be good in this unadulterated genre and our very own Himesh bhai's composition Aawah Aakhiyaan Jaawan Akhiyaan from Ahista Ahista.

Attributes n Traits of Sufi Rwak / Ustad singers:

> They sing mostly with fulltu high pitched emphasis vocals, with a tendency of deliberate forced screaming / shouting in alaaps that creates a shaking effect in their voice.

> They pour their heart n soul into da song to sing with tremendous zeal and vigour, gaane me puri dil-o-jaan daal dete hain aur pura zor laga dete hain (dard, tadap n ehsaas ke saath) jaise ke sar par ik junoon sa chaaya hua hai.

> They have their own unique USP in their vocal texture / tonal quality i.e. when they sing with high pitched emphasis vocals, unke awaaz mein ek alag si kashish hoti hai.

> There is a casual rawness in their vocals.

So what are da elements that differentiate a Sufi Rwak singer of Ustad stature / status (e.g. Himesh, Nusrat, Krishna) from a typical Hindustani / Desi singer (e.g. Udit Narayan, Kumar Sanu, Sonu Nigam).

The great Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

nusrat1

There have to be reasons as to why Late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was termed as a LEGENDARY Sufi Rwak singer.

His USP was that at high pitch, his voice used to CRACK UP (jaise doodh phat jata hai), which used to create this off-da-hook kashish (just listen to all of his most popular songs Afreen Afreen, Kache Dhaage, Ishq Ka Rutba etc).

While in da same frame, his nephew Rahat Fateh Ali Khan who has learnt all da tricks-n-trades of this genre that were passed onto him by his uncle via live tour concerts and personalized one-on-one riyaaz sessions is an also ace in this art.

Krishna Beura

krishna_beura1

He is another born Sufi Rwak singer.

His intense emphasis vocals create kashish.

Examples:

> HAAAAI (off-da-hook ustad intense emphasis vocals that give SIKE) from 2.42 to 2.44, 2.49 to 2.50, 4.32 to 4.34, 4.39 to 4.40 and vocal alaap in between 1st & 2nd gap n RABBA from MUSAFIR CLUB.

> HAAAAI (off-da-hook ustad intense emphasis vocals that give SIKE) from 2.38 to 2.40, 4.12 to 4.14, 4.22 to 4.25 & 6.38 to 6.41 in MAIN JAHAAN RAHU ORIGINAL SOLO VERSION from NAMASTEY LONDON.

> GAYEEEEEE (off-da-hook ustad intense emphasis vocals) from 2.16 to 2.18 & 3.43 to 3.46 in HAR SAANS from ZINDA LOUNGE.

Ustad Himesh Reshammiya

Firstly, he too sings with off-da-hook intense emphasis vocals that give kashish ehsaas and sike to da listener.

Examples (of awaaz mein kashish):

> HAAAAI (off-da-hook ustad intense emphasis vocals that give SIKE) from 1.08 to 1.09 & 1.32 to 1.34 in AAP KI KASHISH from AASHIQ BANAYA AAPNE.

> HAAI from 0.33 to 0.34, 0.37 to 0.38 & 0.41 to 0.42, HUEEE (off-da-hook ustad intense emphasis vocals that give SIKE) from 0.49 to 0.51 & 4.57 to 4.59 in AHISTA AHISTA TITLE TRAX.

> HAI (off-da-hook high pitched fulltu emphasis vocals) from 1.14 to 1.15 & 1.57 to 1.58 in MILE HO TUM TOH from DIL DIYA HAI.

> DIL KE RUBARU (off-da-hook raw casual intense emphasis ustad vocals that give SIKE) from 2.18 to 2.21 in AARZOO from MR FRAUD.

> HAAI (ustad intense emphasis vocals) at 2.33 & 2.46 in CHAHE GILA KARO from AAP KA SUROOR.

> HAAI at 1.10, 2.00, 3.13, 3.29, 4.38, 5.06 & 5.19 in NAMUMKIN from SHAKA LAKA BOOM BOOM.

Secondly, his emphasis pronounciation of Urdu / Punjabi lyrics.

Examples:

> Lines KISA PURANA YAAR AAGAYA in SANU GUZRA ZAMANA from KAJRAARE.

> Lines CHAKNE MILA KAR MAHIYA DERIYAAN PAKNE LAGI HAIN PYAAR KI BERIYAAN in TERIYAAN MERIYAAN from KAJRAARE.

> HAIN (off-da-hook Ustad emphasis vocals) from 5.47 to 5.48 & 5.53 to 5.54 in AFREEN from KAJRAARE.

> WAADA TENU from AAP KA SUROOR.

> SIGDI TU LAGDI in SIGDI from FOOL N FINAL.

> JAANIYAAA from 1.06 to 1.07, MAAHIYAAA from 1.16 to 1.17, ROOH at 2.55, & AAFSA-RNA from 3.03 to 3.04 in LAGI CHUTE NA from ROCKY - THE REBEL.

> FURQAT KI (emphasis ustad vocals) 1.33 to 1.36 & 4.43 to 4.47 in TERI YAAD BICHAKE SOTA HOON from ROCKY - THE REBEL.

> ULFAT ULFAT from 0.44 to 0.46, 0.51 to 0.53, RUBARU from 1.14 to 1.15, HAAH at 5.12, & MERI from 5.31 to 5.32 in ULFAT from NANHE JAISELMER.

Conclusion:

Jis hisab se yeh teeno gayak kahin harkat pakadte hai apni gaayeki mein, there are evident similarities between them that distinguishes and sets them apart with their distinctive stamp of Sufi Rwak singers which is a brand of singing in itself.

The key thing to be noted is that while any singer could borrow from the above mentioned attributes of Sufi Rwak singers, but still a" true" Sufi Rwak singer is a "born" Sufi Rwak singer because his TONAL TEXTURE / VOCAL QUALITY with a CASUAL RAWNESS which is his USP / X-factor as a Sufi Rwak singer creates a KASHISH in its own unique way at those select pitch ranges with intense emphasis vocals.

Having said this, Sufi Rwak comes naturally to Himesh - the singer.

The yesteryear legends may have invented Sufi Rwak fuzion, but Himesh has totally mastered it to da ultimate core and carried forward its old school legacy by being its torch bearer (both as a composer and singer) in this gen X / new world order.

Relating this above statement to cricketing terms, yeh to wahi baat ho gayi jaise ki...Cricket was Invented by da English but was mastered by da Indians.