Lahore: Warner Music Group (WMG) has teamed with Giraffe, a Pakistani company formed by CEO Muhammad Ibrahim and Xulfi, the stage name of renowned artist Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan. Giraffe is one of South Asia’s top music and audio production organizations.
With almost 250 million people, Pakistan is a rapidly expanding market for recorded music. Its repertoire is especially well-liked by the 90 million Punjabi and Urdu speakers who live outside of Pakistan.
With the support of the professionals behind some of South Asia’s most captivating music platforms and international singles, like “Pasoori” by Shae Gill and Ali Sethi, this agreement will assist Warner Music in creating a new A&R source in Pakistan. Giraffe and Warner Music will now collaborate on the upcoming Coke Studio Season 15 season.
Giraffe was created in 2017 in Pakistan and has a strong history producing some of South Asia’s most sought music series, including Drummers of Pakistan, Nescafé Basement and Red Bull Music Sound Clash, as well as non-music content such as Dhak Dhak Goal and Shan Kitchen. More recently, it has overseen the creation of Coke Studio — Pakistan’s biggest cultural export and a show recognized for fostering pluralism, discourse and multi genre collaboration.
Composer, guitarist, and producer Xulfi was a co-founder of the bands Entity Paradigm and Call, which were both critically and commercially successful. In addition, he has contributed songs and production work to several noteworthy Bollywood productions.
CEO Muhammad Ibrahim attended the University of Bristol and began his professional career as an accountant. After entering the media in 2012, he has worked on many initiatives including Nescafé Basement, where he was instrumental in the formation of Pakistan’s first all-girl band.
Xulfi declares: “I think the adventure will be both lovely and exciting. Our goal has always been to create work that serves as a bridge for global communication. Warner Music will assist in promoting Pakistani musicians and their artistic endeavors while also making use of its enormous worldwide clout. Pakistani artists are gifted, varied, and have a natural capacity for surprise.
“This partnership is exciting for us at Giraffe on many levels and is, in a way, a testament to Giraffe’s long-standing commitment to fostering a conducive environment, which will ultimately benefit both existing performers and a new wave of Pakistani artists,” continues Muhammad Ibrahim. In addition to continuing to create cutting-edge material, we are excited to sign new artists and nurture our existing talent.
“Pakistan offers huge opportunities for a global music company,” says Alfonso Perez Soto, President of Warner Music’s Emerging Markets division. Xulfi and Ibrahim have shown themselves to be exceptional A&Rs through the powerhouse that is Coke Studio, and their contributions to Warner Music’s expansion in the area will be invaluable. We will work together to find and nurture musicians who have the ability to reach a global audience.
In closing, Simon Robson, President of Warner Music Group’s International Recorded Music division, said, “As we collaborate with Giraffe to create a foothold in Pakistan, this is a historic moment for Warner Music.” We can provide gifted artists from Pakistan with an opportunity to shine on an international scale thanks to its local A&R knowledge and our extensive worldwide network.
For more information, visit: https://www.instagram.com/giraffepakistan/
