So, I am totally impressed by the beginning of a Piano round. I like how they have divided the groups for singing & fetching the votes because people can easily remember who to vote for if people are less. So, 8 out of 4 in this week will qualify for the last i-e the gala round.

I must say Bushra Ansari needs to carry herself according to her age. A little ponytail isn’t helping her at all & on the other hand, over the top hairstyles of Hadiqa Kiyani are coming across as disastrous fashion statement. Ali Azmat is safe from all the hairstyles so yeah, no experimenting from his side. While Bushra Ansari was in her flow of over-the-top conversation I couldn’t help but pick the new terminology she uttered & that was 24 carat diamond. As far as I know, gold has the highest range of 24 carat & the biggest diamond is that of 14 carat. May be she had a lot going on in her mind, hence, the mistake!

Anyways, I loved the beginning of the show where all the 8 contestants sang Pakistani songs of Ali Azmat & Hadiqa Kiyani. To see how they have totally changed the appearances of the girls, it didn’t take me by surprise that Nazish was made to leave the show because yeah, a Muhajjaba (the one who wears hijab) wasn’t suitable for such a glam-clad stage.

I was happy to listen to Pakistani songs but a few contestants sang Indian songs, once again defeating the purpose of PAKISTAN IDOL. I hope the contestants make intelligent choices because they are the reps of Pakistan Idol. All the 8 contestants performed really well today & it was also good to know their backgrounds which didn’t have much emotional quotient & it just focused on the celebratory moments all the contestants shared with their friends & family.

The list of those who performed today is as follows:

Fizza Javed (FJ) sang Reshma’s ‘Lambi Judai’. She did her bit well but I think she should’ve gotten some sort of pointers from the judges as well. They just praised & didn’t tell where she made mistakes. It was a decent attempt by her but I think she could’ve done better. Fizza’s mother ain’t supporting her but she strives to earn her support. I think it was something which could’ve been ignored but the contestants feel like sharing their personal space with the viewers so it’s totally cool.

Waqas Ali Vicky (WV) who is a celebrity within himself sang ‘Haath Se Haath Kya Gaya’ sung by Sonu Nigham for a Pakistani movie. I think he nailed it completely. No doubt the feedback he got from the judges was something that he deserved. Waqas Ali Vicky comes from Miyan Chunnu, a small town but still the response he got was overwhelming. I hope he makes it to the top 3 as he is really good.

Waqas Ehsin (WE) of Islamabad sang Shafqat Amanat Ali’s ‘Ankhon Ke Sagar’. I think he could’ve done better & for the same reason he got some comments from the judges which suggested him to improve. Even though he was older to many contestants, his singing had a lot of space for improvement but yes his voice was really nice.

Abdul Ahad Khan (AA) from Karachi sang Aaroh’s ‘Na Kaho’. It was a decent attempt by him but nothing too impressive. The judges didn’t seem to be convinced but neither did they criticise him. He was good but not extra-ordinary.

Rosemary (RM) sang Lata’s ‘Bahon Mai Chalay Ao’. I think she slowed down the pace of the song a little too much. Even though the song is slow but it has a little mischievous touch to it, she sang appropriately but ignored the essence of the song making it look like a normal melody. She got a huge round of applause & some amazing remarks from the judges. I still wish she qualifies.

Syed Sajjid Abbas (AA) sang Ustaad Amanat Ali’s ‘Aa Mere Pyaar Ki Khushbu’. He was brilliant but like Ali Azmat said, he wasn’t audible when he sang with the music. When he sang without the band on Bushra Ansari’s demand, he was just effortlessly amazing.

Waqas Ali (WA) of Rawalpindi sang Kishor Kumar’s ‘Ek Hasina Thi’. He was just perfect & the experience he has in this field was pretty evident in his singing. Hadiqa Kiyani said Kishor’s songs are hard to perform whereas Kishor Kumar is the only singer who can be easily copied & followed. Ali Zafar is another living example of someone who takes it quite obviously after Kishor Kumar. Ali Azmat’s comments seemed justified this time.

Midhat Hidayat (MH) sang Lata’s old hindi classic ‘Lag Ja Galay’. She was good at it too & seems like she has full support of Ali Azmat because he is totally impressed by her voice & yes he has all the reasons to be impressed because considering her age, she is really good.

So, these were the people who performed today. Seems like voting lines are opened till Saturday 12AM PST. Who are you guys voting for?

I wish Waqas Ali Vicky, Rosemary, Syed Sajjid Abbas & Waqas Ali qualify for the next round. Midhat Hidayat was great too so I think it would be a tough competition between Rosemary & Midhat Hidayat. But undoubtedly my favorite from tonight’s episode is Waqas Ali Vicky.

So let’s wait to see the results on Sunday!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Finally the most awaited episode is here. I must say the way they have complied all those short VT’s & some amazing performances in the presence of some great guest judges was amazing. No other way to wrap the season with perfection.

Tina Sani was graceful unlike her certain age-fellow who was OTT as always. Tina Sani’s presence was gracious & the way she dedicated her song ‘Bahar Aai’ to the contestants with her gestures was beautiful. She is a senior artist & she acted like one. Sajjad Ali is Sajjad Ali & his unplugged version of ‘Tumhe Pyaar Mujhse Nahi Hai’ was a treat to listen to. He is just so humble & down to earth that even after performing brilliantly he was conscious whether the audience’d like his performance or not. After Ali Azmat Sajjad Ali is the only one who has acknowleged the band & their contribution to the show. It was a perfect episode with some fantastic performances.

The contestants had to perform a medley first & then a solo song. Shoaib’s explaination for the song selection for the medley was that he wanted to show his serious side to the audience followed by something lively to make his performance memorable. Zamad’s justification for choosing folk songs for his medley was that he wanted to show the younger generation that folk songs can be experimented with & he wanted to bring them back in the limelight.

The commentary on the performances is as follows:

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed NFAK’s ‘Sun Charkhay Di Mitthi Kook’ & Mika Singh’s ‘Sawan Mai Lag Gai Aag’ as a medley. He sang the very first song soulfully & the second one with the exact feel that was the crux of the song. Hadiqa Kiyani said she loved his performance & commented on the energy he carried. She said the first song was difficult & the second one had him doing his signature actions & in totality she loved both the songs. Ali Azmat said it was an enjoyable performance & he loved how Shoaib chose two different genres & performed them together. Tina Sani again was impressed how he performed two different genres together where she felt in one performance he had that substance that was needed whereas the other one was energy-packed. Bushra Ansari commented that she was really happy with Shoaib’s performance & appreciated his take on the sargam this time but she felt that the first song should’ve been a bit more slow for her to enjoy the real emotion behind but she said the second one was flawless. Sajjad Ali said that the first song had a composition of his own & Shoaib’s improvisation was good when he did it once but the way he kept on doing it again & again, it made it look like the improvisation was the actual composition which was not but other than that he sang it really nice. He said that the second song didn’t give away much of his singing skills but it showed the energy & the audience response to it which was amazing.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed Saein Akhtar’s ‘Tere Ishq Nachaya’ & Allan Faqeer’s ‘Tere Ishq Mein Jo Doob Gaya‘ as a medley. I personally liked the second song much better because he changed the feel of the first song & was running out of breath as well. Ali Azmat said that he has proved himself by his hard work & said that as usual both the songs suited his vocal tone. Sajjad Ali said that more or less both the songs belonged to the same genre & said that he can sing different sort of songs as well & by saying this he very subtly mentioned that Zamad needs to experiment & explore other genres as well. Tina Sani mentioned the same thing that both the songs belonged to the same genre but said that he has a powerful & soulful voice. Bushra Ansari said that she enjoyed but mentioned a technical issue his performance had. She spoke about the breathing issues Zamad had through out his performance & again said that he needs to choose songs from the other genres too. Hadiqa Kiyani said that she felt the breathing issue as well & 2nd song had a weak beginning but overall commented on the uniqueness of his voice.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed Sukhwinder Singh’s ‘Lai Vi Na Gai’ as a solo song. It was truly a soulful performance & I was expecting a standing ovation from either of the judges but again this one being a slow song gave a margin to the judges for nitpicking. Sajjad Ali said he sang it like a professional singer & once again commented on the improvisation but he said he did justice to the song. Tina Sani disagreed with Sajjad Ali & said that if a singer is confident & comfortable about a certain change that he makes in the song than it’s perfectly fine & she like his performance. Bushra Ansari felt some issue with his notes. Hadiqa Kiyani agreed with Bushra Ansari & felt that his notes were weak certain times but other than that she also commented that Shoaib did justice to the song 95% & also stated that the actual singer in one-take wouldn’t be able to perform it this well too. Ali Azmat appreciated his song selection & he said Shoaib has impressed him a lot but this time the projection of the lower notes was weak but otherwise he liked his performance.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed NFAK’s ‘Allah Hu’ as a solo song. It was the strongest performance of Zamad in this round. Ali Azmat said that he sang it well & the stages of lower & higher notes in this songs were attempted beautifully but he felt that he was a bit forceful in some of the notes. Tina Sani said it was a very powerful performance but she told both the contestants about how they can control the breathing because she felt Zamad fell short of it by the end of his performance. Bushra Ansari commented that once again Zamad sang a song of the genre which he is comfortable with & felt that he had breathing issues in this performance as well. Hadiqa Kiyani said this is a beautiful Sufi melody & his performance had the feel of it perfect. Sajjad Ali said that this song suited his vocal tone & no doubt he sings this genre really well.

So this was it from the whole episode. Once again we all got to see who is a versatile singer & who isn’t. This time around even the judges including the guest judge Sajjad Ali spoke about Zamad’s song selection & the only genre he performs. I think Zamad had this last chance to hit the nail in the coffin but he didn’t avail the opportunity well. No doubt he sang his bits well but still I think he should’ve shown what he is capable of. In Zamad’s comparison I feel Shoaib stole the show because of his versatility.

I loved the funny bits they shared with us starting from the auditions of the finalists & then the commenting techniques of the judges. Ali Azmat’s VT was really funny & I am glad they didn’t ignore Hadiqa’s controversial hairstyles that have always remained under discussions. It was a humorous & enjoyable episode.

I loved Shoaib’s vote appeal where he clearly said that he is a Pakistani & not a Pathan, Punjabi, Sindhi, Balochi. This is what we needed to hear because people have been categorizing Pakistan Idol as Sindh Idol, Punjab Idol or Pakhtun Idol, which certainly it isn’t. We need to appreciate our talent because by the end of the day they are representing us & our country. So, this is it, now we all are awating the final results. Let’s wait for the best that’s yet to come!!!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Hmmmmmmm, interesting episode but not what I was expecting at this point of the competition. The episode was split into two halves where the contestants had to perform two genres first Bhangra & then Classical with Fuzon performing as their band by their side.

I must say Abrar ul Haq was great & the only guest judge whose performance was worth watching & probably the only performance by the guest judge that I have not only watched but enjoyed as well. He set the mood really high but the note at which the episode ended was disappointing. I didn’t enjoy Fuzon’s presence & looks like they brought out the worst in the contestants. They have created the so-called self-proclaimed best songs but it left the contestants bewildered because to be honest, classical training takes ages or at least when the show started they should’ve notified the contestants to practice classical because they’ll have to face the challenge.

I feel they should’ve conducted the classical round solely where the contestants didn’t have to have a divided focus on some other genre along with this one too because it clearly showed that the contestants focused more on the Bhangra & they tried to perform Classical with the best of their ability but didn’t shine in this genre. I feel just because they had to perform twice, they couldn’t do justice to this particular genre at all & it made the ending of the most awaited episode a lot more boring.

I must comment that Hadiqa Kiyani looked beautiful this time around but Bushra Ansari seems to be defying her age. Someone please get her a rattle & a pacifier because she is becoming a BABY ANSARI. I just can’t imagine where does she get the confidence to be so OTT given her age.

The commentary on the performances of both Bhangra & Classical genre is as follows:

Ali Asad Zaidi (AS) of Karachi performed Sonu Nigam’s ‘Nagara Baja’ in the Bhangra round. I think even though he tried he couldn’t do justice to this genre because naturally being an Urdu speaker he can not bring in the Punjabi touch which is needed for Bhangra songs. Abrar ul Haq commended him on his feel & said he performed it better than his expectations. Ali Azmat felt that his dance moves & body language seemed abrupt & he looked hesitant therefore it affected the feel of his performance but other than that he was in full-form & performed brilliantly. Hadiqa Kiyani said she loved his performance & Bushra (Occhi) Ansari complimented him on his expressions.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed Daler Mehendi’s ‘Mai Dar Di Rab Rab’ in the Bhangra round. Being a Hindko/Pushto speaker he nailed the feel of the Bhangra. Abrar ul Haq said his performance was a wholesome package with expressions & the feel but said the moment he started enjoying himself, that took a toll on his performance. Bushra Ansari said he stole the show. Ali Azmat agreed to Abrar ul Haq but still said that he did maintain the notes & his performance was great. Hadiqa Kiyani praised him a lot, gave him a fighter jet & said that he has improved a lot.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed Abrar ul Haq’s ‘Jatt Charheya Kachehri’ in the Bhangra round. His performance was good because he is a Punjabi speaker & bhangra comes naturally to him but there were clearly some breathing issues & also he forgot the lyrics not once but twice & that’s a MAJOR fault which can not & shouldn’t be ignored at all but he clearly got away with it. Abrar ul Haq said that Zamad is the first person who did justice to Abrar’s bhangra. Hadiqa Kiyani said his performance was the best in terms of notes in comparison to the other two performances. Ali Azmat once again stated the obvious that he had an unfair advantage being a Punjabi speaker but he sang it well. Bushra Ansari commended him on being a sensible singer.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed Shafqat Amanat Ali’s ‘Madhvanti’ in the Classical round. He had such a weak start & he showed his disappointment himself but as he moved along he got his performance under control. Fuzon’s Immu & Shalim praised him for having a strong yet soft touch to his vocal tone. Ali Azmat said that never let the crowd know that you’ve made a mistake, ignore it gracefully & make people forget it but overall praised him for attempting a difficult song & somewhat doing justice to it. Hadiqa Kiyani labeled his performance as a boundary & said she is waiting for the next 6er. Abrar ul Haq said that rehearsel was very important & he was better in the Bhangra round. Bushra Ansari said that being an untrained singer in classical genre, he attempted a very difficult song & it was a good effort.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed Ramez Khan’s ‘Soona Soona’ in the Classical round. His performance was good once again but his mistakes were pretty audible in the lower notes. Immu & Shalim of Fuzon praised him for the scale he chose & said he did a remarkable job. Abrar ul Haq said that Fuzon has very difficult songs but Zamad sang it with such an ease & definitely better than the bhangra round. Bushra Ansari gave him a standing ovation saying he was flawless. Ali Azmat said he was proud of Zamad & also said being a non-classical untrained singer he sang it with ease. Hadiqa Kiyani said his performance was soulful & truthful. She also said that Zamad always owns the songs he sings.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AS) of Karachi performed Ramez Khan’s ‘Neend Na Aye’ in the Classical round. This was again similar to those songs which he always performs but he did sing it well. Shalim & Immu of Fuzon said he improvised & did a great job. Ali Azmat said he had an emotional connection with the song & sang it really well. Abrar ul Haq said he’s God gifted & he must thank Allah for his voice & also gave him a standing ovation. Hadiqa Kiyani said this was the best performance of the night. Bushra Ansari said it was a beautiful but a very difficult song but his notes were just perfect. On a side note I must say the most memorable thing for me in Ali’s performance was the guy behind him holding the rattle-like instrument, his expressions were just brilliant & I had a good laugh.

So, this is what the whole episode was all about. I enjoyed the Bhangra round a lot because it was exactly what we needed at this stage. Not sure who will be eliminated but it would definitely be a shocker because all three of them deserve to be in the final. I have compiled a list of the songs that these contestants have performed starting from the auditions till this last gala round & I must say Mohammad Shoaib & then Ali Asad Zaidi have been the most versatile in their song selection whereas Zamad Baig has mostly performed similar type of songs.

So, here’s the list as a quick recap to their journey & their performances:

Mohammad Shoaib:

Auditions: ‘Kinna Sohna Tennu’ NFAK
Piano Round: ‘Kise Da Yaar Na Wichre’ – NFAK
Gala Round 01: ‘Ranjish Hi Sahi’ – Mehdi Hassan
Gala Round 02: ‘Afreen Afreen’ – NFAK
Gala Round 03: ‘Kaho Na Kaho’ – Aamir Jamal
Gala Round 04: ‘Albela Sajan’ – Ustaad Sultan Khan
Gala Round 05: ‘Na Na Na Re’ – Daler Mehdi
Gala Round 06: ‘Mai Tennu Samjhawan Ki’ – RFAK
Gala Round 07: ‘Watan Ke Sajeele Jawanon’ – Noor Jahan
Gala Round 08: ‘Akhiyan Nu Rehn De’ – Reshma
Gala Round 09: ‘Masti Ke Din Hain’ – Ali Zafar
Gala Round 10: ‘Mast Nazron Se Bachaye’ – NFAK
Gala Round 11: ‘Mai Dardi Rab Rab Kardi’ – Daler Mehendi
Gala Round 11: ‘Madhvanti’ – Shafqat Amanat Ali

Zamad Baig:

Auditions: ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ – NFAK
Piano Round: ‘Kali Kali Zulfon’ – NFAK
Gala Round 01: ‘Kiya Hai Jo Pyaar To’ – Ahmed Rushdi
Gala Round 02: ‘Mukhray Ton Nazran Hawatan’ – NFAK
Gala Round 03: ‘Khuwaab’ – Ali Azmat
Gala Round 04: ‘Teri Deewani’ – Kailash Kher
Gala Round 05: ‘Mai Tera Hero’ – Mika Singh
Gala Round 06: ‘Sanu Ik Pal’ – NFAK
Gala Round 07: ‘Pakistan Pakistan’ – NFAK
Gala Round 08: ‘Jiya Dharak Dharak Jaye’ – RFAK
Gala Round 09: ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq’ – Ali Zafar
Gala Round 10: ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ – NFAK
Gala Round 11: ‘Jutt Charheya Kachehri’ – Abrar ul Haq
Gala Round 11: ‘Soona Soona’ – Ramez Khan

Ali Asad Zaidi:

Auditions: ‘Pappu Yaar Tang Na Kar’ – Ali Azmat
Piano Round: ‘Meinnu Tere Naal’ – Najam Shiraz
Gala Round 01: ‘Dunya Kisi Ke Pyaar Mein’ – Mehdi Hassan
Gala Round 02: ‘Tera Hone Laga Hoon’ – Atif Aslam
Gala Round 03: ‘Sar Kiye Ye Pahar’ – Strings
Gala Round 04: ‘Nadaan Parinday’ – Mohit Chauhan
Gala Round 05: ‘Batameez Dil’ – Benny Dayal
Gala Round 06: ‘Dil Se’ – A.R Rehman
Gala Round 07: ‘Junoon Se Aur Ishq Se’ – Ali Azmat
Gala Round 08: ‘Bin Tere’ – Shehkhar Ravijani
Gala Round 09: ‘Dekha Jo Teri Ankhon Mai’ – Ali Zafar
Gala Round 10: ‘Dam Mast Kalandar’ – NFAK
Gala Round 11: ‘Nagara Baja’ – Sonu Nigham
Gala Round 11: ‘Neend Na Aye’ – Ramez Khan

So, now it’s time for us to anticipate who’d make it to the finals. Let’s wait for the last elimination & wish our respective favorites GOOD LUCK! :)

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW, ALI ASADDDDD ZAIDIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. :/

The competition came to a certain level where all the viewers were actually torn between the top 3 contestants because each one of them is a competent & a well deserving candidate for winning the title. Like I said at this point whoever’d go would leave behind a lot of regrets because everyone has developed an emotional attachment to all these contestants especially the TOP 3.

Sadly, it was Ali Asad Zaidi’s turn this time but I think just because of his outstanding personality & the aura, he already has become a star. Yes, he may not be the winner of the title but he is a winner in his own way. I think if anyone’d remember the first ever lot of Pakistan Idol’s contestants, Ali Asad Zaidi is one of those names who’d never be forgotten.

It was really emotional to see his VT & especially when he shed a few tears. AWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!

Judges like always had some amazing things to say about Ali Asad Zaidi. Whatever Hadiqa Kiyani said was spot on because yes he has stood out the most & we wish him ALL THE BEST & I hope all the eliminated contestants especially Ali Asad Zaidi get to perform in the Grand Finale. It would be treat for all his fans.

Congratulations to the rooters of Zamad Baig & Mohammad Shoaib. The countdown has just begun & now let’s wait for the GRAND FINALE. :)

By the way on a side note, after Ali’s elimination I’d like to mention that those who have questioned the authenticity & the fairness of the voting system might find some peace with what I am about to say. An insider once told me that the management has already chosen Ali Asad Zaidi as a winner & now his elimination says it all. I am glad that the voting system has been declared fair & I believe in it completely, not that I had any doubts but after Ali’s elimination, I’ve got my clear cut answer!

I wish all the luck, happiness, brighter future to our ROCKSTAR Ali Asad Zaidi. By the way was it just me, when Hadiqa Kiyani was giving out her comments about Ali Asad a wishful thinking emerged that she must do a duet with him too because the way Hadiqa has performed all those pop songs, Ali’s voice would fit so well with her, isn’t it? I just couldn’t help recalling her song ‘Hona Tha Pyaar’ a duet she has performed with Atif Aslam, I mean her & Ali’s voice would compliment one another so well in these type of numbers. I hope she does a collab with Ali Asad Zaidi too because that’s going to be a massive hit.

Share your views on this.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Awwww, what a sad elimination. :/ Even though it was what we all somehow expected to happen but now seeing the contestant eliminated really set the mood down.

I liked the pattern of how the contestants were called on stage to hear their results. Indeed what the contestants had to say about their journey in Pakistan Idol was again very interesting. It’s like you do get emotionally attached to such things in life & their feelings came across as pure & straight from their hearts.

It was Ali Asad Zaidi & Zamad Baig who were called for their results. It was pretty evident who’d be in the danger zone & it was Ali Asad Zaidi.

Along with Zamad Baig, Kashif Ali was called to get his results. This time around Zamad Baig was safe & was sent back to the safe zone.

Now it was the time for the last two contestants Kashif Ali & Mohammad Shoaib who had to face their results & yes as expected Kashif Ali was in the danger zone.

Finally, it was time for the moment of truth when Ali Asad Zaidi & Kashif Ali had to hear the final results & sadly but rationally Kashif Ali was eliminated.

To see a young lot of boys cry their wits out for each other was actually something positive to see & spoke volumes about how nice of a people they actually are. It shows their feelings that they had for each other despite being in the competition & even though they all are fighting for the same title, they didn’t  let it affect their relation & they were equally sad for their fellow contestant.

The judges had to say really good things about Kashif Ali because obviously he is a great singer & there’s no doubt about that but what he lacked was the versatility & yes, it does matter in a show like Pakistan Idol. Hadiqa spoke about how much love he has gathered during his journey & how Mohammad Shoaib promised to leave his seat if he wouldn’t make it to the Galas as a Wild Card Entry. Hadiqa Kiyani as expected also promised to be doing a duet with him so yes, we can anticipate Kashif’s brighter future because he has been Hadiqa’s favorite & he deserves this limelight for sure.

Ali Azmat & Bushra Ansari both were overwhelmed at his elimination but they were right, at this stage who ever’d go would’ve made everyone sad because everyone has built a relation of emotional attachment to these contestants of Pakistan Idol by now. Can’t wait for the next Gala round because the contestants will perform twice & it would be last the elimination before the Finale!

I wish Kashif Ali all the best for his brighter future.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Finally, the much awaited genre of music was covered in Pakistan Idol tonight. It was an amazing episode & the guest judges were perfect as well. I thoroughly enjoyed the episode & a couple of performances too.

The first guest judge was the maestro of Qawwali – Amjad Sabri. His performance was the perfect opening of tonight’s episode. On the high demand Sajjad Ali was called again to judge the contestants & I am glad he once again made an appearance on the show. I am thinking they decided to have a Qawwali week at this point, it would’ve been so good if they had done it before when there were more contestants. It would’ve been a treat to watch as well but as they say better late than never.

The performances & the commentary on them is as follows:

Kashif Ali (KA) of Lahore performed ‘Akhiyaan Udeek Diyan’ of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. I must say this has to be Kashif’s weakest performance so far. I wasn’t too impressed & felt that he performed it more like a song & defeated the purpose of it being a Qawwali. He went off-beat so many times, once again sounded too soft & let the music over lap his voice. It looked like the judges were skeptical in giving away the actual comments therefore they sugarcoated a lot when it came to the feedback. Amjad Sabri pointed out a few places where he went weak & said that it was a good performance. Sajjad Ali spoke about the issue in his ending notes too but said he sang it powerfully. Bushra Ansari said it was a powerful effort that he did. Ali Azmat said he managed the camera, the choir really well & was good. Hadiqa Kiyani gifted him a bracelet she owned & said his performance had everything the feel, the heart, the soul & even the perfection of notes (!?!?!?!).

Ali Asad Zaidi (AZ) of Karachi performed ‘Dam Mast Kalandar’ of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Once again it was too evident in his performance that he was pushed out of his comfort zone. He did attempt it nicely but failed to make a mark obviously. Ali Azmat said that he sounded strained & tensed, in the end he tried to show his personality by changing the feel of the song but overall was a good attempt. Sajjad Ali said that he added the rock feel to the Qawwali by the end of the performance. Hadiqa Kiyani said that this wasn’t his comfort zone & it looked like he already had preconceived discomfort level therefore it was evident in his performance through out. She also went to say that he has a lot of potential & a good tonal quality so he could’ve learnt it a bit more & a bit better. Amjad Sabri said that if he had lowered the scale a couple of notches, his performance wouldn’t have gotten the rock feel to it. He advised him to understand the meaning & the purpose of Qawwali before performing it. Bushra Ansari spoke about accent being also another issue but she said it was a good attempt.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hai’ of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He came, he performed, he owned & he nailed it completely. I think this has to be one of the best performances of the episode & also of Zamad’s himself too. Not only his voice was perfect for the genre but he understood the meaning of Qawwali & performed it just the way it should have been performed. No doubt he deserved all the appreciation that he got & also the standing ovation he received from Hadiqa Kiyani & Ali Azmat. Hadiqa Kiyani said no one else could’ve performed this specific Qawwali the way he did, he made a connection & created an ambiance which was necessary. Bushra Ansari said he was on a journey & he took everyone along. Ali Azmat said that Zamad has an advantage of this genre suiting his voice but this doesn’t mean that he sang it well because of it. He performed it brilliantly because he himself is a great singer. Sajjad Ali generally commented that he sang it nicely but said he wouldn’t comment on technical issue. Amjad Sabri at first made a vote appeal for him & said that he would’ve given him a standing ovation too but he picked on a minor note that was missing but otherwise said he sang it beautifully & needed a little more command on Qawwali too.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar performed ‘Mast Nazron Se Bachaye’ of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. OMG! What a stellar performance. I thought he’d get criticised but he shook everyone by surprise when he performed it brilliantly. He enjoyed & he performed & he convinced everyone to say that he deserved to be in this spot. Amjad Sabri’s appreciative hug proved everything, he said Shoaib can become a perfect playback singer & even went to say that Shoaib could be the voice Pakistan is looking for. Sajjad Ali said that he selected a hit number but owned it because to listen to it in his voice was perfect & even Sajjad Ali gave him a standing ovation too. Bushra Ansari whistled herself thrice for him & said that she was worried for the sargam part of the song but the way he sang it, he nailed it completely. Ali Azmat went on the stage & hugged him as well saying he performed better to what we had expected & we thought that Zamad would have an upper-hand in this round but Shoaib proved us wrong. Hadiqa said he is a fighter who has improved tremendously. She said she was proud of him & the way he created the whole environment proved that he was perfect. She went on the stage & hugged him as well.

So, this was it from tonight’s episode & I must say the best performances for me were of Zamad Baig & Mohammad Shoaib. Kashif Ali did get some good feedback but after Ali Asad Zaidi performed & got criticised I felt that his performance was at par of Kashif too. They both didn’t have the feel of Qawwali in their performances & Kashif sang it like a slow song too. If they hadn’t announced in the beginning that this was going to be a Qawwali round, no one would’ve guessed that Kashif attempted a Qawwali. By looking at these performances, I feel Ali Asad Zaidi & Kashif Ali will be in the bottom 2 this week.

All of a sudden I feel that either Zamad Baig or Mohammad Shoaib could win the title. So far Ali Asad Zaidi & Kashif Ali looked like potential winners of the show but after this particular episode, this notion has changed completely. It was once again proven that Kashif Ali is not at all versatile that’s why when he had to perform Qawwali, his mistakes surfaced clearly. Ali Asad Zaidi has been good consistently but after this episode Mohammad Shoaib has overtook the limelight completely because if we look at it Mohammad Shoaib has performed all sorts of songs & might be the only one who has experimented throughout, I didn’t say it before because I didn’t want to give an impression of being biased but after this performance I proudly say that I supported Mohammad Shoaib & he deserves to win the title. :)

I am glad Sajjad Ali reminded the contestants about the versatility because our permanent judges didn’t emphasize much on it & in fact when they got a chance they gave them the songs that they could sing pretty well. I hope we do have a folk round too because this was a treat to watch after so long. Share your thoughts on tonight’s episode & also do let us know which were your favorite & least favorite performances.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay so another week ended with a sad elimination. I know it was really sad but we all had somehow anticipated this would be happening.

I really didn’t understand Bashar Momin’s promotion in the middle of Pakistan Idol. I think GEO has already created enough hype about it & also usually a promotion happens before the show starts. Now when already 4 episodes have gone on-air, I don’t think the promotion was required once again.

It was Ali Asad Zaidi & Rosemary who came in first to get their results. As expected Ali Asad Zaidi was safe because of his awesome performance & Rosemary made it to to the danger zone solely because of the unusual song that was allotted to her.

Next & the last three who came in for their results were Zamad Baig, Mohammad Shoaib & Kashif Ali. I knew Mohammad Shoaib would be safe because of his perfect performance & thought Kashif would be safe too but it came in as a shocker to see Kashif Ali finally making his debut in a danger zone leaving Zamad Baig safe.

Then it came down to Kashif Ali & Rosemary so that the final announcement can be made. I felt the moment Rosemary was told that she didn’t make it through to the top 4 she seemed like she was expecting this result & so did her family.

Definitely sad at her elimination because she was capable of making it to the Top 3 but I am glad she came & proved her talent that too at such a young age of 15. Judges really had some great things to say about her & Bushra Ansari rightly said that Rosemary doesn’t lack talent, she only lacked some votes. She did survive till the Top 5 & that is something definitely huge at this age & I loved what she said to her co-contestants. It was rather sweet.

So, with this we’re left with the Top 4 & they are Ali Asad Zaidi, Kashif Ali, Mohammad Shoaib & Zamad Baig. I am not sure if we’d see any variety at this stage of the competition but I do hope they choose different genres to perform in the next round. No one is expecting them to step out of their comfort zones but a little experiment in the genres is definitely required.

I hope they had allotted a better song to Rosemary because even though they had to sing the songs of Ali Zafar, Rosemary could’ve performed another duet because the contestants who have performed these sort of songs have always been eliminated previously. This is why Ali Azmat always emphasized on choosing the right song which does make some sense.

I wish my favorite Rosemary all the luck, success & a bright future.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Another interesting episode. After Sajjad Ali’s episode & Shahmir’s elimination, I think this one will stay with me because I actually enjoyed Ali Zafar as a judge but more as a mentor. I think he brought out the best in the singers & lead them like no one has ever done. His main focus was to make them understand how they are supposed to convey a feel of the song & loved how he broke down the emotions of each & every word & sentence which actually helped the contestants understand a lot more about the right projection of the emotions behind the words. It looked like Ali Zafar’s a perfectionist & he was working towards making all the songs of his that were going to be performed, perfective. It was a treat to watch him & his judgements. :)

The list of the performances is as follows:

Rosemary (RM) of Karachi sang a duet sung by Ali Zafar & Shreya Ghosal named ‘Dhichkiyaoon’ for the Indian movie ‘Chashme Baddoor’. She sang it with ease & seemed really confident & I couldn’t help noticing how pretty she is. Ali Zafar said that she had this naughtiness in her voice that was actually needed for this song & she used it really well. He also said that her voice is perfect for singing the duet songs. Bushra Ansari said she enjoyed the song & felt that even though it was a duet, she sang it really well. Hadiqa said it was a high-pitched song but Rosemary was effortless in her performance. Ali Azmat said that it’s for the first time he has felt she chose a song that is appropriate for her age & commended her saying she was brilliant.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AZ) of Karachi sang Ali Zafar’s ‘Dekha Jo Teri Ankhon Main’ from his album ‘Masti’. It was a perfect performance & he made it enjoyable to listen to. Bushra Ansari said she was just so happy that she can’t explain. Ali Azmat mimicked Bushra said he was happy too & said it was a difficult song that he sang easily. Hadiqa gifted him a bell & it was absolutely hilarious. I thought it was a very cute gesture. Like always she called him a star & said his performance was brilliant. Ali Zafar spoke about the technicality of the song because he himself has sung it. According to him this song gives a very less breathing margin to the singer & has a few difficulties but seeing Ali Asad Zaidi holding it all together during his performance left Ali Zafar amazed too.

Kashif Ali (KA) of Lahore sang Ali Zafar’s ‘Jugnuon Se Bhar Le Anchal’ from his album ‘Huqa Pani’. I must say this performance of Kashif marked his presence on the TOP 3 definitely, he was just perfect. Ali Azmat said he breathed the life into this song & made it effective in it’s own way. Ali Zafar felt his voice has a spirituality in it & spoke about how he tried to bring him out of his comfort zone to see how well he performs & I am glad Ali Zafar did it because Kashif nailed it. Bushra Ansari said his performance had everything starting from expressions to sweetness to spirituality. Hadiqa said Kashif came out of his comfort zone & didn’t ever let Ali Zafar’s singing style overlap his.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar sang Ali Zafar’s ‘Masti Ke Din Hain’ from his album ‘Masti’. It was a fun-filled, power-packed performance & he totally stole the show which even compelled Ali Zafar to give him a standing ovation. Ali Azmat said he was brilliant. Bushra Ansari said the audience enjoyed as well as we enjoyed the performance. Hadiqa said he chose a great song & sang it really well, she said he had all those moves going on but pretty much had a control on his notes & she even said she loved his performance. Ali Zafar said he came with a positive energy & entertained the whole crowd, he also spoke about the technicality of the song & appreciated Shoaib’s take on it.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin sang Ali Zafar’s ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq’ from his album ‘Dhoom’. No doubt he sang it really well because he is definitely a great singer but I wasn’t impressed with the song choice because it was like we are listening to the very good ol’ Zamad Baig – the Qawwal of Pakistan Idol. Bushra Ansari said it was a soulful performance but she found him weak at times too. Hadiqa said very appropriately he chose a song that matched his vocal tone (surprise surprise) & didn’t take any risks but sang it well. Ali Azmat said he has an earthy feeling to his personality & that shines through his performance too. Ali Zafar spoke about knowing the true meaning of Sufism & then performing a Sufi song brings in a whole new meaning to the performance & he commended Zamad for justifying the song completely.

So, this was it from this particular episode of Pakistan Idol. My favorite performances were of Kashif Ali, Ali Asad Zaidi & Mohammad Shoaib. I think Rosemary did sing a song really well but I feel she earned herself a ticket of exit from the show because Pakistani audience have not liked these sort of songs that were performed previously in Pakistan Idol too. Mehwish Maqsood got eliminated when she said ‘Dil Mera Muft Ka’, Asad Raza Sonu also got eliminated when he sang ‘Dil Mai Bajji Guitar’, similarly despite the fact that Rosemary has sung the song like the way it should’ve been performed but I am not sure if it will earn her the votes. May be her support system, her fanbase won’t slack & vote for her to secure her position in the show but I highly doubt it.

It is definitely getting tougher & tougher but I am glad Ali Zafar came in at the right time. Hadiqa very subtly mentioned about Zamad playing it safe & not being experimental which I think is definitely needed in Pakistan Idol. I think this was just the perfect opportunity for Zamad to show his versatility but he missed it. Kashif Ali shined in this performance because he tried experimenting & very confidently he made a mark. I loved how Ali Zafar even briefed about how he must perform by sitting & giving out a romantic feel to it. His briefings to all the contestants were honest & came straight from his heart which made him look like that secure senior artist who really wanted the best for these contestants & wanted to help them earn all the praises & appreciation. This makes me think Ali Zafar would make a great judge too because he is young & seemed like he connected with the young, fresh talent pretty well.

Even though this was the very first season of Pakistan Idol & they lived up to the expectation of the viewers but now when the show is ending I feel they didn’t actually work on the genres & didn’t let the contestants show their versatility. They did come up with general themes like party, valentines, pop music but they actually didn’t test the contestants by confining their skills to certain classified genres like Ghazal, Qawwali, Sufi Music, Classical, Folk etc. I hope in the next season the complete song choice is not left on the contestants because right now each one of them except Ali Asad Zaidi & Mohammad Shoaib have pretty much made a point about what sort of songs they are good at singing & that’s it.

So this was it from my side, I thoroughly enjoyed the episode & feel that more such young successful singers should’ve been invited as guest judges because they can connect with the young contestants pretty well. Share about your favorite & least favorite performances of the night.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Ohkay, so this was another week of Pakistan Idol. I don’t know why but I’d have to say this episode was my least favorite in terms of performances. I don’t know why but I didn’t enjoy any of the performances as much as the judges raved about them.

The guest judges were Bilal Maqsood & Faisal Kapadia of Strings. I liked the bit where Ali Asad Zaidi & Abdul Rafay Khan paid a tribute to them by singing their the-most hit song Duur. That was the highlight of the show for me which made me forget how badly irritating Hadiqa Kiyani is getting.

The theme of the episode was that the contestants had to perform the songs selected by the judges themselves. The performances & the commentary on them is as follows:

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin performed Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Jiya Dharak Dharak Jaye’ which was selected by Ali Azmat. I don’t know why but I just couldn’t feel any conntection to this particular performance by Zamad otherwise I always enjoy his performances. Ali said the voice suited his vocal tone & he sang it really well. Faisal said the same thing about the song matching his vocal tone & he liked his performance. Bilal felt he has an openness in his voice & singing therefore he enjoyed it too. Hadiqa said that his high notes came across effortlessly & it was a difficult song which he sang really well. Bushra said he gives away the impression of belonging to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s family but other then that she felt he lacked expression in his singing.

Kashif Ali (KA) of Lahore performed Shafqat Amanat Ali’s ‘Mitwa’ selected by Bushra Ansari. He was good but I felt the music was too low & only his voice was audible throughout the performance making his weak points pretty audible plus Kashif sounded a bit hurried in his performance throughout but surprisingly he got a raving feedback. Bushra felt that his improvisation wasn’t necessary & it didn’t add much to the song but other than that his singing was good. Faisal felt he had a command over his voice. Hadiqa said he smoothly shifted from high to mid notes in his performance & obviously overly praised him. Bilal said to sing this song in 1 go is a massive task & he felt he could see Kashif winning the title of Pakistan Idol already. Ali liked his performance as well.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar sang Reshma’s ‘Ankhiyan Nu Rehn De’ selected by Hadiqa Kiyani. I liked his performance as compared to the remarks he got. Hadiqa said he has improved but notes were totally weak. Ali felt his performance wasn’t flowy but otherwise he sang well. Bushra felt that his voice & notes fluctuated but the overall attempt was really good which had a feel to it as well. Bilal said he sings really well & has a nice voice. Faisal liked his performance & pointed out the mistakes regarding his notes too.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AS) of Karachi sang Shekhar’s ‘Bin Tere’ selected by Ali Azmat. I think this has to be the weakest performance of Ali Asad so far, even though he tried but it wasn’t that impressive. Ali said he had the version of Shafqat Amanat Ali in his mind therefore he didn’t enjoy much & also pointed out the mistakes in his chorus. Bushra loved it. Hadiqa said he’s a pop star & a born star already. Bilal said he sang it with simplicity & sometimes simple approach is what’s needed for a perfect performance. Faisal also pointed out about the weak notes but said his attitude & looks are what make him a star already.

Abdul Rafay Khan (RK) of Karachi sang Hamid Ali’s ‘Maye Ni’ selected by Hadiqa Kiyani. He sang it like usually & mostly he sings his slow songs. Hadiqa felt that the performance lacked emotions. Ali agreed to Hadiqa & said Abdul Rafay has shown a lot of improvement too. Bushra said he has a powerful voice but the flaw was that he had not heard the song before. Bilal said he didn’t enjoy much after the rehearsels but now he practiced & made it enjoyable. Faisal said he has a good voice but it looked like he wasn’t enjoying while singing which he must work upon.

Rosemary (RM) of Karachi sang Minmini’s ‘Dil Hai Chota Sa’ selected by Bushra Ansari. I haven’t seen her performance because it wasn’t included in the uploaded videos. I did see her performance in the preview by the end of the episode & I liked it. I am sure she got some great remarks by the judges. Do let me know about the judges’ feedback to Rosemary about her performance.

Well as much as I do believe that the contestants randomly selected the the name of the judges through chits, I highly doubt that they selected the songs like that too. I mean why didn’t Kashif Ali get ‘Dil Hai Chota Sa’ which was selected by Bushra because he got Bushra Ansari’s name who’d make a selection for him? Or why didn’t Ali Asad Zaidi get the other selection of Ali Azmat which was ‘Jiya Dharak Dharak Jaye’. I didn’t find any challenge in the performances tonight because all of the contestants very conveniently got the songs that matched their vocal tones & quality. Zamad Baig got the song of Rahat Fateh Ali Khan which obviously suited his voice. Kashif got a song which he could sing pretty well. Abdul Rafay Khan got to perform a slow song similar to what he has been choosing for himself? I do believe that the judges names would’ve been selected by the contestants randomly but after that the judges themselves must’ve allotted the songs to the contestants seeing their capability & their comfort zones. So, for this I don’t think there was any window of challenge remaining.

I feel Hadiqa has become way too biased now. There were clearly some mistakes in Kashif’s performance but she chose to overlook them along with the rest of the judges. I think now the judges just want to influence the public opinion that’s why they bash a contestant whom they really don’t like. Hadiqa clearly said ‘I’ll have to see HOW Shoaib performs the song that I gave him’ but when she had to assign a song to Abdul Rafay Khan she’s like ‘I’m so excited to see what he does’. This clearly shows she’s being biased & already has prejudices towards certain contestants. She clearly looked bored & least bothered when Mohammad Shoaib was performing but her WAH WAH WAH WAH WAH WAHHHH didn’t end when Kashif was on stage. I agree there might have been some weak points in Shoaib’s performance but not that much that he got bashed for it straight away & yes, I agree Kashif’s performance might’ve been nice but definitely not beyond perfection that not even a single mistake of his was picked or spoken about? Abdul Rafay Khan was clearly weak in his performance but Hadiqa very casually pointed out a single mistake but justified that he couldn’t sing properly because he is an Urdu speaker & it was a Punjabi song!?!?! Singing means singing & accepting a challenge means accepting it but why do judges have to JUSTIFY a mistake made by their favorite contestants?

Judges need to think neutrally & they shouldn’t just bash a contestant because they want to influence the public voting & opinion against him/her or just because they don’t think that a certain contestant is fit to be in the show.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Wallah! The first thing I said when I started watching the episode was OH MY GOD & that is because of Bushra Ansari. ENOUGH SAID!

Moving onto the eliminations. Another surprise was revealed that from now on the danger zone would consist of 2 contestants instead of three, so that means more pressure on the contestants & their supporters. I’m definitely sad at the elimination because I certainly wanted one from a couple of others to get eliminated but nevermind.

The first duo that came in for their result for was of Rosemary & Abdul Rafay Khan. By listening to Mohib’s revision, it seemed that Rosemary also got picked on some of the weak points in her performance but yes hers must’ve been a tinsy bit better than Abdul Rafay Khan because she was safe obviously & well deservingly.

The second duo that got it’s results was of Kashif Ali & Zamad Baig. One is Kailash Kher the other is Rafat Fateh Ali Khan so yes, we lack versatility from them & for this reason one of them went to the danger zone which was Zamad Baig.

The last & the third duo that faced the results was of Ali Asad Zaidi & Mohammad Shoaib. It was the best moment of the whole episode to see both of them being safe.

Then it was a time for the segment which was dedicated to Zamad Baig & his family. It was sweet to see him meet his parents after 3 good months. Happy times for Zamad Baig. I think by this time it became a little too obvious as to who’d be going home.

It was now the time for the final announcement regarding Zamad Baig & Abdul Rafay Khan. Yes, it was Zamad Baig who was safe leaving Abdul Rafay Khan behind & eventually eliminated.

Obviously the judges felt sad with the fact that his journey ended & they had some really nice things to say about him. I think Hadiqa Kiyani certainly has a role to play in his elimination because yes, it goes back to the song that was allotted to him.

Anyways, I wish him all the luck, success for his bright future because he certainly has a long way to go. Share your opinions about the elimination tonight.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Once again a bad decision made by the voters. It should’ve been someone who didn’t give a 100% in the performance but sadly, someone who got amazing remarks was made to leave the show. Really disappointed at this week’s elimination (AGAIN)!

The episode started off at a perfect note that suited the day but one thing that caught my eye was Hadiqa Kiyani’s shocking hairstyle. Not sure if it was a wig or her own haircut but whatever it was as usually it was hideous. I wish she focuses more on the judging instead of her styling. Bushra Ansari needs to learn the art of being graceful as in really graceful but sadly I believe according to her, age is just a number & hence, she is being over the top.

The results:

The first duo that came in to get the results was of Rosemary & Kashif Ali. At this point I thought may be Kashif will make a debut to the danger zone because clearly his performance wasn’t that good but I guess the public accepted & ignored his one-time mistake & therefore he was safe along with Rosemary, who clearly deserved to be in the safe zone because of her brilliant performance.

The next two contestants who had to face the result were Mohammad Shoaib & Ali Asad Zaidi. As much as I wanted both of them to be safe, I knew it wasn’t meant to be because realistically if we compared the two, Ali Asad Zaidi was definitely better than Mohammad Shoaib & because of that, he was safe sending Mohammad Shoaib to the danger zone.

The last three remaining contestants who had to hear their results were Abdul Rafay Khan, Waqas Ali Vicky & Zamad Baig. It was definitely a tough call because looking at the previous voting trends, both Waqas Ali Vicky & Zamad Baig should’ve been unsafe but surprisingly & finally Abdul Rafay Khan made it to the danger zone, followed by Waqas Ali Vicky unfortunately.

It was the time for a final announcement & for this Mohammad Shoaib, Abdul Rafay Khan & Waqas Ali Vicky had to come to the stage to face the result. Looking at the voting trends I knew Mohammad Shoaib would be safe but yes apart from the votes, he did deserve to be, because he has been improving. Abdul Rafay Khan was safe as well & sadly Waqas Ali Vicky was eliminated.

I personally feel that Abdul Rafay Khan shouldn’t have made it to the next round because his graph has clearly declined. Waqas Ali Vicky got criticised in the beginning of the Gala round but later he picked up the pace & performed brilliantly every single time. Whereas Abdul Rafay Khan hasn’t performed too well from the last 3 weeks in Waqas Ali Vicky’s comparison.

I think the respective cities have a major role to play in the voting count & fan-base. Waqas Ali got eliminated because he belonged to the small neighbouring town of Islamabad – Rawalpindi & therefore he didn’t get much support. Shahmir despite of being bashed every single time was proceeding to the next rounds every single week because he belonged to the main city. Zamad Baig & Waqas Ali Vicky have both been to the danger zone frequently because they belong to small towns like Mandi Bahauddin & Mian Channu. I feel Pakistan Idol will be chosen from Karachi by the Karachiites or may be from Lahore because right now only one contestant is representing the city & has a huge fan-following, because of the obvious reasons.

Anyways, I am disappointed at this elimination & I’m sad to see Waqas Ali Vicky go. I wish him luck, success & a brighter future. Share your thoughts on this decision & do you think it was fair?

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Another beautiful episode of Pakistan Idol backed by a strong theme & some beautiful performances. Loved all the songs that the contestants sang & glad that they had a lot of messages to share too. :)

Abdul Sattar Ehdi’s part in the episode was a highlight definitely. We need such inspirational people to speak more about Pakistan to us & I am glad Pakistan Idol’s team approached him for this episode especially. This episode was a treat right from the start till the end. What a beautiful way to pay tribute to our country; Pakistan.

The list of the performances is as follows:

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar sang Noor Jahan’s ‘Aye Watan Ke Sajeelay Jawanon’. It was a beautiful performance but I felt he had a weak start & even he missed the right ending too but other than that he sang it beautifully & filled his performance with emotions. Hadiqa felt that he sang it devotedly & his expression was perfect but apart from all that she felt his beginning & ending wasn’t perfect. Ali felt that apart from a few mistakes his performance was great. Bushra also said that he was good overall.

Kashif Ali (KA) of Lahore sang Amanat Ali Khan’s ‘Chand Meri Zameen’. He was good but I missed the wow factor. Ali felt that his pronounciation was wrong but overall his performance had a feeling to remind him of his childhood. Hadiqa felt he had some breathing issues & also pointed out the pronounctiation mistakes. Bushra felt that he improved a lot & made a breathing space in between, that she pointed out last week & according to her, his performance was great.

Rosemary (RM) of Karachi sang Nayyara Noor’s ‘Watan Ki Mitti’. What a brilliant performance I must say, I loved it. Bushra found her performance extremely nice & praised her a lot, she felt Rose sang it almost similar to Nayyara Noor. Ali once again mentioned her age & said she sings a lot better than her age would permit her. Hadiqa felt that her notes were perfect throughout the song & she loved her performance too.

Abdul Rafay Khan (RK) of Karachi sang Amanat Ali Khan’s ‘Aye Watan Pyaray Watan’. It was a slow song & Abdul Rafay is good at singing slow numbers, therefore his performance was good but I felt he fell flat a bit in the middle of his song. Bushra said he was brilliant. Hadiqa loved his improvisation & said apart from 2 – 3 mistakes his performance was amazing. Ali was all praises for Abdul Rafay as well.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AZ) of Karachi sang Ali Azmat’s ‘Junoon Se Aur Ishq Se’. What a power packed & brilliant performance, I loved it completely & I am amazed at the change he has showed in his singing skills this time. Ali said he hasn’t sung this song for a few years now & feels that he couldn’t have performed it like Ali Asad & for that he gave him a well-deserved hug. Hadiqa loved it & said he was excellent. Bushra said he was flawless, which definitely he was.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin sang Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Pakistan Pakistan’. When I heard that he was attempting NFAK’s song, I was like yeah right, once again making a safe choice. He was good but I felt he changed the pace of the song & it lacked the depth. Bushra said he didn’t give any reason to point out any mistakes. Hadiqa said he chose a song that matches his tonal quality & he was wise at doing so. Ali named him as Ustad Zamad Baig Khan & praised him a lot.

Waqas Ali Vicky (WV) of Mian Channu sang Mehdi Hassan’s ‘Ye Watan Tumhara Hai’. Such a sweet voice he has & such a sweet performance it was. Ali said he sang it very well. Hadiqa felt she was on a journey & found his performance sweetest because he himself was relaxed while singing it. Bushra said that the sweet dish comes in the end & this is exactly how his performance was.

So, this was it from tonight’s episode. My favorite performances of this episode were by Rosemary, Ali Asad Zaidi & Waqas Ali Vicky. It’s going to be heart-breaking to see anyone of them leave the competition because they all were great & have improved a lot. Speak about your favorite & least favorite performances with me.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

Wallah! After Sajjad Ali’s & this Friday’s episode, this one has become a memorable one for me. I am sure this was a lucky day for all the Pakistan Idol viewers because now only the deserving contestants are left but I must say, they had us worried, it was like a rollercoaster ride but yes in the end it felt refreshing, exactly how you feel after the ride. ;) lol!

I must say Hadiqa Kiyani looked gorgeous tonight & even Bushra Ansari looked pretty decent too. I am not sure how many times Hadiqa has her hair-color changed but this one suits her the best. I hope that she continues to make wise choices in terms of styling & spare us from the laughing fits. ;)

The first two contestants who came for their results were Ali Asad Zaidi & Kashif Ali. At first I thought they both would be safe because they deserved to be but the worry began when Mohib announced that one of them is going to the danger zone. Sadly & shockingly it was Ali Asad Zaidi. :/

After them only Mohammad Shoaib was called for his result. It was pretty evident that he would be safe & yes, he was. :)

The duo that now came to face the result was of Zamad Baig & Shahmir Aziz Quidwai. I was pretty sure that Zamad would be unsafe because the certain someone gets lucky all the time but fortunately Zamad was safe & Shahmir made it to the red zone.

The last trio that had to face the result was of Rosemary, Abdul Rafay Khan & Waqas Ali Vicky. Judging by the previous voting trend, I guessed it right it was Waqas Ali Vicky who was unsafe but he didn’t deserve to be there anyway.

Finally, it was a time for the moment of truth but before proceeding with the final announcement Mohib asked the judges about who they wanted to see going through to the next round. Very honestly & without being politically correct Hadiqa & Bushra picked Waqas Ali Vicky & Ali Asad Zaidi even though they were asked to choose a single contestant but I am glad they were honest. Similarly, Ali Azmat wanted to see Waqas Ali Vicky safe too.

So yes, it came down to Waqas Ali Vicky, Shahmir Aziz Quidwai & Ali Asad Zaidi. It was the very first high moment of the episode when surprisingly Waqas Ali Vicky was told that he was safe. This had me shouting like anything because his position looked the weakest as compared to the other two in the danger zone but he’s definitely worth it. After a little dance of trance it was the time to face the reality & trust me, in a disbelief I was worried that Ali Asad Zaidi is going because the other one has knocked out some great contestants but I was just surprised when a certain name was announced, leaving me happy, excited, thankful & what-not because yes, finally, it was Shahmir Aziz Quidwaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!! :D

Last week before watching the episode unexpectedly from the Facebook newsfeed I got to know that Asad Raza Sonu was eliminated, this killed the suspense for me & I watched the episode half-heartedly because I already knew the result but this time around I was cautious & didn’t open my FB account before watching the episode. Trust me, words can’t explain how happy I am because this episode was worth the suspense, lol!

From now on, it wouldn’t matter much as to who will win the title because as far as anyone of these top 7 does, it’s going to be a perfect & well-deserving win. Finally, the moment of rejoice has arrived, share your excitement with us!

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

ps: YAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

So, another week goes by of Pakistan Idol & glad we got to see some amazing performances this time around as well. The episode was based on the tribute by the contestants to their music idols. I thought the song selection this week was spot on & every one picked a song that suited their vocal tones. The guest judge was Rahim Shah but I don’t think he gave away much as a judge himself.

Before saying anything I actually want to know what our dear female judges were thinking by showing up on a show like this? Hadiqa definitely forgot that a bangle is supposed to be worn on the arms & not on the head by wrapping the strands of hair around it. I feel it’s good to be a punk but a reasonable one is not much to expect. I can’t imagine how people in the studio & even the contestants would’ve controlled their laughter fits because I certainly had an uncontrollable one & also I want to know what was Bushra Ansari thinking as well? I think Sarree’s pallus are used to cover what you may want to but she may have missed that detail too. I am not sure what’s wrong with her but I think to age gracefully isn’t too much to ask for from her either!

Having said that, the list of performances by the Top 8 contestants is as follows:

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin chose Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as his idol & sang ‘Sanu Ik Pal Chain Na Avey’. I found his performance just fine, wasn’t too overly impressed by him even though he sang really well but he was just good at it & nothing extra ordinary. Rahim Shah said he was excellent & all his notes were just perfect. Bushra gave him a standing ovation & said he was wonderful. Hadiqa liked his singing & Ali said it was a stellar performance & he forces people to become his fan.

Shahmir Aziz Quidwai (SQ) of Islamabad sang Ali Azmat’s ‘Sayonee’. I think he changed the feel of the song, made it too slow & screamed like anything which made him go flat at times as well. Ali Azmat being the actual singer of the song pointed out the technical mistakes in the notes. Hadiqa clearly said she wasn’t happy with the performance & said he himself knew that he committed a big mistake & after that he couldn’t perform well. Bushra started calling him a fighter, a brave contestant & someone who takes criticism strongly but didn’t say much on his performance. I absolutely loved what Rahim Shah said to him that this stage is not for learning anymore, either you perform good & stay in the competition or get eliminated after a poor performance.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AZ) of Karachi sang AR Rehman’s ‘Dil Se’. The band sort of remixed the song but when it came to Ali Asad he sang it brilliantly. It was a difficult song but the way he attempted it was great. Bushra said he had made a few mistakes but overall the performance was great. Rahim Shah said he gave more than it was required for this stage & he was brilliant. Ali said it was a difficult song which can be tackled properly in a studio while recording but to sing it live on stage that too in one take was commendable. Hadiqa agreed to Ali & said he is going to give a tough time to his co-contestants, she also felt that he made some mistakes but said they can be labeled as human errors which can be ignoned.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar sang Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s ‘Mai Tennu Samjhawan Ki’. He was brilliant & has improved like anything, even though the ending was flat but he did a complete justice to the song. Bushra said he attempted it really well but felt he didn’t own the song (!?!?!). Hadiqa finally said ‘maza a gaya’. She liked his performance & felt that there were a few mistakes which can be ignored but she said she could connect to the feel of his singing. Ali said he selected a difficult song but sang it really well. Rahim Shah suggested he should sing Pushto songs & choose such songs that suit his vocal tone but he liked his performance & pointed out the flat ending.

Waqas Ali Vicky (WV) of Mian Channu sang Sajjad Ali’s ‘Katna Naee’. He was brilliant & sounded very melodious. Bushra said he picked a difficult song but very sweetly sang it & she named him Waqas Ali Barfi. Rahim Shah made him sing without the music to make a point that this was his actual voice & said he sang perfectly but he passed a judgment in fact gave him an advice that he shouldn’t hide his own voice & project it like it is. Hadiqa appreciated that he owned the song & she couldn’t hear him copy Sajjad Ali’s voice. She said he did copy the singing style but the voice was very much his own & she liked it. Ali Azmat was all praises for Waqas Ali Vicky & said that just because he was sitting while performing, it affected his projection but otherwise he was good.

Rosemary (RM) of Karachi sang Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Saulah Baras Ki Baali Umer’. I think this was by far the best performance of Rosemary with no excuses left for pointing out any errors. Ali said she sounds mature to her age & it was a great performance. Rahim Shah felt she had a control over her voice & molded it with ease. Bushra said there were no flaws this time & she had taken care of everything. Hadiqa loved her performance as well.

Kashif Ali (KA) of Lahore sang Kailash Kher’s ‘Ya Rabba’. He was perfect once again & as usual but just because the song had more low notes I felt that the music overlapped his voice. I think the band needs to take care of it. Bushra pointed out a little technical issue that Sajjad Ali himself reminded Kashif of as well. According to her he needs to give a breathing space while singing & he himself needs to decide where to take a pause so that he won’t miss the words. Rahim Shah & Ali Azmat gave him a hug & were all praises for him. Hadiqa loved the ending & said the performance was larger than life.

Abdul Rafay Khan (RK) of Karachi sang Ghulam Ali’s ghazal ‘Hungama Hai Kyun Barpah’. He was good but there were some clear mistakes. Ali said he made a difficult choice but apart from a few issues he was good at it. Hadiqa felt that there was an issue with the notes through out the performance. Bushra said it wasn’t a suitable song for him even though he tried & even though at times he was more than good but still he lacked because of the caliber of the ghazal itself. Rahim Shah said he needs to work on the delivery of his words.

So, these were all the performances. I feel everyone sang really well except a certain someone but my favorites from this episode would be Waqas Ali Vicky, Mohammad Shoaib, Kashif Ali & Rosemary. I think the way judges try to sugar-coat Shahmir’s mistakes is just unfair. Bushra Ansari kept on praising him for being brave & what not but I think Pakistan Idol is all about singing & not about measuring the caliber of who is emotionally strong or who takes criticism perfectly. If that’s what Shahmir is good for then Living On The Edge is the right place for him to be because in Pakistan Idol people are concerned only & solely with the singing so instead of pep talking to the audience about any contestant they should just come up & rationally give the judgement so that the people actually know what’s happening & who deserves to stay!

It’s going to get so tough from now onwards to see any deserving contestant get eliminated because they all have been performing perfectly. I feel after this episode Abdul Rafay Khan, Shahmir Aziz Quidwai might go to the danger zone, not sure about Zamad Baig though, he may be safe or may not be so let’s see!

Please do share with us your favorite & least favorite performances of the night.

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.

It was a great episode with an amazing theme of Party songs & with some fun-filled performances. The guest judge was also one of my favourites & I am sure everyone loves his song ‘Dekha Na Tha’.

I was surprised to see his performance in tonight’s episode because his energy was reciprocal of his age. It was so good to see Alamgir come to Pakistan Idol & give pointers to the contestants & also to the judges too. :)

I am not sure what’s going on but seems like Hadiqa Kiyani was on a justification spree tonight. She seemed too explanatory as if she herself is now getting conscious of public’s opinion about her judgement.

The list of performances of tonight’s episode is as follows:

Asad Raza Sonu (RS) of Lahore sang ‘Dil Mai Baji Guitar’ from the Indian movie ‘Apna Sapna Money Money’. He was good at it & glad that he chose a different song. I think as the weeks are passing by he is proving himself to be versatile, which is great. Alamgir said that without getting into the details he found his performance really good. Bushra said Sonu is one of her favourites & he did complete justice to the mood of the song. Hadiqa said he had a clear voice, clear notes & clear expressions in this performance. Ali liked his performance as well.

Rosemary (RM) of Karachi sang ‘Pardah’ from the Indian movie ‘Once Upon A Time In Mumbai’. She was amazing this time around, the start was perfect but yes she struggled a bit in the middle of the song, otherwise on the whole her performance was amazing. Alamgir said he was surprised to see such a young girl having a mature voice. Hadiqa said her energy was amazing & this was a difficult song which she sang with perfect notes. Ali said she chose a scale out of her range but otherwise he liked her performance & Bushra once again felt that she had the breathing issue but overall she liked her singing as well.

Waqas Ali Vicky (WV) of Mian Channu sang ‘Jeene Ke Hain Char Din’ from the Indian movie ‘Mujhse Shadi Karogi’. I enjoyed his performance, I think he pushed himself hard & he nailed it but the comments that he got were shocking. Ali didn’t like his song choice & said he didn’t think the song matched the theme of the episode. Hadiqa agreed to Ali & felt that the energy was missing & his voice wasn’t syncing well with the song. Bushra wasn’t happy either & Alamgir said that he wasn’t clear on the notes.

Kashif Ali (KA) of Lahore sang ‘Mai Tere Agal Bagal’ from the Indian move ‘Phatta Poster, Nikla Hero’. No doubt he sang it well but very conveniently he picked a slower song again. Ali liked the fact that he chose a song that doesn’t match his personality but thought he sang it well. Bushra whistled for him & said he made us enjoy his song. Alamgir thought he was a complete package & he is a God gifted singer who already sounds professional. Hadiqa started justifying herself as to why she can’t pick any mistakes of Kashif & as always thought he was great.

Mohammad Shoaib (MS) of Peshawar sang Daler Mehandi’s ‘Na Na Na Na Re’. I loved his performance & totally enjoyed it, it was good to see the judges say so many good things about him & fortunately his performance was appreciated too. Bushra said she enjoyed his singing a lot & he has proved his versatility. Ali said that he was happy because Shoaib chose a pop song, no doubt he has sung difficult songs but this time around Ali suggested him to become a pop idol instead of picking the songs that were too mature for his age. Alamgir said he was fantastic & he conveyed the Bhangra feel of the song perfectly. Hadiqa found him improving & liked his performance.

Abdul Rafay Khan (RK) of Karachi sang Sonu Nigham’s ‘Bijuriya’. Not sure why he chose that song because he wasn’t impressive at all. Bushra felt that he got carried away with the excitement that he forgot to take care of his notes. Hadiqa said he has not been consistent & felt his performance was weak right from the start till the end. Ali said his energy was good but he missed the details in his singing tonight. Alamgir felt that he concentrated on the performance & the energy more in stead of the notes.

Shahmir Aziz Quidwai (SQ) of Islamabad sang ‘Dhan Te Nan’ from the Indian movie ‘Kaminay’. He came, he screamed, he left. Ali said he has improved but he fell flat at times too. Bushra said his low notes were weak once again. Alamgir said something is missing because of which each performance of his becomes average (lol). Hadiqa thought that his tonal changes were impressive & a difficult thing to achieve while performing but he kept on missing the notes.

Zamad Baig (ZB) of Mandi Bahauddin sang ‘Mai Tera Hero’ from the Indian movie ‘Desi Boys’. He was good but I felt that he made the song a bit more Punjabi than it was required, I felt that he changed the feel of the song & for that I didn’t enjoy it much. Bushra said that the start was weak & he missed the performance in bits & bobs. Alamgir praised the husk of his voice & said he likes it. Ali said the first impression is the last & his start was weak but he was still good. Hadiqa liked the performance & felt it was soulful.

Ali Asad Zaidi (AZ) of Karachi sang ‘Batameez Dil’ from the Indian movie ‘Ye Jawani Hai Deewani’. He owned the song & sang it perfectly, I think he forgot the lyrics by the end of his performance, still he covered it brilliantly. Bushra said she enjoyed it a lot & he was almost flawless. Hadiqa was amazed as to how he memorized such a difficult song, she thought he hadn’t forgotten the lyrics which he actually did. She felt that the energy could’ve been more & he could’ve been better with the notes because he committed some obvious mistakes but overall he was good. Alamgir said he wisely chose a song which was technically easy to perform & commended him for his selection. Ali said he was good in the beginning but clearly missed some notes.

So, this was all about the performances. Instead of a party episode it turned out to be more of a Bollywood tribute because all the songs that were performed were from the Indian movies or Indian singers.

Is it just me or I think Hadiqa Kiyani was being biased again? She found it just so hard to praise Mohammad Shoaib & just very half-heartedly admitted that he is showing some improvement whereas she kept on praising Shahmir which she shouldn’t have because Shoaib is definitely better than him & he deserves more appreciation than Shahmir. Hadiqa also didn’t point out any of Zamad’s mistakes which Bushra & Ali did & very safely she said she liked his performance. I am not sure what’s happening with her?

I was also shocked to hear the judgements on Waqas Ali Vicky’s performance because I felt he chose just the right song for the theme & IF his song wasn’t suitable, the team who helps the contestants with the song choices wouldn’t have approved of his selection if it wasn’t according to the party theme of the episode. In fact I found Kashif’s selection quiet odd because there wasn’t anything party-like in it. Very very conveniently he chose a slow song & wasn’t told off by any of the judges. We clearly have heard he can sing Mika/Kailash Kher type of songs appropriately but now he needs to show his versatility (IF ONLY Hadiqa reminds him of that).

Anyways, the performances I enjoyed the most today were of Rosemary, Mohammad Shoaib & Ali Asad Zaidi. I wasn’t sure about Zamad’s performance & Abdul Rafay Khan was weak this time around. Share about your favourite & the least favourite performances & also what do you think about the judges’ comments?

Keep Supporting,
Cheers,
Zahra Mirza.