Written By: Saif Cheval
Akon is scheduled to perform as a part of World Soccer Stars on 27th April 2019 in Karachi.
There’s a spirit of optimism in Karachi’s air, and its extending to the realm of live performances.
Large-scale concerts have recently taken off around Pakistan, as events such as Cornetto’s Pop Rock series and the recent Sooper Junoon concert have proven. People are receptive to and excited for these events, turning out in large numbers for events that wouldn’t have been possible even a few years ago.
With articles like this rapidly approaching the decade mark, it’s about time for the music scene to evolve in Karachi.
Enter Akon. The pinnacle of mid-aughts R&B acts is coming to Pakistan in April, and a Karachi show is in the works. National media was, of course, in a frenzy – who doesn’t remember sending songs like “Don’t Matter” and “Lonely” to a friend’s Nokia via Infared? The days of his ringtone-friendly hits ruling the English-radio airwaves may have passed, but we still remember.
Akon’s impending concert will be a landmark moment for Karachi’s emerging music scene. As noted by UK Deputy High Commissioner Elin Burns, this is another in a series of recent opportunities for Pakistan to prove itself as a country where major musical events like these are possible. The success of these events presents the country as safe, stable and prosperous.
This opens Pakistani stages to artists from all over the world, from EDM festivals to arena rap shows. It also gives local musicians a major opportunity: opening for Akon would come with a massive audience, and the chance to put on an unbelievable show.
More importantly, as events like these continue to pop up, artists gain opportunities to play larger stages more frequently, to foster a stronger culture of musicianship and collaboration, and to continue to define the city’s live music scene as it expands beyond the underground. While seeing Akon live in Karachi is definitely an exciting moment for everyone who owned a cell phone in 2006, what’s more exciting is the impact that an event like this will have for our own.
Here’s hoping for more landmark announcements in 2019, whether from international ringtone sensations, or the musical powerhouses we’re lucky to call our own.
