Why Qawwali needed Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

Late Qawwali icon Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, who is also popularly known as "Shahenshah-e-Qawwali", can be easily termed as the one who single handedly made Qawwali a popular genre of music world-wide. Extending the 600-year old Qawwali tradition of his family, Ustad Nusrat took over the genre at the age of 16 after his father died and gave Qawwali a world-wide status. The late Pakistani singer's melodic and soft voice was what Qawwali fans needed and later his voice was celebrated all over the world. His name gradually became synonymous with the devotional music of the Sufis. Ustad Nusrat, who has given hits like 'Akhiyaan Udeek Diyan' and 'Dam Mast Qalandar' among others, also went on to release movie scores and albums in Europe, India, Japan, Pakistan, and the US. The late singer passed away when he was at the peak of his career, however his legacy is now continued by his nephew singer Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. It won't be wrong to say that Qawwali was never born until Ustad Nusrat took over the stage by storm.