Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan PP (Urdu: شفقت امانت علی خان; pronounced [ˈʃəfkət əˈmaːnət əˈliː xaːn]; born 26 February 1965) is a Pakistani pop and classical singer, songwriter, and composer belonging to the Patiala Gharana tradition of music.

Both songs earned Ali significant commercial success and critical acclaim, and helped him quickly establish himself as a playback singer in the Indian film industry.

"[36] Ali has mentioned that although growing up in a family of distinguished singers and musicians helped him learn music well and hone his vocal skills, it also created myriad expectations and pressures,[42] stating: "Being someone from Patiala Gharana is not easy.

[34][44] He recalls visiting and spending time in various dargahs as a child and being enthralled by qawwali and other forms of devotional music being sung by Sufi practitioners.

Ali notes that listening to The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Doors, and Michael Jackson while in college was especially impactful for him, helping him learn how to dissect rhythm, explore similarities across musical genres, and fuse them together.

The songs "Khamaj (Mora Saiyaan)" and "Teray Bina" from Saagar were featured in the soundtrack of Nagesh Kukunoor's 2004 film, Hyderabad Blues 2.

Ali eventually went on to sing the massively popular Sufi rock ballad "Mitwa,"[63] composed by Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy for the soundtrack of the film Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006).

"[69] Since his Bollywood debut with Mitwa, Ali has worked prolifically as a playback singer for Hindi films, with "Bin Tere" (I Hate Luv Storys), "Phir Le Aya Dil" (Barfi!

), "Teri Jhuki Nazar" (Murder 3), "Dildaara" (Ra.One), "Darmiyaan" (Jodi Breakers), "Kyun Main Jagoon" (Patiala House), "Tu Hi Mera" (Jannat 2), and "Tere Naina" (My Name Is Khan) being some of his most popular Hindi film songs.

[58] Based on folk and Sufi works, his debut solo album Tabeer was commissioned by the Music Today label and released in September 2008.

[87] Kyun Dooriyan was a stylistic departure for Ali in that many of its songs had a distinct rock feel,[87] compared to his previous album, Tabeer, which was significantly mellower in tone and thematically more spiritual.

The title track of the album, "Kyun Dooriyan," was initially written as a love song, but Ali eventually reworked it as a message of peace and reconciliation between India and Pakistan.

"[88] In 2011, Ali appeared in Season 1 of Coke Studio India,[89] where he sang four songs produced by Leslee Lewis, including modified renditions of "Akhian" (from Saagar) and "Kya Haal Sunawan" (from Kyun Dooriyan).

The same year, he also wrote, composed, and sang the song "Yahaan,"[90][91] which was aimed at highlighting the natural beauty and diversity of the Gilgit-Baltistan region and promoting cultural tourism in the area.

[92][93] In 2012, Ali performed six songs on MTV Unplugged India (Season 2),[94] including reinterpreted versions of "Aankhon Ke Saagar," "Khamaj (Mora Saiyaan)", and "Yeh Honsla."

In 2014, Ali sang the song "Jeenay Chaley"[95] for the soundtrack of the critically acclaimed film Dukhtar which criticised the practice of child marriage in Pakistan.

To commemorate International Youth Day in Pakistan in 2019, Ali sang the song "Aao Badlein Ik Achhey Kal Ke Liye" (transl.

[120] The song and its music video portrayed Pakistani youth as agents of social change and focused specifically on the issues of equity and inclusivity in education, poverty eradication, and gender equality.

[121] In 2020, Ali released a number of singles under the newly established UK-based South Asian record label Sufiscore, which was founded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"[130][131] Ali stated that his goal with this album was to revive classic melodies and pay tribute to the forgotten composers and music producers of Pakistan who "never really got the attention and kind of fame they deserved.

[25] In May 2024, Ali collaborated again with the UK-based label Sufiscore to release a cover of the popular devotional song "Allah Tero Naam,"[144] written by Sahir Ludhianvi and originally sung by Lata Mangeshkar for the soundtrack of the film Hum Dono (1961).

[57][161][162] Consistent with his classical training in the Patiala Gharana tradition, he is particularly adept at improvisations[158] and intricate manoeuvres[146] that require vocal agility such as taans and murkis.

"[167] Describing his approach to composing music, Ali stated in an interview, "blending eastern classical with western pop rock is what I love to do the most.

[34][44] Ali also frequently uses or references the works of Sufi poets and philosophers such as Amir Khusrau, Bulleh Shah, and Khwaja Ghulam Farid in his own compositions.

In 2012, The Express Tribune (Pakistan) wrote, "Songs like "Khamaj" and "Teray Bina"...are rendered timeless and will be written in golden words in the history of Pakistani pop.

"[151] In 2015, referring to "Aankhon Ke Saagar", Rafay Mahmood of The Express Tribune wrote: "For the first time, people witnessed a trained singer from a classical gharana (in this case Patiala) making perfect use of his vocal range to add depth to rock and roll riffs in arrangements.

[178][179] Ali has lent his vocals to dozens of Pakistani drama (soap opera) soundtracks (known as OSTs) over the years, including the popular song "Ik Sitam Aur Meri Jaan" from Saiqa (2009), which he sang as a tribute to the legendary ghazal singer Mehdi Hassan.

[182] He has also performed frequently on Virsa Heritage Revived — an entertainment and live music show that aired on PTV, hosted by Yousaf Salahuddin.

[183][184] The advisory board was conceived as a creative alliance of media, music, and sports personalities with the goal of promoting Pakistan's cultural heritage and legacy within the country and abroad.

[185] Ali has sung in numerous languages including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Arabic, Bengali, and Gujarati, and he performs regularly in shows and concerts around the world.