Originally written by Faiz in 1979, “ Hum dekhenge ” has resonated with Pakistanis in different renditions, throughout difficult periods in history. Ali Sethi has become a part of the repetition as he sang the words as an ode to those suffering in Palestine. Sethi recognises Faiz’s inspiration for the poem as coming from his witnessing of the Israeli occupation in 1979. As part of his eclectic and singular vibe, Ali collaborated with Chilean American composer Nicolas Jaar who has his ancestry rooted in Palestine. The result of this cross-culture collaboration was a track fittingly titled ‘Yakjehti Mein’, an unusual merging of two different poems, mixed by a Brooklyn-based Egyptian musician and illustrated by an Indian artist.
The track was broadcasted live for Bethlehem by Radio Alhara and then released on YouTube. It is the perfect example of Sethi’s shift from his covers in coke studio, to a more niche, literary form of music that communicates stories and is born out of diversity. A reflection of his own life.
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