Oslo-based dance group Quick Style has become a sensation across the globe amassing huge fandoms while also bagging a collaboration in Pakistan with Coke Studio.
In an interview with Express Tribune, the world-famous dance group shared their experiences and bittersweet memories, as they fall in love with Pakistan on their maiden tour.
While the group has been enjoying success with the K-Pop scene for more than six years, Pakistani audience found out about Quick Style after several dance videos of the group went viral on TikTok.
For those unversed, the group’s core members comprises of Nasir Sirikhan, Yasin Tatby, and twins Suleman and Bilal Malik who have been friends for over 20 years. Quick Style then expanded from four members to several talented individuals.
Nasir Sirikhan, one of the core members of Quick Style, while recalling their random landed at the auditions of Norske Talenter — Noway’s take on the popular show, America’s Got Talent — said, “I remember I was folding my laundry and I received a call from Suleman and he just informed me that we’re all to be part of Norway’s Got Talent.”
“Most of the time when one of us puts forward an idea of doing anything, it’s a challenge and I took Norway’s Got Talent as one too,” Nasir suggested.
“And just like that, we were in the audition queue. Long story short, we won. That’s when our career just went from passion to confirmation from the whole country. We just went for it. Then we started our YouTube channel and then began posting our choreography which essentially spiralled into BTS reaching out to us to choreograph their performances.”
Speaking of their stay in Pakistan’s metropolitan city, Yasin told, “I love the vibe this city gives off.”
“We’ve had some local food as well, we’re really enjoying it,” Nasir added.
Reminiscing their early days’ struggle, Bilal remarked, “The studios were never planned. Back in 2009, it was more about just having a place to practice. We never had a proper venue to rehearse so our most popular spot would be a train station. But then we just needed more privacy. After we won Norway’s Got Talent, we invested some of the money we had won into getting a proper place to choreograph.”
Bilal added, “We were just a bunch of 18-year-olds running everything by ourselves; paying bills, the studio – the cost was massive. But then once everyone saw our work, it just started to work out. We now have partners who take care of a lot of work. We then branched out to China, we have studios there. However, it’s a learning curve.”
Talking about their collaboration with the K-Pop boy band, BTS, the group has choreographed their chartbuster videos, Save Me, Blood Sweat & Tears, Best of Me, and Boy With Luv.
“But before BTS even, we were already very warmed up about K-Pop and had a lot of knowledge,” Bilal commented.
“Then BTS came in and the collaboration marked our first proper job,” Nasir adds.
“It was 2016 and we haven’t looked back since.”
Talking about their viral dance videos, Yasin shared: “You probably won’t believe it, but we started the rehearsals like four days before the performance.”
“It was Suleman’s event in two days and we were all just putting the dance together. He was a bit disappointed, he thought we were just not prepping for anything. It was a surprise! The first time we all rehearsed together was on the actual event day.”
Nasir chimed in saying that since the wedding was in summer, everyone wasn’t available in one place.
Suleman opined, “I was driving up to the venue and I could see them! I could see that they were up to something but as soon as they would see me, they’d stop the rehearsal. Everyone was just stressed out. I was just as nervous for them as I am sure they were.”
Bilal then suggested, “You see, we are a family of dancers. A day before the wedding, our sisters performed at the Mehndi; that was the first time all of us were a bit rattled because they really did well.”
Yasin further added, “We all had 30 minutes before we were supposed to perform and it all came down to, ‘whatever happens, happens’.”
Talking about the dance group members and their diverse cultures, Nasir — who hails from Thailand himself — added, “It plays a major part as to how all of us are from different cultures. We give each other that space of creative freedom.”
He added, “For instance, whenever Yasin [of Finnish-Moroccon background] comes in with an idea from his culture, we all are very welcoming to it. We admire that. Similarly, if Suleman and Bilal [Norwegian-Pakistanis] present something from Coke Studio, we all take a step back and are very much on board with it. So, I think it’s a very healthy equation.”
Yasin concluded, “I think we all give each other space and respect. We don’t fight for attention. If anything, the cultural division has been nothing but a strength.”
On the work front, Quick Style’s performances on Kana Yaari, Kala Chashma, Tumse Mil Ke Dil Ka Hai Jo Haal, and Chura Ke Dil Mera have become their most loved by netizens.
