KARACHI – Warner Music Group (WMG) has formed a partnership with Giraffe, a leading music and audio production company based in Pakistan. The company was co-founded by Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan, also known as Xulfi, a celebrated artist, and CEO Muhammad Ibrahim.
Pakistan is a rapidly growing recorded music market with 250 million people, and the country’s repertoire is particularly popular among the 90 million Punjabi and Urdu speakers outside of Pakistan.
This partnership will enable Warner Music to establish a new source for A&R in Pakistan through the experts behind some of South Asia’s most compelling music platforms and global hits, including ‘Pasoori’ by Shae Gill and Ali Sethi. Warner Music and Giraffe will collaborate for the next Coke Studio Season 15 season.
Giraffe was established in 2017 in Pakistan and has a rich history of producing some of South Asia’s most coveted music shows, including Drummers of Pakistan, Nescafé Basement, and Red Bull Music Sound Clash, as well as non-music content such as Dhak Dhak Goal and Shan Kitchen. More recently, it has spearheaded the production of Coke Studio – Pakistan’s most significant cultural export and a show acclaimed for promoting multiculturalism, dialogue and multi-genre collaboration.
Co-founder Xulfi was the composer, guitarist and producer for the bands Entity Paradigm and Call, which both enjoyed commercial and critical success. He has also been a producer and songwriter on several epic Bollywood projects.
CEO Muhammad Ibrahim graduated from the University of Bristol and started his career in accountancy. He moved into the media industry in 2012 and has since worked on projects such as Nescafé Basement, where his achievements included forming the first all-girl band in Pakistan.
Xulfi says: “I believe it will be a beautiful and adventurous journey. We have always aimed to use art to build bridges for conversing with the world. While leveraging its immense global influence, Warner Music will also help support the artists and their artistry in Pakistan. Artists in Pakistan are diverse and talented, with an innate ability to surprise. Together with Warner Music, we will endeavour to scout stories that can catalyze transformative change in the pursuit of nurturing a vibrant music ecosystem for the future and present a greater narrative of love from Pakistan to the world.”
Muhammad Ibrahim adds: “For us at Giraffe, this partnership is exciting on many levels and is, in a way, a testament to Giraffe’s long-standing commitment to fostering a conducive environment, ultimately benefiting both existing performers and a new wave of Pakistani artists. We look forward to signing and developing our talent by delivering the best-in-class service and continuing to produce innovative content.”
Alfonso Perez Soto, President of Emerging Markets, Warner Music, comments: “Pakistan has a rich music scene that offers huge opportunities for a global music company. Through the Coke Studio powerhouse, Xulfi and Ibrahim have proven to be phenomenal A&Rs that will be invaluable in Warner Music’s growth in the region. Together, we will discover and develop artists that have the potential to connect with fans all around the world.”
Simon Robson, President of international Recorded Music at Warner Music Group, concludes: “This is a landmark moment for Warner Music as we work with Giraffe to establish a presence in Pakistan. The combination of its local A&R experience and our global network will mean we can offer talented artists from Pakistan a chance to shine on an international stage.”
