A TRUE QAWWAL.

The article focuses on the unprecedented international success of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistan's renowned qawwali singer, and his role in popularizing qawwali—a devotional Sufi music genre traditionally performed as a religious ritual. Despite qawwali's origins as a communal spiritual practice with lyrics in Persian, Hindi, and other South Asian languages, Khan emerged as a solo global superstar from the 1980s onward, expanding the genre's reach through collaborations, Western film soundtracks, and performances at festivals like WOMAD. His recordings, including newly discovered 1990 sessions released as the album *Chain of Light*, showcase his peak artistry without studio enhancements. Khan's influence extended beyond South Asia to diasporic communities and Western audiences, fostering renewed interest in South Asian languages and culture, while also facing controversy from conservative groups in Pakistan.