Daily Times

He’s done it again. Qamar Saleem has once again outdone himself with his new single, Dooriyan and yes, you guessed it, it’s another different song with a meaningful message.

And Dooriyan is also a first of its kind Pakistani-Turkish music collaboration!

All too often, many are unrequited with their loved ones, mostly owing to literal proximity. It is about the aching and longing between those physically forced apart for various reasons, a large part being the current pandemic, although this issue of long distance has plagued many couples and families since time immemorial.

Qamar Saleem is no stranger to this unfortunate circumstance of being away from loved ones. His career in finance saw to it that he practically lived in the skies, zipping around onboard to business meetings around the world, for at least three quarters of the year. Also because of his career, Qamar settled in many various countries, far from home and relatives in Pakistan. This separation was further endured when the pandemic hit inhibiting union with loved ones and lifelong friends. Inspired by his own experience, Qamar felt that there were many who would be able to relate to the sentiments within the song. Whether the relationship is familial, romantic, or platonic, Dooriyan echoes the ache that exists within us as we are forced into patiently biding our time until we see our loved ones again.

What sets Dooriyan apart from his other songs is the fact that Qamar chose to do this as a duet – a pioneering initiative between Pakistan and Turkey rising artists, which honours the musical respect and mutual love between the two countries. Paired up with the beautiful warbling of Turkish singer Melis Erdogan, Qamar Saleem breathes life into Dooriyan’s haunting and unique fusion of Urdu and Turkish lyrics. Melis is a prominent artist and stage performer in Turkey, having many concerts, contests, and music events to her credit.

This deliberate vocal union enhances the seductive melancholy of the song perfectly. In a somewhat of a conversation format, Dooriyan is like a dialogue between two lovers, one pining woefully and the other sweetly calling out to them. The musical arrangement is like a soothing salve on a festering wound of painful emotions and the lyrics speak volumes while in the guise of gentle aching.

For the uninitiated, Turkey’s music is a collection of historic influences from the Byzantine and Ottoman eras, Middle East and South-eastern Europe, with modern times seeing a strong influence from Euro-American pop.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s music comprises diverse elements from various parts of South Asia as well as Central Asia, Middle East, and modern-day Western Pop. With such similarities between the two countries’ influences, it’s no wonder there is great appreciation for each other’s music scene.

Yet, it is only now that the mutual musical respect between the two countries is brought a final step closer with the song, Dooriyan. And with that, the shining star of Pakistan is now also their musical pioneer. With such promise, Dooriyan’s has been released internationally on February 11, 2022. The music video and the song is available on all major music and video platforms.

And for those who especially relate to the subject matter, this could be an activity for you and your loved ones to do together. Set the date and time to tune in together from anywhere you are in the world, and suddenly, you’ll feel just that little bit closer to each other, just like in Dooriyan.

The writer s a freelancer on food, music and entertainment