Qawwali music legends Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwals performing at South Asian Sounds Festival at Southbank Centre.
We are delighted to be working with Southbank Centre to produce several events at South Asian Sounds festival 2025.
This majestic Qawwali music group, Rizwan-Muazzam Qawaals, who are the nephews and living legacy of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, make their highly-anticipated return to the UK. to perform at the Royal Festival Hall on Sunday 18th May in a stunning finale to the South Asian Sounds festival.
Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwals, the de facto torchbearers of the Qawwali musical tradition – a tradition that spans five centuries – have developed a worldwide following for their hypnotic and intoxicating live shows.
“One of the most exhilarating improvised vocal styles on the planet.” (The Guardian)
The two lead singers come from a direct family line of Qawwali music and continue their uncle’s pioneering efforts to transcend cultural, language and religious barriers to spread the devotional, vibrant music of the Sufi mystics.
“Rizwan and Muazzam’s voices climb and swoop as if riding air currents” (BBC)
The ensemble perform traditional style – sitting on the ground, which they believe brings them closer to God. The brothers sing in Farsi, Urdu and Punjabi, using vocal repetition to induce a state of ecstasy. Their soaring voices are backed by a Gharana – an ensemble of harmonium, tabla & handclaps – taking Indian classical music to totally unexpected corners.
Their exhilarating and exciting live show is perfect to close South Asian Sounds 2025.
The South Asian Sounds festival runs from Wednesday 14 May – Sunday 18 May across the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and Purcell Room. The festival celebrates the rich, varied musical traditions of the wider Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi diaspora, as well as UK-based artists.
The UK’s finest Sitar player, Roopa Panesar, will also be performing at the festival on Saturday 17 May, get your tickets here.