EDM Artist News
Alan Walker & James Arthur Rework One of Pakistan’s Biggest Hits
Alan Walker and James Arthur join Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib for a new version of one of Pakistan’s biggest recent hits
Alan Walker and James Arthur have teamed up with Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib for Alfaaz (Alan Walker Relight), a new version of one of Pakistan’s biggest recent hits. Released in July 2026, the original reached No. 26 on Spotify’s Global Daily Top Songs and topped charts in India and Pakistan. It also spread widely across social media. The new version adds Alan Walker’s production touches and James Arthur’s vocals while keeping the qawwali and Sufi influences of the original at its core.
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The Original Track’s Success and Alan Walker’s Involvement
Beyond its chart performance, fans featured Alfaaz in more than 1 million Instagram Reels and around 2.4 million TikTok posts. Alan Walker’s involvement began through an unexpected detail in the original music video, where a masked figure looked similar to the mask he wears on stage.
The reference caught Alan Walker’s attention and led him to connect with Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib online. He later travelled to Lahore to work with them directly. The trip also became part of the new music video, filmed over roughly 12 hours. It continues the story established in the original Alfaaz video, with Alan Walker appearing alongside the Pakistani artists.
Alan Walker and James Arthur’s Contributions to the New Version
Alfaaz (Alan Walker Relight) keeps the musical identity of the original while adding contributions from Alan Walker and James Arthur. Alan Walker brings his production style to the track, while James Arthur adds new vocals alongside Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib.
The relight also keeps the qawwali and Sufi influences that helped distinguish the original. Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib remain central to the song, which had already become a major hit before Alan Walker and James Arthur joined the project. The new version therefore expands on an established Pakistani release while preserving what first connected with listeners.
The Qawwali History Behind Zain Zohaib
Part of that musical identity comes from Zain Zohaib’s family history. Zain and Zohaib are the grandsons of Ustad Haji Rehmat Ali Khan, who performed alongside legendary qawwali vocalist Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Their family history connects their music to one of Pakistan’s most recognised musical traditions.
That history also creates an interesting parallel with Mustt Mustt. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan recorded the track with producer Michael Brook in 1990, before Massive Attack later remixed it. The release introduced Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s music to wider audiences in the UK and beyond.
More than three decades later, Alfaaz (Alan Walker Relight) connects electronic production with a musical tradition carried forward by the family of one of his longtime collaborators. The new version from Alan Walker, James Arthur, Hamza Malik and Zain Zohaib is out now.
