Jogi, a song by Pakistani sufi-rock band The Sketches has been nominated for Best Song in the World Beat category at the New Mexico Music Awards. The winner will be announced on May 31. Jogi is the first single from the forthcoming full-length album of The Sketches, the track was recorded in Pakistan and USA and features a guest appearance by Grammy Award winning harmonica player John Popper and is produced by Jono Manson.
The Sketches is the pioneer of sufi-folk rock music in Jamshoro, Sindh and consists of the band’s lead vocalist Saif Samejo and (former guitarist) Naeem Shah. Their motherland has always been a major inspiration and that is evidently portrayed in their work.
“It obviously feels great to be nominated in an international music festival, because in local award shows there is bias involved. Even if your nomination/victory is well-deserved, there will always be people criticising. We don’t have high expectations, but it feels great to sit in one corner of the world and create something and watch it being appreciated in another part of the world,” said Saif Samejo to The Express Tribune, sharing his sentiments towards the nomination.
It’s undoubtedly a great honour to be nominated with the world’s best musicians. We wish The Sketches the best of luck.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2014.
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