Neither was it when Ali Haider started way back in 1990. Chahat was released the same year, but he continued to work for a degree in civil engineering from Karachi University. Haider was always interested in singing, and likes to say he chose passion over profession when he made music his career. The decision wasn't easy for his family to accept, more so for he was the only brother of his four sisters. "But they've all come around now, and are happy to see that I have become successful at what I set out to do," he notes with satisfaction.

Ali Haider made a name in the subcontinent thanks to the song, Purani Jeans, which was shot during his college farewell function. "Archies Music has further popularised the song, which has been remixed in my recent album, Mahi," he says. Other notable albums were Sandesa, Tum Se Kehna Tha, Chand Sa Mukhda and Dastan.

The singer is proud of his new video, Ranjhan, which went on air last week. "It has been produced by Colossus and shot in Rajasthan. Actually, it is a sequel to Saaiyan and the story takes off from where that of Saaiyan ends."Part of the pop scene himself, Haider is unwilling to agree that pop music is more about show than sound. "The video and music make a complete package. It helps to have good visuals to complement your song, but it is essential for the song itself to be good. The same applies to film music also. What will you promote if there's no quality? Only what is good has the capacity to last," he says defensively.

Ali Haider's reference to films makes one ask why he hasn't sung for Bollywood, although he is one of the rare pop singers to have remained around for a decade. "Singing for films or acting in them was never on my mind right from the start," he claims. "I prefer to travel and hold concerts, singing only what I like. My shows in USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and of course, in India and Pakistan, are received very well.

The crowds that come are nearly all of Indian or Pakistani origin, so they love the folk tunes that I sing. My basic instruments are the banjo, guitar, keyboard, tabla and the flute. It is here that I blend the East with the West. Of course, I have noticed some whites in the audience and they enjoy my music as much as anyone else does."

Haider wants it to be known that he does not opt for cover versions, which is often considered the easy way to grip audience attention. "I always sing my own songs even if it is a three-hour concert. Unless I am paying a tribute to a particular artiste, I do not sing what another singer originally did. After all, it is my name that people come for, why should they get anything else?" he reasons.

The 30-year-old, who likes the music of Reshma and Abida Parveen, writes 90 per cent of the lyrics he sings and makes the "melody lines" of his tunes. The musical composition and arrangement is done in consultation with musicians who have worked with him for years and "understand his temperament".

But we live in times when a meteoric rise does not guarantee a secure place in the limelight. Ali Haider has chalked out a strategy for the time when the pop bubble will burst. "In fact, there is a decline already. But I don't confine myself to pop. I sing fusion and ghazals. My base has been folk music, which will never go out of style. Still, this does not mean I subscribe to the view that pop music is a big joke. For me, it is a serious thing."

-- Bella Jaisinghani