Kaifi Khalil is a Pakistani singer and composer known for blending traditional Balochi music with contemporary music.
Wiki/Biography
Kaifi Khalil was born on September 2 in Karachi, Pakistan. His zodiac sign is Virgo. He spent his childhood in Lyari, an urban slum in Karachi known for violence, gangs and drugs. Kaifi’s father was a musician and he was interested in music from an early age. Keffi grew up in a humble family and never went to school. A friend introduced him to MAD Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi. Thereafter, Kaifi received formal music training free of charge at the MAD School, where he collaborated with many renowned musicians under the guidance of artistic directors Nida Butt and Hamza Jafri. Kaifi Khalil lives with his mother in Lyari.
Kaifi Khalil at home in Lyari
appearance
Height (approximately): 5′8″
Hair color: black
Eye color: black
family
His father, Rajab Ali Surizehi, is a musician who plays the Balochi banjo guitar. In addition, his father also made banjos.
Profession
After his father’s death, Keffie struggled to make ends meet and worked various odd jobs. He saved his income and bought a second-hand guitar to pursue his passion for music. He then taught himself how to play guitar through YouTube videos. He established his YouTube channel of the same name in July 2015. In November 2016, he uploaded his first YouTube video, an acoustic cover of the Balochi song “Mani Tawe Dost”. He has since uploaded many covers of Balochi and Urdu songs. He started his career with the Karachi-based non-profit organization I Am Karachi, which promotes socio-cultural activities in Pakistan. “I AM KARACHI” provides Kaifi with numerous performance platforms. In 2016, he also received the “I Am Karachi Hope Award” (2016).
In the same year, he participated in the I AM KARACHI Music Festival.
Kaifi Khalil attends I Am Karachi Music Festival (2016)
In 2017, he released the song “Chammani Ars” on an independent label. In 2019, he appeared on the Pakistani talk show “The Chiragh Baloch Show”.
Kaifi Khalil in “The Chila Baloch Show” (2019)
In 2020, he came into the spotlight with his song “Bya K Bacheke Abdaale”, which has been viewed more than 1 million times. His 2020 song “Tauba Tauba” was written by his father for his mother out of admiration for her.
Tauba Tauba (2020) by Kefi Khalil
Other singles he has released include Baali Guraab (2021), Kadi Kaye (2021) and Mast (2022). Kaifi Khalil rose to fame in 2022 after receiving a casting call from Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan, the producer of the Pakistani music television show Coke Studio Season 14. In Coke Studio Season 14, Kaifi Khalil collaborates with Pakistani rapper Eva B and Tambura player as the lead vocalist. Abdul Wahab Bugti composed the song “Kana Yaari”. In addition to Eva B’s rapping, the song was written and composed by Kaifi Khalil. “Kana Yaari” garnered 3.2 million views on the third day of its release, making Kaifi Khalil a sensation on YouTube.
Facts/Trivia
- The “About” section of his Facebook account reads “I’m ugly.”
- In an interview, Keffi revealed that he was bullied for pursuing a music career while growing up in the notorious Lyari community. He said that when he went to guitar lessons, people would call out teasing names and pick up his guitar.
- In an interview, he expressed his desire to form a band. Apparently, whenever a singer gets an opportunity to perform at a college or university, they ask for a full-fledged band rather than a solo singer.
- “Somebody Else” by the British pop rock band 1975 is one of his favorite songs.
Categories: Biography
Source: HIS Education