ISLAMABAD: Pakistani classical singer Mai Dhai was recently featured on the iconic Times Square billboard in New York city, making her the latest celebrity from the country to be advertised at the prestigious location. 

Times Square, situated at the heart of New York City, is renowned for its iconic digital billboards and advertisements which showcase images of celebrities and a wide array of prominent brands. It is recognized as one of the most heavily trafficked places in the world. 

Dhai, a septuagenarian singer who hails from Pakistan’s southern Tharparkar district famous for its desert landscape and cultural diversity, belongs to the Manganhar Muslim community. The Manganhars are a famous community of singers that reside in the Tharparkar district in Pakistan and Rajasthan state in India, both areas connected via the shared border between the two countries. 

“A voice like that of the cuckoo reaches Times Square directly,” Spotify Pakistan posted on Instagram on Saturday, sharing a picture of Dhai at a vertical billboard on Times Square. “Listen to Mai Dhai on the #EQUALPAKISTAN playlist.”

The Equal Pakistan initiative by Spotify aims to promote both established and aspiring female artists, recognizing their talent and contributions to the music industry in the country. 

Dhai garnered critical acclaim after performing in a string of popular Pakistani musical festivals. However, she shot to fame across Pakistan in 2016 after debuting in Coke Studio’s season 8 with her two songs, “Aankhaṛli Phaṛookai” and “Kadi Ao Ni with artists Karam Abbas Khan and Atif Aslam garnering critical acclaim. 

In October 2023, Pakistani musician-singer Talal Qureshi was also featured on a Spotify billboard at Times Square, when the music platform and streaming app promoted Qureshi’s 2023 album “Turbo” on the billboard. 

Qureshi, celebrated for his seamless fusion of traditional Pakistani music with modern electronic sounds, is known for popular hits such as “Peechay Hut,” “Hico,” “Faltu Pyar” and “Paisa.”