Coke Studio Pakistan’s global hit, performed by Ali Sethi and Shae Gill, has crossed one billion YouTube views more than four years after its release.
ISLAMABAD: Coke Studio Pakistan’s hit song “Pasoori” has become the first Pakistan-made music video to cross 1 billion views on YouTube, cementing its status as one of the country’s biggest global musical successes.
Performed by Pakistani singers Ali Sethi and Shae Gill, “Pasoori” was released in February 2022 as part of Coke Studio Pakistan’s Season 14. The Punjabi-language track was written by Sethi and Fazal Abbas and produced by Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan, widely known as Xulfi.
The song combines traditional South Asian musical elements with contemporary pop, helping it connect with audiences in Pakistan and internationally.
“Pasoori” rapidly gained global attention following its release. In 2022, it reached No. 3 on Spotify’s Global Viral 50 chart and became the platform’s most-streamed Pakistani song that year. The track also featured among Google’s most-searched songs globally in 2022.
Coke Studio Pakistan celebrated the latest milestone in an Instagram post, saying, “From Pakistan to the world.”
“What started as a song became a global moment, carried by millions of you around the world,” the post said. “Today, we celebrate 1 Billion YouTube Views on Pasoori, a milestone made possible by every single person who pressed play, sang along and made it their own.”
The song’s title, “Pasoori,” broadly refers to a difficult predicament or complication. Its lyrics explore themes of forbidden love, separation and the barriers that keep people apart.
Its international popularity was further boosted by social media and streaming platforms, where the song inspired numerous covers and reinterpretations.
“Pasoori” also expanded beyond the music industry after being featured in the Disney+ Marvel series “Ms. Marvel.” An Indian adaptation titled “Pasoori Nu” was later featured in the 2023 Bollywood film “Satyaprem Ki Katha.”
Coke Studio Pakistan thanked listeners worldwide for contributing to the song’s historic YouTube milestone.
“From all of us at Coke Studio Pakistan, thank you for making history with us,” it added.
The billion-view achievement marks another major milestone for Pakistani music and underscores the international reach that “Pasoori” achieved across streaming platforms, television and social media.
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