Daniyal Ahmed is a musician, anthropologist, curator, and producer; researching and practicing at the intersection of sound and culture. He currently teaches courses in Sound, Music, and Anthropology at the Habib University, in Karachi, where he has lived most of his life. Although he began his musical journey as a self–taught singer and guitar player, he later became a disciple of Ustad Salamat Hussain, from whom he continues to learn the Bansuri and South Asian Classical music. A sonic anarchist at heart, Ahmed plays a number of string instruments and flutes, whilst trying to maintain his focus on the Bansuriand continues to perform in various formations and diverse genres in Pakistan as well as abroad. He is also interested in ‘folk’ music and his love for rooted sounds takes him on journeys where he records, collaborates, and learns from musicians in different parts of Pakistan, whose life and music, he also represents through ethnographic practice. Daniyal co-founded Karachi Community Radio in 2017 and since 2020, he serves as General Secretary of the All Pakistan Music Conference, Karachi.

Photo by Ross Sinclair