A Chat With Ali Shah
BY KATHERINE CHUNGAli Shah, a rising queer South Asian artist, is on a journey to finding his place in the music industry. Influenced by K-pop and mainstream pop idols, as well as LGBTQ artists like Lady Gaga, Conan Gray, and Troye Sivan, Ali infuses his Pakistani heritage with Western sounds. He often experiments with global trends and is recently adding the Urdu language to create music that feels both personal and universally resonant.
With a singer as his father and a Pakistani actress as his mother, Ali grew up surrounded by creativity but forged his own path. He describes his music style as autobiographical synth-pop, raw and personal, with each song like a diary entry. Much like Taylor Swift ties albums to chapters of her life, Ali builds sonic worlds that mirror his journey and evolving identity.
Ali’s upcoming fall project, Boy Blues, explores queer desire, emotional whiplash, and the tension between vulnerability and control, with bold experiments in sound. The track, “Lead By Example,” is out now. Followed by the most recent single, “Burn Blue”, which describes a different feeling in a romantic relationship.
The Pandemic Era & Plastic Pop
Ali began releasing music on social media and streaming platforms. He was a teenager in school and had started experiencing his first real relationship, feelings, and identifying as queer. “I started writing about all my internal dialogue. I realized that it was actually good enough to put out. I think my first song was right as COVID hit. Then throughout that whole era and over the last five years, I have been making synth-pop music. More like the 80s but with a singer-songwriter heartfelt emotion to it. Because lyrics are the heart to everything I put out.”
He recognizes that while his music still fits largely within the pop genre, he has given it a new name for personal reasons. “For a while I called my genre Plastic Pop. I call a lot of things plastic pop. I think it is not just my music but some of the music I listen to is this formulated, pristine, radio ready, pop music that seems catchy and on the surface. But when you get into the music and the lyrics you realize there is a full-story behind it. That is to me, plastic pop or at least the packaging it comes with.”
Looking Back at Ali’s Past Universes
Like many pop icons, Ali builds musical universes that reflect the mood or era of each project. But unlike major stars backed by teams, time, and labels, his worlds are deeply personal and autobiographical.”—“the story of my life,” as he puts it. Each universe carries its own color and mood. He also often threads past lyrics into new songs as creative callbacks. For instance, in his song “Happy for You,” he sings, “I am happy for you / I bet she doesn’t pretend,” a line that connects back to his song “Jinx It”, where he explores pretending and avoiding a friend.
Ali also took the time to delve deeply into his past universes during the interview. He explained that the first EP he put out is called No Man’s Land. It is a DIY collection of songs about the struggle of being closeted and having to deal with another closeted person. He describes it as, “It’s the internal dialogue I am dealing with. Am I good enough for you? Do you want me to be different? Now I have to be there for myself.”
He went on to describe his second EP, The Talking Stage, noting how different it felt from his debut. “It’s about finally being sure of yourself while no one else is sure of you,” he explained. “It captures the tension of unrequited love—being so close to hearing ‘I love you’ back, but never quite reaching that moment. All of this is leading into my next EP, which explores finding the love you deserve, someone to accept you,—and the good and bad challenges that come with it.”
“Burn Blue” and the Power of Bilingual Music
Funny enough, his latest release began with just the title and concept. He explained, “I didn’t know what it was going to be about. I liked the concept, and I’m in a blue era. I thought about how the hottest flames burn in blue. The tip of the flame that burns you is the hottest part. So, how can I transfer that into a song?” Ali’s blue era centers on passion, discovery, and emotions, with his song expressing how a relationship—or even an ex—remains forever, with a burning blue flame of passion that never fades.
At first, listeners might not notice that Ali’s song had bilingual lyrics sung in Urdu and English. His fiery passion recognizes that people are craving more international music. “No matter if you are from my background or from another background, it just feels nice to hear something different. That is how I can resonate with people, just by the sound.”
Raised on Western Sounds, but Fueled by Their Energy
In addition to his musical family, Ali found inspiration in young teens and emerging artists who were also striving to find their place in the industry. He explains how he learned English as a child, a skill that later shaped his music and storytelling. “I learned English through watching Disney Channel. I love all the ex- acts: Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande, Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, and more pop divas.”
He explained further that in this Boy Blues era, he draws inspiration from international artists, K-pop stars, Katseye, and Charli XCX. “Specifically, I am here in love with the beats K-pop stars are using and their energy. I am matching the energy they have. For me, it’s not just the music and energy—it’s their whole package. I’m observing that and taking notes.’
Staying Authentic in Queer and AAPI Spaces
Throughout the interview, Ali came across as confident, open-minded, and embracing his identity. Aware that queerness is often overlooked in Asian culture, he spoke proudly about using his voice to confront that silence and serve as a role model for others. “It is mostly about picking and choosing where you decide to put your energy in and where you decide to listen to. I try not to let the bad noise come in my head. But regardless of the ignorance, it is also about pushing boundaries. With that noise you have to still continue to be yourself.”
He adds, “I have to tread carefully because I don’t want to say the wrong things. I don’t want to make people upset, or make them feel like I am doing something I shouldn’t be doing, or be disrespectful. But I have to be myself at the end of the day. As long as I am existing peacefully, I can, and I am doing the music I want and what I am currently doing, it slowly starts getting better. Those who aren’t interested will move on to artists they connect with, while those who do love it will resonate with my work and tell me they appreciate what I’m doing.”
He Might Even be a Pop Star…. (Well, He is manifesting it.)
Ali is already opening the first chapters of his musical autobiography. Named an honoree in INTO’s 25 Under 25 as an intersectional trailblazer in pop, he channels his voice to champion his passion, and his rise has only just begun.
Ali added, “Next, I have a few more singles coming, and the project will be released before the end of the year. I have been releasing singles for the last 8 or so months.”