Singer, songwriter, and author Ali Sethi, whose unique blend of classical South Asian music and contemporary global sounds has captivated audiences worldwide, has signed an exclusive global distribution deal for his label Zubberdust Media with The Orchard. On the heels of Sethi’s recently sold-out Blue Note Performances and ahead of his debut performance with Nicolás Jaar next month, this strategic partnership is set to elevate Sethi’s already flourishing career, giving him access to The Orchard’s best-in-class label services and expansive digital and physical distribution network across the globe.
Sethi’s music is a rich fusion of traditional qawwali, ghazals, and modern influences. After rising to prominence with the release of his debut novel The Wishmaker in 2009, he made a major mark in the music world with his groundbreaking hit single “Pasoori,” which was Google’s #1 Most ‘Hum to Search’ Song in the world in 2022. It has been streamed over 1B times and is the most successful Coke Studio song ever. That same year he was included in TIME Magazine’s “2022 TIME100 Next list.” In 2023, Sethi released Intiha, an album-length collaboration with Nicolás Jaar, which garnered worldwide attention from the likes of NPR, Pitchfork, and Stereogum among others.
With The Orchard, Sethi plans to release new music later this year (watch this space for details soon!) and into 2025, following up on the massive success of Pasoori, Intiha, and his acclaimed performances at major international festivals and venues. His first performance since inking the deal comes on November 22 when he and Jaar will perform together at Vancouver, BC’s Chan Centre. Tickets are available here.
Sethi is managed by Aroop Sanakkayala of Roopster Entertainment, who shares, “Ali draws musical inspiration from all parts of the world both modern and ancient. It was important to us to work with a distributor with global expertise to reach Ali's international audience. We are incredibly excited to be working with the global team at The Orchard to bring his vision to life." Ali and Zubberdust Media were represented by Laxmi Vijaysankar of Serling Rooks Hunter McKoy Worob & Averill LLP in the deal.
Tricia Arnold, EVP Global Artist/Label Services and Sales for The Orchard added, “We are delighted to welcome Ali Sethi to The Orchard. As an artist whose music blends tradition with modernity and the familiar with the unexpected, Ali invites listeners into a space where cultures blur and new stories emerge. Both The Orchard and Ali have a shared vision of taking local music to the world stage, bringing cultures together and breaking boundaries via the transcendent power of music. We are deeply honored to be part of Ali’s musical journey and look forward to elevating his status as a top South Asian artist by introducing his music to new audiences across the globe.”
