Khurram Waqar
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Khurram Waqar خرّم وقار | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 July 1975 |
| Genres | Rock |
| Occupation | Musician/IT Professional |
| Instrument | Guitar |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Member of | Brothers in Arms, kW and The FaceDown Movement, Dawn in the Dark |
| Formerly of | Qayaas, kNuMb |
| Awards | VIMA Awards: Rock song of the year, 2019 |
Khurram Waqar (Urdu: خرّم وقار; born 23 July 1975) is a Pakistani guitarist and content creator. He is a member of the bands "Brothers in Arms" and "KW and the Facedown Movement". He also launched a joint initiative that he called "Guitar Collective".[1] In 2019, "KW and The Facedown Movement" won Rock Song of the Year for their single "Todi the Smoker" at the Virtuoso International Music Awards (VIMA).[2]
In 2010, Waqar's band Qayaas won Best Rock Band (Pakistan) at the Rolling Stones-Jack Daniel's Annual Music Awards.[3]
Ventures
Dawn in the Dark (2022–present)
Waqar is a member of Dawn in the Dark, a San Francisco-based musical project formed with his wife, Heather.[5] They released their debut album, Can't Count Me Out on September 19, 2025, coinciding with their wedding anniversary.
Brothers in Arms (2021–present)
Brothers in Arms is an Indian-Pakistani-American rock band,[6] consisting of three artists:
- Khurram Waqar (KW) (Pakistan) – guitars, production
- Prateek Bhaduri (India) – vocals
- Greg Ellis (USA) – drums and percussion
The band collaborated remotely from their respective countries during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing the belief that music transcends national boundaries. Their first single, "Khuda Kay Bandey", was released on July 14, 2022.[6]
Guitar Collective (2021–present)
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Waqar launched Guitar Collective, an initiative for holding online discussions around the members' experiences as musicians.[1]
KW (2018–present)
The first instrumental from the project, "I'll Be with You", was released in December 2018. The recording was independently produced by Waqar, who oversaw songwriting, performance, and video production.[7]
KW and The Facedown Movement (2014–present)
KW and the Facedown Movement is a rock band founded in 2014, with Waqar serving as guitarist, songwriter, and producer, accompanied by Solomon and Kami on the vocals and drums, respectively.[8] Their song "Todi, the Smoker" won Rock Song of the Year at the 2019 Virtuoso International Music Awards, competing against bands from multiple Asian countries.[2]
In June 2019, the band released its debut EP, Facedown. It features the following original tracks:
- "Facedown"
- "Painted Grey"
- "Into The Light"
- "Bend It"
- "Time"
- "Todi, the Smoker"
Music videos were released for the singles "Bend It," "Time," and "Todi the Smoker."
The EP marked the first instance of a Pakistani band having its music mastered by Ryan Smith[9] and Ted Jensen[10] of Sterling Studio, New York City.[11]
Collaborative ventures (2018–present)
Bazm-e-Rang (2019)
Bazm-e-Rang is a musical project curated by Sarang Latif and Abida Parveen, focusing on contemporary interpretations of Sufi poetry.[12][13][14]
KW & Nikhil (2018–present)
In 2018, Waqar collaborated with Dubai-based musician Nikhil Raj Uzgare, vocalist of the rock band Point of View. The collaboration resulted in the single "Baatein".[15]
With Taimur Khan and Sarfaraz Khan (2019)
Waqar collaborated with Sarangi player Taimur Khan and tabla player Sarfaraz Khan on interpretations of classical Raags, presented through live online performances.[16]