A little bit country, a little bit Desi: A Pakistani-American's hybrid music
Mo Sabri, a Pakistani-American singer-songwriter, blends country music with qawwali, a form of Sufi devotional music. His upcoming performance with the Nashville Symphony will showcase his unique album, Tennessee Desi, which reflects his diverse cultural background. Sabri believes that both musical genres share more similarities than differences, particularly in their folk roots and themes of religion.
- ▪Mo Sabri grew up in East Tennessee, influenced by both country music and Pakistani devotional music.
- ▪He will perform with the Nashville Symphony on May 31, featuring his album Tennessee Desi.
- ▪Sabri explores the connections between country music and qawwali, noting their shared folk traditions.
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| Original publisher | NPR Topics: News |
| Canonical URL | https://www.npr.org/2026/05/23/g-s1-122871/country-music-pakistan-mo-sabri-nashville |
| Publication time | Sat, 23 May 2026 10:10:39 -0400 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-23T14:17:27.191Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-23T15:28:05.412Z |
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Music A little bit country, a little bit Desi: A Pakistani-American's hybrid music May 23, 202610:10 AM ET Malaka Gharib Singer-songwriter Mo Sabri loves country music — and Pakistani devotional music. His new music reflects both genres. Mo Sabri hide caption toggle caption Mo Sabri When the singer-songwriter Mo Sabri was growing up in East Tennessee, his Pakistani immigrant parents loved playing the swirling, rhythmic sounds of qawwali, Sufi Muslim devotional music. They also loved playing country classics by Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. After all, Johnson City, Sabri's hometown, is a 30-minute drive from Bristol, Tenn., known as the birthplace of country music. Those musical influences would have a profound effect on Sabri.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at NPR Topics: News.
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