Pakistani musician Afusic has been named Spotify’s RADAR Pakistan artist after a breakout year driven by his viral single “Pal Pal,” Arab News reported. The streaming platform announced the selection on July 18, 2025, spotlighting one of the most rapid ascents in the country’s evolving music scene.
Afusic — the stage name of Affan Khan — gained widespread recognition after “Pal Pal” went viral, amassing more than 64 million streams on the platform, according to Arab News. The same figure was reported independently by 24NewsHD.
The numbers around the track are striking. Afusic’s audience surged by more than 1,200 percent since April 2025, with his music landing on nearly 270,000 playlists globally, Arab News reported. Streams of “Pal Pal” spiked over 440,000 percent since the song debuted in the platform’s Fresh Finds Pakistan playlist in February, the outlet noted, a figure also cited by 24NewsHD. Among recent listeners over a 28-day window, the audience skewed 60 percent male and 40 percent female, concentrated in the 18-24 age group followed by 25-34, per Arab News.
RADAR is Spotify’s global initiative to spotlight emerging independent artists and connect them with wider audiences, the platform explained via Arab News. Reacting to the selection, Afusic called RADAR “an incredible platform that shines a light on independent artists and helps us reach new audiences,” in remarks reported by 24NewsHD. He described watching “Pal Pal” grow from Fresh Finds to Hot Hits Pakistan as evidence of “just how powerful this journey can be,” Arab News reported.
The artist has been active in the local music scene since 2020, initially drawing inspiration from his father, and has carved out a following by blending South Asian music with contemporary hip-hop and pop, according to Arab News. With the selection, Afusic joins past RADAR Pakistan alumni including Hasan Raheem, Taha G, Shae Gill and Rovalio, all of whom have gained domestic and international acclaim in recent years, the report noted.
His rise reflects a broader generational shift in Pakistani music. In a year-end roundup, Dawn’s Images charted how a wave of pop, rap and emotionally driven tracks defined 2025, with younger independent acts pushing the scene forward. Separately, Images reported that rapper Talha Anjum retained his position as Pakistan’s most-streamed artist in Spotify Wrapped 2025, underscoring the genre’s growing dominance.
For Afusic, the RADAR billing places his profile alongside that emerging class of homegrown talent reaching listeners well beyond Pakistan’s borders. With “Pal Pal” continuing to circulate across playlists worldwide, the recognition marks a significant marker in a career that, by the platform’s own metrics, has accelerated faster than almost any of his peers.
