RIAZ AHMAD – SINGLE REVIEW


Riaz Ahmad – Pray to God 
Riaz Ahmad - Pray to God

Release Date: Out Now

The sound of a deftly played acoustic guitar has to be one of the sweetest and most soothing things in the world and Oxford singer-songwriter Riaz Ahmad has the deftest of touches so this song is utterly sublime. ‘Pray to God’ initially combines those soft, massaging notes with Ahmad’s heartfelt croon which almost hides the lyrical content but you have to listen to phrases like, “She’s crossed the world for a man she’s never seen, left home for a strangers family, aged 19”. This song about arranged marriage then swells with tabla and sitar strains in meeting of eastern and western musical influences to be utterly compelling and spell binding until Ahmad brings you back to earth with a bump using the line “She prays to God that he’ll never lay a figure on her”. I am calling this as a single of the year contender right here and now due to the musicality, song writing, arrangements, sure, but also due to the uniqueness of the storytelling and boldness of approach. Bravo, sir.