Entertainment news and discussion on TalkFuse.
Jeff Buckley on the singer who far outstripped the influence of his father: “The first voice I really fell in love with”
Jeff Buckley described the Pakistani singer Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan as “the first voice I really fell in love with”, highlighting the profound influence Khan had on his own musical development. The comparison matters because Buckley was already associated with the legacy of his father, folk singer Tim Buckley, yet he saw Khan’s vocal power and emotional expression as a more formative inspiration.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was a leading performer of qawwali, a form of Sufi devotional music, and gained international recognition through collaborations and recordings beyond South Asia. Jeff Buckley admired his ability to communicate intense feeling across language barriers, and Khan’s influence can be heard in Buckley’s expansive vocal style and willingness to blend musical traditions.
In short
- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was Jeff Buckley’s first great vocal love.
- Buckley saw Khan as a major influence beyond his father’s legacy.
- Khan’s qawwali singing shaped Buckley’s emotional vocal approach.
Explained simply
Qawwali is a form of devotional music associated with Sufi traditions in South Asia. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan became one of its best-known performers and reached audiences around the world through recordings and collaborations with musicians outside the region.
Jeff Buckley was an American singer and songwriter whose father, Tim Buckley, was also a folk singer. Jeff spoke of Khan as an important influence on his own singing, particularly Khan’s powerful voice and emotional expression, which he believed could connect with listeners who did not understand the lyrics.