Humnava Releases its fifth song, Sway – a Joyful Return to Childhood, Mountain Memory, and Carefree Living
Global music platform Humnava has unveiled its fifth release, Sway, continuing Season 1’s journey of bringing together artists, places, cultures, and emotions through music rooted in collaboration and creative exchange.
An ode to the inexplicable joy found in spontaneous, carefree moments, Sway captures the lightness people once carried naturally as children. Recorded at Nasir-e-Khisrow Model Academy in Ghulkin, Gojal, Hunza, a remote kindergarten set against the mountains, the song draws from a place where the air itself feels charged with innocence, movement, and joy. The track becomes a return to the unguarded self, inviting listeners to welcome the world with open arms through a soundscape built around freedom, memory, and the bond between soul and melody.
Curated by Xulfi and Sherry Khattak, Sway features vocals by Elijah Bwalya and Find Your Rhythm as Humnava Drops ‘Sway’ Captured Against the Magic of Hunza, with Peter John Christopher from France on saxophone and backing vocals, Mujeeb Ur Rehman on rabab, Melvin Arthur on acoustic guitars, Amine Laroug from Algeria on electric guitar and backing vocals, Ilhan Karim on Chitrali sitar and backing vocals, Dorian Jonas Goetsh on synth, Adnan Karim and Muhammad Hunaid on percussions, Veeru Shan on percussions and backing vocals, and Faheem Uddin Hunzai on Dadang and backing vocals.
Written by Xulfi and Zyad Ahmed Tariq, composed by Ali Raza, Shjr Hussain, and Xulfi, and arranged by Xulfi and Dorian Jonas Goetsh, the song brings together voices and instruments from different geographies and traditions into a joyful, uplift-driven arrangement. Produced and mixed by Xulfi, Sway carries the playful energy of childhood while remaining grounded in the sonic identity of Hunza and the collaborative spirit of Humnava.
Speaking about the release, Co-Founder and Creative Director Xulfi said, “For me, Sway carries a very pure kind of happiness. It takes me back to that part of life where we were not performing joy, we were just living it. Children have this beautiful way of existing without filters. They move, laugh, fall, get up, and keep going. There is so much freedom in that.
When we were creating Sway in Ghulkin, surrounded by mountains and the energy of that school, it felt like the song had already found its home. It was not trying to be heavy or complicated. It was simply asking us to return to that lighter version of ourselves, the one that knew how to feel openly and respond to the world with wonder.
That is what Humnava keeps reminding me of as well. Music can take us back to places we forgot we came from, not just geographically, but emotionally. Sway is one of those reminders. It tells us that joy is not small. Joy is sacred. Joy is magic”
The accompanying music video has been directed by Soheb Akhtar, with Xulfi as consulting editor-director, cinematography by Zain Haleem, post-video production by Mehroz Raza and Hunain Shamim, and grade by Zairi Mohd. Production design is by Hashim Ali, art direction by Sara Vohra, wardrobe by Fatima Butt, styling by Wajeeha Badar, and hair and grooming by Trio Salon.
By placing the song within the setting of a mountain school in Ghulkin, Sway also carries a quiet social and emotional dimension. The location becomes part of the song’s meaning, connecting audiences to the raw, unfiltered spirit of mountain communities and to the universal memory of childhood spaces where joy, imagination, and friendship first take shape.
Beyond the music itself, Humnava continues to build a living community around Season 1 through intimate listening sessions and community gatherings. These sessions bring artists, collaborators, and audiences together in shared spaces of music, conversation, and reflection, allowing each release to be experienced as part of a larger world shaped by people, places, and stories.
Co-founded by Xulfi and Muhammad Ibrahim, Humnava is a global music and art platform rooted in Pakistan that brings artists from around the world together through music. Its first season, set in Hunza, brought together over 30 musicians and collaborators from Pakistan and countries including France, Germany, Algeria, and Zambia for an immersive camp built around collaboration, creative exchange, and cultural dialogue.
With Sway, Humnava continues to expand the world of Season 1, following the release of Hairan Amanam, Noor-e-Nazar, Qataghani, and Holoyor. Together, these songs form the first chapter of Humnava’s larger artistic journey, one that moves across borders, genres, and audiences while deepening the project’s vision of connection through sound.
Sway is now available to watch on YouTube, stream on Spotify, and experience across broadcast platforms.
Watch the official video here:
Listen on Spotify here: Humnava on Spotify
Partners for Humnava include Spotify as Music Streaming Partner, IG Square as Media Partner, European Union Delegation to Pakistan, UNESCO, Ambiance as Hospitality Partner, Active Media as On-Ground Partner, Sahar Advertising Services as OOH Partner, Brand Active as OOH Partner, and Lotus as PR Partner.
About Humnava
Humnava is a global music and art movement founded by Giraffe, led by producer Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (Xulfi) and CEO Muhammad Ibrahim. Rooted in collaboration and creative independence, it brings together musicians from Pakistan and around the world to create, connect, and build bridges across people, cultures, and economies. Through original music, films, live experiences, and global distribution, Humnava is creating a new blueprint for cultural exchange and artistic possibility from Pakistan to the world.
More information: https://www.instagram.com/humnavaworld/Humnava has released its fifth track from Season 1, Sway.
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