Lockdown Superstar Ft. Annural Khalid

I have another young girl sitting with me today. Last time it was Izza, and everyone loved what she had to say. This time it is Annural Khalid, the 21-year-old whose voice quietly took over Instagram while the world was on pause. What started as a lockdown hobby has turned into something much bigger, but Annural is refreshingly clear about what she wants and what she does not.

The lockdown that changed everything

Annural tells me she started posting covers regularly only after lockdown began. She was jamming more often, and the engagement just poured in. She was not expecting it. “I wasn’t expecting for this many people to notice me or you know be excited for my covers,” she says. It was the kind of organic growth that happens when you are just being yourself, no strategy, no agenda. Just a girl in her room, singing.

Bittersweet attention

But attention is a double-edged sword. Annural admits, “I honestly I still don’t know how I feel about it. Sometimes I’m like okay it feels nice so many people know me… But at the same time it’s like I don’t want this much attention this is too much.” She does not want to be in the public eye like that. It is a bittersweet thing. Yet the encouragement from people, the logon ki encouragement, keeps her motivated to upload more. She is not chasing fame; she is just doing her thing and people seem to like it.

Proving it to your parents

Like many Desi girls, Annural had to navigate her parents’ skepticism. Her mom was a bit skeptical at first. But Annural made sure her academics did not slip. She kept up with her studies so they would not have a reason to tell her to focus only on parhai. As long as she stays within certain limits, they are fine. She has not asked her parents for money since lockdown. That financial independence, even if small, is a huge point of pride and a proof that this is not just timepass.

Not a performer, just an artist

One thing Annural is very sure about: she is not a performer. “I’m not a performer I’m more of uh I’m just an artist I can sing in my room in my own space,” she says. She lacks the confidence to be in front of crowds, and she does not see herself doing concerts or gigs. She plans to put out original songs, but on her own terms. She recorded her first original song three months ago, a collab with another artist. She is clear that she does not want to act or be in videos just for the sake of visibility. Her dad once told her straight up that her name was not meant for acting or television, and she realized that direction was not for her. She wants to stick to singing.

The side hustles that became real

Before the singing took off, Annural was selling her paintings online. It started as a way to cope with feeling low during quarantine. She bought canvases and just painted. People asked if they were for sale, and soon she was taking custom orders. But when it turned into a little business, it became too much. She stopped selling and now paints just for herself. Then came the hair oil brand, Xavier. A young entrepreneur approached her with the idea, and now she is a 50-50 partner in a business selling a herbal hair oil made by an aunty in Peshawar. Her mom uses it, her friends use it. She is learning about brand partnerships and paid promotions, and she has a manager now who handles the money talk so she can focus on the creative side. I shared some advice with her: in the beginning, shuro may, compromise on money but take control of the content. Your creative expression is what brands want, so protect it.

What the future looks like

Annural is studying visual communication design and finds UI/UX interesting. She sees herself having her own design company someday, working from home, freelancing. She does not think she has the stamina for a corporate office with a boss. And then there is the bigger dream: a recording studio just for girls. “Make um a studio for a record like recording studio for girls,” she says. A female-led, female-run space where young artists can feel safe and comfortable to record. She knows this struggle firsthand, and she wants to make it easier for the girls coming after her. That is the kind of thinking that makes me believe she has an incredible future ahead.

Why this conversation matters

This episode is a reminder that you do not have to fit into a mold. You can be an artist without being a performer. You can run a business while finishing your degree. You can say no to opportunities that do not feel right. Annural is figuring it out as she goes, and she is doing it with a quiet confidence that is truly inspiring. I hope this leaves you feeling like you can build something of your own, in your own way, at your own pace.