Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was trained by his uncle, the late Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the art of classical music and Qawwali. Ustad Rahat Fateh Ali Khan is known for his rendition of ‘qawwalis’, a devotional genre of music by the ‘Sufis’. In addition to qawwalis, he is also adept at singing light, semi- classical songs, as well ghazals. He is popular not only in Pakistan and India but also in other countries. Singing qawwalis has been a family business for ages.

Since Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan did not have any children, he and his brother (Rahat’s father), groomed Rahat from a very early age to take on the mantle of the family legacy. Rahat’s first public performance was at the age of eleven. He can be seen in numerous videos alongside his father and uncle in recordings from the 1980s and 1990s.

Paap (2004), featuring hit song, Mann Ki Lagan, marked his debut as a Bollywood playback singer. Today he is one of the most sought after in the Hindi film industry for his excellence in his genre.

In a subordinate role with his uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, working in collaboration with Eddie Vedder, of the American rock band, Pearl Jam, Rahat contributed to the soundtrack of the 1995 Hollywood film Dead Man Walking. More recently, his vocals were featured on the soundtrack of Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto.