Dawn Images

You know what we're sick of hearing? Artists getting paid in exposure.

The concept of the starving artist is an annoying one that lets many exploit the talents of a person, buying the art with no commission for the hard work and time put into the creation of said art.

Well, Tamaasha says no more. After a year of being in the spotlight due to Pepsi Battle of the Bands, the band has called for an end to this exploitation through their debut release 'Paisa Phenk' which is finally out.

And it's a good one!

Listening to the song, one can immediately tell that this is an outcry from artists all around the world, that have just about had it with being the ones who provide all the entertainment but reap none of the benefits. And it feels good to see someone standing up for what is really their right.

Speaking to Images the band revealed they, "always knew that our first song will be called 'Paisa Phenk'; it just felt right. We prepared the song for the finale of last year's Pepsi Battle of the Bands, but we didn't make it that far!"

"The video has been shot by a dedicated family of filmmakers and supporters; produced by Shahriyar Ali Soomro of Goreela Films, directed by Zaeem Asad, and shot by Noor Muhammad Turk. Their vision of an over-the-top performance, and aesthetically appealing cinematography can not have been more aptly executed!"

And we can't deny, the video is one to watch. It gels with the song, gives us characters we can recognise and give us a unique Our Lady Peace in the now vibe.

Tamaasha added, "A big, big support were the various artists involved in the video that shared their art form, and acted as ambassadors for the art community in Pakistan. They're support and help has been crucial, and we can't be more indebted to them!

"A debut single is a big deal, and the time we took for it to launch is proof of the fact that we wanted it to be to the best of our talent! For the past year, we've done nothing but save every rupee that we earned to execute this vision."

The band had released a teaser for the track last week and with it, the #paisaphenk movement where they encourage artists to speak up about their experiences with problematic clients. Perhaps more conversation around the matter and a union of artists is just what the field needs to be protected from further exploitation.