Rafay Mahmood is a journalist, researcher, and vlogger who has been writing on Pakistani culture and politics for over a decade. In 2017, Rafay was awarded the Chevening scholarship and completed his MA in Creative Industries from SOAS University of London, where he was also trained in Ethnomusicology and Screen Studies. Rafay Mahmood is also a film critic who is a part of Pakistan's Oscar Committee that shortlists submissions for the Academy in Hollywood. In 2021, Rafay also represented Pakistan on Henry Jenkins' Global Fandom Forum and his academic work on Pakistani culture and Coke Studio has been presented at the Oxford Institute of Internet Studies. He also teaches at Habib University.