As the Pakistani artist lands in the list of nominees for the Grammys this year, we want you to know more about Arooj Aftab. Here’s what you should know about this Lahore native.
Obama Approved
This Pakistani musician is Obama approved. Her track made the cut for former United States president’s summer playlist earlier this year. The singer’s single Mohabbat was featured among works by Rihanna, The Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Bob Dylan, etc.
Grammy Nomination
Arooj Aftab made the nation proud with not one but two Grammy nominations for Best New Artist, alongside teen sensation Olivia Rodrigo, indie-pop group Glass Animals, breakout star The Kid Laroi, as well as hip-hop artist Saweetie. As well as Best Global Music Album.
Her Groove
The Lahore native was born in Saudi Arabia, and dived into the world of music by recording covers of her favorite songs. Like Leonard Cohen’s song Hallelujah and Amir Zaki’s Mera Pyar. Speaking to ArtForm, the singer revealed that her guitar skills are self-taught. As for her singer her inspo comes from vocal powerhouses like Mariah Carey and Begum Akhtar.
Sweet Sufi Music
In an interview with the Express Tribune back in 2015, the vocalist shared her love for Sufi music. The musician said,
“I was listening to a lot of Begum Akhtar, Bade Ghulam Ali — just a lot of Thumris and Khayal gayaki (modern genre of classical singing), in general. It felt very grounding, gave me a sense of peace. In my own music, I was building a style that reflected that peace, using minimal and simple music techniques. I wanted to create music that was calming and simple. To me, that is Sufi music.”
Not Her First Grammy
Interestingly, this isn’t her first Grammy. Previously, she bagged a Latin Grammy in the best rap/hip-hop category for her contribution to Residente’s Antes Que El Mundo Se Acabe.
