Grammy-winning artiste Arooj Aftab shares how night became her creative companion

After her 2021 hit ‘Vulture Prince’, Grammy-winning artiste Arooj Aftab is back with her new album ‘Night Reign’ (2024). Often included in the ‘sad girl’ genre, her music is more than just emotional vibes. ‘Night Reign’ blends genres like alternative, folk, and jazz. “The genre part starts to lose relevance in the face of an entirely new style of music,” says Aftab, who has studied jazz at the Berkeley School of Music, California. She is known to experiment with forms such as Indie rock, among others. “There’s so much more. It’s so broad now,” she exclaims.

The album is a reflection of Aftab’s 15 years in New York and her commitment to staying true to herself. The album has nine songs, of which 'Aey Nehin' is her current favourite. Though the album features multiple artistes like Cautious Clay, Moor Mother, Chocolate Genius, Petros Klampanis, and Maeve Gilchrist, the protagonist is one—the night. “It’s a common cliché that artistes really thrive at night. But so much is true. It’s a beautiful time that sums up the day and gives you this beautiful canopy, under which you can have a whole range of emotions. And that’s where it took off,” explains the 38-year-old singer and composer. Aftab says she makes music that she wants to hear. “It’s without any ulterior motive. And I think that it is this honesty and integrity that touches a lot of people.”

Born in Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents, Aftab spent her adolescent years in Lahore. She says the city has always inspired her. “I think there was a lot of romance in the city, especially in the ’90s when I was growing up there,” recalls Aftab. She was on a search for a sound that would honestly represent how South Asian music has integrated with different cultures from across the world. Aftab says it’s no longer a shock when you put a tabla and a saxophone together. “Our realities have become more integrated than they ever were.” The Pakistani-American singer has had unusually complementary influences. When asked if there is one quote that she lives by, the singer resonates with Michael Jackson. “I’m going to dig and dig, and push my music as far as I can,” she says, quoting Jackson.

Given her multi-city upbringing, it is obvious that Aftab has grown up with many musical influences. “When I heard Susheela Raman (British musician) for the first time, I felt it is going somewhere. It was very impressive.” Some other names would be Zakir Hussain, jazz trumpeter Miles Davis, and saxophonist Stan Getz. Asked what success means to her, Aftab says, “It’s hard to define it because the definition keeps changing. For me, the biggest win is this new sound which I was able to create and have been chasing for the last 20 years. When you are recognised for the things that you want to be known for, it tastes like success.”

Feature Image Credits: Kate Sterlin; Albums (Clockwise): Jasmine Sandlas, Bomba Estéreo, Deira—MC Abdul and Saint Levant, Hit Me Hard And Soft—Billie Eilish

This article originally appeared in Harper's Bazaar India, June-July 2024 print issue. 

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