Arooj Aftab, one-time Grammy winner, is now a seven-time nominee.
The Recording Academy of the United States announced nominations for the 67th Annual Grammy Awards on Friday. Lahore-raised, Brooklyn-based Aftab is nominated in two categories: Best Alternative Jazz Album for Night Reign and Best Global Music Performance for “Raat ki Rani.”
The ceremony is scheduled to take place Feb. 2, 2025.
Night Reign, Aftab’s latest album, received rave reviews in the international press, with Rolling Stone describing it as a “one-of-a-kind sonic vision.” Aftab’s music is celebrated for its seamless fusion of ghazal, jazz, and ambient minimalism. Her work is often described as transcending cultural and musical boundaries, creating a sound that is both timeless and refreshingly modern.
“She did it again!” Scottish harpist Maeve Gilchrist said on Instagram. “Honored to be a co-arranger and featured artist of this record. Here’s to many more years of making music.” Gilchrist’s post refers to hit single “Raat ki Rani,” whose video was directed by actress Tessa Thompson. In her own Instagram post, Aftab thanked her collaborators, who include legendary singer Elvis Costello and the actor Penn Badgley.
At the 2024 Grammys, Aftab was nominated in the categories of Best Global Music Performance for “Shadow Forces” and Best Alternative Jazz Album for Love in Exile. A year prior to that, she was nominated in the category of Best Global Music Performance for “Udhero Na” featuring sitarist Anoushka Shankar, half-sister of Norah Jones. Two years earlier, she was a nominee for Best New Artist, losing to Olivia Rodrigo, and the winner for Best Global Music Performance for “Mohabbat.” She remains the only Pakistani to have won a Grammy.
Aftab, 39, studied music production and engineering at the Berklee College of Music, and has steadily gained a cult following, wowing audiences at Glastonbury, Coachella, Newport Jazz Festival. She is set to perform at Carnegie Hall on March 1, 2025. Last year, Aftab performed with Shankar at a Grammys pre-telecast event. In 2022, she recited Rumi’s poem “The Promise” at an Eid event attended by President Joe Biden at the White House.
Looking ahead, Aftab has suggested her projects will explore deeper orchestral and electronic elements, promising to push the boundaries of her already expansive musical style.