KWXY Presents ● The Music of Arooj Aftab
Arooj Aftab Music - Vulture Prince - www.aroojaftabmusic.com
Arooj Aftab is a multi-styled vocalist, songwriter, music producer and self-taught guitarist originally signed to New Amsterdam Records in New York City and is presently signed to Verve Records. She performs across varied musical genres ranging from jazz and jazz fusion to Hindustani classical and Western classical.
She was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia to Pakistani parents on March 11, 1985, returning with her parents to their native Lahore, Pakistan ten years later. Aftab cites American singers Billie Holiday and Mariah Carey as influences as well as Indian singer/actress Begum Akhtar and Indian classical flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia. She moved to the United States in 2005 and earned degrees in Music Production and Engineering and Jazz Composition at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. Aftab moved to New York City in 2010 and lives there today.
Aftab released her first album independently in 2014. Titled Bird Under Water, the album was critically praised with David Honigmann of London’s Financial Times rating it four out of five stars in 2015. Her second album, the electronic dance/classical music album Siren Islands was released on New Amsterdam to more critical acclaim.
New Amsterdam released Aftab’s third studio album in 2021, the highly anticipated Vulture Prince. More critical acclaim was to follow from such media outlets as the online music publication Pitchfork, National Public Radio, Rolling Stone, The Guardian and Al Jazeera English. Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant named it the best album of 2021. Its breakout track, “Mohabbat,” was praised as one of the best songs of the year; former US president Barack Obama selected the track as one of his 2021 summer playlist favorites.
Arooj Aftab’s 2022 world tour is scheduled to begin on March 23 at the North Beach Bandshell in Miami Beach, Florida. She will be backed by violinist Darian Donovan Thomas, guitarist Gyan Riley, harpist Maeve Gilchrist and bassist/keyboardist Shazad Ismaily.
Among her notable stops on the globe will be her two-day debut appearance on April 15 and April 22 at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. KWXY Music Radio supports musicians and artists performing in the Coachella Valley, as well as independent music labels, and emerging talent all over the country.
Listen to the music of Arooj Aftab on KWXY Presents hosted by Louie Comella, tonight at 7pm on KWXY Music Radio 92.3 FM ● 1340 AM ● streaming at kwxy.com and ivoxradio.com