ISLAMABAD: Brooklyn-based vocalist Arooj Aftab, who won the first ever Grammy by a Pakistani artist in 2022, has been awarded the prestigious Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Music this month.
The Vilcek Foundation raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation of the arts and sciences. Through its prizes, the Foundation rewards immigrant artists and scientists at every stage of their careers.
“Arooj Aftab receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Music for her evocative songs and compositions that incorporate a range of influences from semi-classical Pakistani music and Urdu poetry to jazz harmonies and experimental music,” the Foundation said on its website.
“Her blend of ancient traditions and contemporary style has earned her mainstream recognition, including a 2022 Grammy nomination for Best New Artist and a 2022 Grammy Award for Best Global Performance.”
In April this year, Aftab scored her first Grammy, winning a prestigious trophy for her song “Mohabbat” in the Best Global Performance category. She was also the first Pakistani women ever to be nominated for a Grammy. She was also nominated for Best Global Music Performance for the second year in a row last year.
The 37-year-old, who has lived in New York for some 15 years, has been steadily gaining global attention for her work that fuses ancient Sufi traditions with inflections of folk, jazz and minimalism.
Born to Pakistani parents in Saudi Arabia, Aftab spent her teenage years in Lahore before relocating to Boston’s prestigious Berklee School of Music to study musical production and engineering.
She released her third studio album “Vulture Prince” to critical acclaim, and gained even more attention after former US president Barack Obama included “Mohabbat” on his 2021 summer favorites list.
