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Grammys 2022: Pakistani Singer Arooj Aftab Wins First Grammy In Best Global Performance Category
Arooj Aftab, a Brooklyn-based Pakistani vocalist scored her first Grammy win for her song "Mohabbat" in the Best Global Performance category.
Arooj Aftab, a Brooklyn-based Pakistani vocalist scored her first Grammy win for her song "Mohabbat" in the Best Global Performance category. She was also up for the coveted Best New Artist prize which she lost to Olivia Rodrigo on Sunday night, April 3, 2022.
The 37-year-old composer, Arooja has lived in New York for some 15 years. She reportedly has been gaining global attention for her work that fuses ancient Sufi traditions with folk, jazz and minimalism. Her third studio album "Vulture Prince" won critical acclaim and also brought her to the limelight as former US President Barack Obama included the track "Mohabbat" on his 2021 summer favourites list.
During the pre-gala ceremony when most awards are handed out the win was announced. Arooj's rendition of "Mohabbat" won the Best Global Music Performance ahead of Femi Kuti ("Pà Pá Pà"), Wizkid and Tems ("Essence"), Angélique Kidjo and Burna Boy ("Do Yourself") and Yo-Yo Ma and Angélique Kidjo ("Blewu").
Congratulations 🎉 @arooj_aftab Pakistan's 🇵🇰 #AroojAftab wins Grammy for Best Global Music Performance for her soundtrack "Mohabbat." || #GRAMMYs #GrammyAwards @PakinUSA @epwing_official @FMPublicDiploPK
— Maliha Zargham Jabboana (@malihazargham) April 4, 2022
🔗https://t.co/qxVZpPF2bz pic.twitter.com/1goipfMYGb
In her acceptance speech, she said, "I think I'm gonna faint. Wow, thank you so much. I feel like this category in and of itself has been so insane. Burna Boy, Wizkid, Femi Kuti, Angélique Kidjo-should this be called Best World Music Performance? I feel like it should be called 'yacht party category.' But, anyway, thank you so much to everyone who helped me make this record, all my incredible collaborators, for following me and making this music I made about everything that broke me and put me back together. Thank you for listening to it and making it yours."
After winning the award she told journalists backstage, "I am beyond thrilled. It feels great. I've been very nervous all day. And we're off to a good start."
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 music production and engineering.
Aftab has performed at a number of major New York venues including Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art and has also performed an opening act for Mitski at The Brooklyn Steel in 2018.
