Pakistani-American singer Arooj Aftab has added another jewel to her crown as she scored her first Grammy by winning a prestigious trophy for her song ‘Mohabbat’ in the Best Global Performance category.
The 37-year-old becomes the first Pakistani artist to win a Grammy and this comes as no surprise given Arooj has been steadily gaining global attention for her spectacular music.
“I am beyond thrilled,” the artist told journalists backstage at the pre-gala ceremony, at which the vast majority of awards are handed out. “It feels great.”
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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.
She released her third studio album Vulture Prince to critical acclaim. Aftab gained attention after her rendition of a famous Urdu ghazal, “Mohabbat,” was on Former US president Barack Obama’s summer playlist.
Aftab has performed at a number of major New York venues including Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art, also opening for Mitski at The Brooklyn Steel in 2018.
Moreover, the highest honours in music were postponed and moved from Los Angeles to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Thousands of spectators packed the venue and the winners were chosen by some 11,000 voting members of the Recording Academy.
Arooj Aftab becomes the first Pakistani to be featured on New York s Times Square
