Pakistani jazz artist Arooj Aftab has achieved some main profession accolades thus far: seven Grammy nominations (and one win), an opportunity to talk on the White Home, and slots at Coachella, Glastonbury, and Primavera Sound. Now, she’s lastly made her late night time tv debut within the US, stopping by the Late Present with Stephen Colbert on Monday night time to carry out “Raat Ki Rani.”
The monitor is a stirring minimize from her 2024 album Night time Reign — which we named as one of many 50 finest albums of the 12 months — and it’s arguably much more majestic dwell. Backed by a six-piece band, Aftab gives a fascinating rendition of “Raat Ki Rani.” Serving to set the temper is a powerful pink mild shining over Aftab; she fills the area with loads of reverb, and her harpist Maeve Gilchrist launches into a blinding solo mid-way via. Watch the efficiency under.
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Impressed by darkness and the nighttime, Night time Reign featured a deepened presentation of Aftab’s hybrid jazz-folk sound, with lyrics in Urdu and English and visitor appearances from Cautious Clay, Moor Mom, and extra. In her Observe by Observe breakdown, Aftab mentioned “Raat Ki Rani,” which served as Night time Reign‘s lead single.
“The lyrics are easy: the queen of the night time enters the occasion, and everyone seems to be immediately taken by her. I benefit from the night, I am going residence. I had fun,” she informed Consequence. “That dreamy, spiraling, loopy harp instrumental part is Maeve being so Maevey. Including tuba beneath it created extra drama and fantasy. It struck everybody who listened to it as an infectious tune that they simply needed on repeat.”
Aftab will start 2025 with one other look on the Grammy Awards, the place “Raat Ki Rani” is nominated for Greatest International Music Efficiency. She’s additionally heading on a short tour all through the winter and early spring, together with an look at Huge Ears Pageant in Knoxville, Tennessee in March. See her tour dates under, and get tickets to see Arooj Aftab right here.
Arooj Aftab 2025 Tour Dates:
01/11 — New York, NY @ Winter Jazzfest Brooklyn Marathon
01/15 — New York, NY @ Prototype Pageant
01/20 — Vancouver, CA @ New Hollywood Theater
01/21 — Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
01/22 — Portland, OR @ Aladdin Theater
01/24 — San Francisco, CA @ August Corridor
01/26 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Fonda Theatre
03/27-30 — Knoxville, TN @ Huge Ears Pageant
04/14 — Rome, IT @ Auditorium Parco della Musica
06/26 — Montreal, CA @ Membership Soda