The composer and singer is the first female Pakistani to earn a Grammy nomination.
The nod is the culmination of many years working to establish her voice in the industry. “It doesn’t mean that you just started making music yesterday,” says Aftab of the “best new” category. “The process of musicianship is very long and hard. There are a lot of factors involved in getting to a point where you create a body of work that is recognized widely by listeners.”Aftab released her acclaimed third album, “Vulture Prince,” last spring.
Heading into Grammys weekend, Aftab released a reworking of “Baghon” and a cover of 2019 best new artist nominee Rosalía’s “Di Mi Nombre.” Aftab selected the singer from a comprehensive list of nominees dating to 1959, when the first awards were handed out. “Going down the years, it’s like, all of these people became great iconic musicians. And then there’s 2021, and there’s my name there. I was like, whoa, holy s–t.
The 37-year-old singer grew up in Pakistan, in a household where music was constantly played and appreciated. As a teenager, she found herself drawn to creating music herself. “I wanted to make my own music instead of just being an avid listener. And I don’t know what that is,” she says. “Every musician’s story is the same in that regard. You just feel the need to do it; it’s a calling.”
She counts Eva Cassidy, Jeff Buckley, Billie Holliday, Crosby, Stills & Nash as early influences — as well as the Spice Girls and Ace of Base, which was her first cassette tape. Aftab moved to the U.S. in the mid-2000s to attend the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and has since been based in New York.
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