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| Arooj Aftab: Why the objection to the Grammy Award-winning singer being called a 'Pakistani and Urdu singer'? |
Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab, who won the Best Global Music Performance Award for her song 'Mohbat' at the 2022 Grammy Awards, now faces some objections to being called a Pakistani and Urdu singer.
It may be remembered that the song for which Urooj Aftab was given a Grammy was written by Hafeez Hoshiarpuri in 1920, 'Mohabbat Kawane Kam Na Hoenge'.
On Twitter, he wrote "Pakistani singer Urooj Aftab". Urdu singer Urooj Aftab. Urooj Aftab's amazing Urdu singing. Is this all right? But can a musician who isn't white ever be recognized without that tag or what people think about where we're from?'
In another tweet, he wrote, 'Yes, I can make modern music in peace.'
After the criticism, he wrote that this tweet has awakened the sentiments of 'This is anti-Pakistan'. Great. I am not talking about erasing or abandoning my roots and heritage.
She lamented that these days she feels when visiting Europe and the UK that 'we are only seen in a geographical and linguistic context and it makes it easy for them to ignore us and our success. It goes and tries to deprive us of what we can get more of.'
There is a mixed reaction on social media. Some people are criticizing the rise and saying that 'If this is the case, you should stop singing classic Urdu ghazals.'
A user gave a sarcastic reply to Arooj's tweet saying that maybe it's because you sing ghazals in Urdu, which is not his language.
Farah criticized them and wrote that they don't sing Urdu songs? And didn't he get a Grammy for an Urdu ghazal?
Habibullah Khan said that you are complaining about the very thing that made you famous. If you want recognition beyond that, earn it.
While many people seem to agree with the rise.
Mehr Hussain wrote 'I can understand this. But geography is what creates our identity. In France, you are only French. In America and Britain, your nationality is associated with African American or British Muslim.
"As a writer, I hate being told, as a black, Asian, or minority person, that you're not one of us," she says. You're just not recognized as a creator.'
If Arooj's life can be summed up in one sentence, he is a 38-year-old Pakistani who started his music in Lahore, studied at Berklee College of Music in America, and has released three solo albums so far.
But the real story of his life is actually more interesting than that.
Viral on the Internet at the age of 18
Born in Saudi Arabia, Urooj Aftab started her music career as a cover artist when she came to Lahore with her parents.
At the age of 18, his two such songs 'Hallelujah' and Aamir Zaki's 'Mera Pyaar' went viral on the internet, giving him initial recognition.
A knock on Abida Parveen's door
Urooj has been fond of classical music, ghazal, and qawwali since childhood. In the 90s, his friends and relatives in Lahore were all inspired by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and used to listen to his rare recordings with great interest.
During the year 2010, the Sufi Music Festival was being held in New York when Arooj learned that the 'Queen of Sufi Music' Abida Parveen was also going to perform there.
In an interview with Pitchfork, Urooj recalls that she found Abida Parveen's room number in the hotel and knocked on her door uninvited. Abida Parveen recognized him from the audition, held his hand, and invited him to the room. And so the two started singing together on the harmonium.
At one point, Arooj asked Abida Parveen, 'What should I do with my life?'
Abida Parveen replied 'Listen to my albums!'
Arooj admits that she has been greatly influenced by Urdu poetry in her life. She calls her music Neo-Sufi Semi-Pakistani Classical.
'Different from others since childhood
In an interview given to Pitchfork, Arooj said that since childhood, she considered herself separate and different from others. She wanted to study music for which she would have to travel far from Lahore and which could prove very expensive.
His parents were also very fond of music but his father once said that some people think he wants to go into music but actually he just likes music.
"I didn't know what to do and one time I was listening to a song and I decided I might as well sing it from my heart." I was tired of the world.
He also revealed that the death of his brother and a close friend in 2018 had a profound impact on his life and music.