An interview with Arooj Aftab

Arooj Aftab has been well known among Pakistani youngsters and music enthusiasts for quite a few years. The talented young singer made her mark in the local underground scene before she went to study at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston.

In this exclusive interview by Asif Akhtar, she talks about her experience at music school and what she's doing now.

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ibad

Mar 17, 2011 02:57pm

What a breath of fresh air. Well done Arooj. Well done Nadir.

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BangBaja

Mar 17, 2011 04:19pm

Very nicely done! great work and good to see some fresh talent!

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Hassan

Mar 17, 2011 06:44pm

Wish you best of luck ahead..... -- Hassan

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Vatsyayan

Mar 17, 2011 09:22pm

She is very much wrong in calling Sufi as Pakistans Semi Classical. Its very much a part of Indian cultural heritage also. Linking it with a country's name may not be appropriate. Let it remain 'sufi'.....

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M.Taimoor

Mar 17, 2011 11:59pm

I respect her for what shez doing, she loves her work, she loves life, and above all a person so high in society still loves PAKISTAN. Keep spreading the word sis, we with you.

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aftab

Mar 18, 2011 06:11pm

I give her due respect and pray for her success. She is really Pakistani, my daughter go ahead leaving a unbreakable success behind. With regard and love Aftab

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tayyaba rana

Mar 18, 2011 11:22pm

she is right as sufi culture is very much alive only in pakistan. in other countries only film or hip hop music is popular & available.

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BRR

Mar 19, 2011 02:16am

The singer seems to be under the impression she has to represent Pakistan wherever she goes, which is not needed, she can be just another human being. Carrying the flag around makes one less human, more a symbol of something, which is perhaps not what she wants. If she wants to be "universal", and parochial at the same time, it is not an easy act to follow. She needs to make up her mind, does she want to be Pakistani and carry the baggage, or just be herself and explore the world.

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Sridhar

Mar 19, 2011 09:17am

May be it was the editing. The interview came across as a ramble err a jumble of poorly articulated ideas. The interviewer should have let her music "speak" to us.

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malik ali

Mar 20, 2011 09:49am

a/a respected sister, go ahead,sky is the limits before your god gift ed talent, urooj is invisible destenation, in the uneverse, but you are real pearl ,who can dig and descover the urooj in the uneverse, we want you will capture utmost peak of urooj and dood bless you.

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sitwat

Mar 22, 2011 02:12pm

nice work :)

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sharma

Mar 24, 2011 11:22am

Good going Arooj. May be your music heal India-Pakistan schism.What will it take us to realise that we are one people

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Arty

Mar 24, 2011 11:33am

Good to listen to her voice once more..but she still hasn't graduated from Berklee? I was eighteen when I heard that and today i'm twenty four :D

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sharma

Mar 24, 2011 11:35am

Also, please try Indian Ocean. they have beautiful sufi numbers. One that comes to my mind is "Jhini" . its a Kabir song sung is a very melodious manner. Amazing guitar and of course powerful lyrics build on Kabir's couplet.

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saim khan

Mar 25, 2011 07:08pm

she is beauti singer wish you best of luck saim qazi

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