Las Vegas: As Pakistan stares at a political crisis with Prime Minister Imran Khan getting no-confidence vote, here’s a news of the neighbouring country that’s sure to bring smile on millions. Brooklyn-based Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab won the Grammy Award for ‘Best Global Performance’ for her song Mohabbat. This makes the 37-year-old vocalist the first Pakistani woman to win the Grammy.
“And the first ever female Pakistani GRAMMY winner is… Arooj Aftab Best Global Music Performance: Mohabbat,” read the post on the Recording Academy’s official Instagram page.
Arooj Aftab was born to Pakistani expatriate parents in Saudi Arabia. After winning the Grammy, Arooj Aftab took to Instagram to write about her ‘moment’.
“Oh my gosh. I am so proud of this moment personally, but also for the industry itself. tonight we celebrated music as a collective, unapologetically making what we want to make, in all it’s genre-less limitless crossover glory. Thank you AND congratulations,” she posted on Instagram.
Seven-time Grammy nominated sitar player Anoushka Shankar congratulated the singer and wrote, “so beyond proud and happy right now.”
Pakistani star Mahira Khan said she was “proud” of the award-winning musician. “Shine on, baby! Shine on,” the actress wrote on her Instagram Stories where she shared Aftab’s photograph.
Mohabbat from the album Vulture Prince has featured on former US president Barack Obama’s 2021 summer playlist. The 64th Annual Grammy Awards, conducted by the Recording Academy, was held on Sunday night in Las Vegas.
