Arooj Aftab Wins The First Grammy For Pakistan

Pakistani composer and singer Arooj Aftab won her first Grammy on Sunday for the song “Mohabbat” in the Best Global Performance category for her song.

Femi Kuti’s “Pà Pá Pà,” Wizkid and Tems’ “Essence,” Angélique Kidjo and Burna Boy’s “Do Yourself,” and Yo-Yo Ma and Angélique Kidjo’s “Blewu” were among the other contenders.

“I think I’m gonna faint. Wow, thank you so much. I feel like this category in and of itself has been so insane,” said Aftab in her acceptance speech.

“To all of my colleagues, I want to express my gratitude for helping me produce this album and listening to the songs I created about the experiences that tore me apart before putting me back together again. Thank you for listening to it and becoming a part of it,” she said.

For the Best New Artist category, Olivia Rodrigo won. Aftab was nominated for this award as well.

Aftab, the first Pakistani to be nominated for two Grammys, stated, “It’s a really happy moment for me, but also for the business to have this boundless, unapologetic inclusivity… It’s a truly proud moment for me and for the industry.”

It’s a terrific day to be a musician.

Aftab is part of a group of singers attempting to mainstream non-English music. Her Grammy triumph is remarkable and critically important.

By adapting classic ghazals and poetry to new music or radically changing current songs, the 36-year-old has slowly established her mark in the music world.

Social media is overflowing with well-wishes for the musician.