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Arooj Aftab

+ Nabihah Iqbal

,Hall
Arooj Aftab standing sideways on from a mirror

The musician and singer performs her album Vulture Prince – a collection of beautiful compositions mixing acoustic and electronic; traditional and contemporary.

Uniquely uncategorisable, her music has elements of ambient music and new jazz, built around cyclical, repeating patterns inspired by Sufi music and Urdu poetry. Exploring fleeting relationships and past places, friendship and loss, her rich vocals are layered over gliding strings, delicately plucked guitar and subtle drones.

From Lahore in Pakistan, Arooj moved to America to study composition at Berklee aged 19 and has since cemented herself in the music scenes of Brooklyn, New York. Being named both one of NPR’s 100 young composers and one of Time Magazine’s top songs of 2021, Arooj’s acclaim has come from as diverse places as her music.

Support comes from NTS DJ and Somerset House artist in residence, Nabihah Iqbal (formerly known as Throwing Shade). 

Tagged with: Contemporary music Young Barbican

Produced by the Barbican in association with Bird on the Wire

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