Globally celebrated musician Arooj Aftab, who became the first ever Pakistani artist to be awarded a Grammy in 2022, has now been awarded the ‘Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Music’.
The Vilcek Foundation “raises awareness of immigrant contributions in the United States and fosters appreciation of the arts and sciences. Through its prizes, the Foundation rewards immigrant artists and scientists at every stage of their careers.”
Arooj who was born to Pakistani parents in Saudi Arabia, spent her teenage years in Lahore before moving on to study in Boston at the Berklee School of Music. There she studied musical production and engineering.
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She has been awarded for her “evocative songs and compositions that incorporate a range of influences from semi-classical Pakistani music and Urdu poetry to jazz harmonies and experimental music,” the Vilcek Foundation said on its website. In addition to this, Arooj had also been nominated for Best Global Music Performance for the second year in a row last year.
While Arooj’s contributions make all Pakistanis proud, it is noteworthy that despite her Pakistani origins, Arooj’s training and professional development all took place in the US, rather than having been in Pakistan. Therefore, her achievements exemplify the pinnacles of success Pakistani women are capabale of acheiving if and when, given the right environment, training and platforms!
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