[Cover photo credit to Shreya Dev Dube]
Arooj Aftab will be releasing new album Night Reign, the follow up to Vulture Prince, on May 31, 2024 on Verve Records. Ahead of that, she has shared “Raat Ki Rani,” and a music video helmed by actress Tessa Thompson in her directorial debut. The video was Produced by Kishori Rajan, who heads Thompson’s production company Viva Maude.
Aftab says:
‘Raat Ki Rani’ is about a person whose allure, magnetism, and charisma floats through a beautiful evening garden party.
Interaction with the queen of the night feels unthinkable. Sometimes we must be content with an exchange of glances.
The song’s title means “queen of the night” and is also the name of a fragrant, night-blooming flower. The titular jasmine blossom also plays a significant role in the Thompson-directed visuals.
Aftab makes the night the focus of this nine-song collection. She delves into the “multifaceted, bold and fascinating realm that comes to life after dark.”
The album features new friends like Cautious Clay on flute, Moor Mother, and Chocolate Genius aka Marc Anthony Thompson. Longtime collaborators Petros Klampanis and Maeve Gilchrist also continue their musical partnership as core members of Arooj’s musical family.
To support Night Reign, Aftab will embark on a string of live performances across the States and Europe. She’ll play dates here in the US alongside Khruangbin, and in Europe she’ll hit festival stops at Glastonbury, Lowlands, and Pitchfork London among many others.
Arooj Aftab Live
North America
July 22, 2024 Chicago, IL – Millennium Park Summer Series
July 23, 2024 Ridgefield, CT – Ridgefield Playhouse
July 24, 2024 New York, NY – TBD
July 25, 2024 Saugerties, NY – Opus 40
Sept 19, 2024 Boston, MA – Paradise
Sept 23, 2024 Washington, DC – The Anthem (w-Khruangbin)
Sept 24, 2024 Washington, DC – The Anthem (w-Khruangbin)
Oct 2, 2024 St. Louis, MO – The Factory (w-Khruangbin)
Oct 3, 2024 St. Louis, MO – The Factory (w-Khruangbin)
Oct 9, 2024 New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre (w-Khruangbin)
Oct 10, 2024 New Orleans, LA – Saenger Theatre (w-Khruangbin)
Jan 20, 2025 Vancouver, BC – Hollywood Theatre
Jan 21, 2025 Seattle, WA – Washington Hall
Jan 22, 2025 Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
Jan 24, 2025 San Francisco, CA – August Hall
Jan 25, 2025 Stanford, CA – Bing Concert Hall at Stanford Live
Jan 26, 2025 Los Angeles, LA – Fonda Theatre
UK/EU
June 28, 2024 Antwerp, BE – Live is Live Festival
June 28-30 Glastonbury, UK – Glastonbury Festival
July 13, 2024 Rotterdam, NL – North Sea Jazz Festival
Aug 9, 2024 Helsinki, FI – Flow Festival
Aug 13, 2024 Uppsala, SE – Uppsala Konsert & Kongress
Aug 15, 2024 Oslo, NO – Oslo Jazz Festival
Aug 17, 2024 Biddinghuizen, NL – Lowlands Festival
Aug 19, 2024 Zurich, CH – Zürcher Theater Spektakel 2024
Oct 12, 2024 Manchester, UK – Aviva Studios
Oct 19, 2024 Berlin, DE – Heimathafen
Oct 20, 2024 Hamburg, DE – Mojo Club
Oct 21, 2024 Heidelberg, DE – Enjoy Jazz Festival
Oct 22, 2024 Cologne, DE – Kulturkirche
Oct 23, 2024 Lille, FR – Aeronef
Oct 25, 2024 Paris, FR – Trianon
Oct 26, 2024 Nantes, FR – Le Lieu Unique
Oct 28, 2024 Lisbon, PT – Teatro Tivoli BBVA
Oct 29, 2024 Barcelona, ES – Sala Apolo
Oct 30, 2024 Madrid, ES – Festival de Jazz de Madrid
Nov 1, 2024 Bristol, UK – Beacon Theatre
Nov 2, 2024 Glasgow, UK – QMU
Nov 3, 2024 Leeds, UK – Project House
Nov 6, 2024 Brighton, UK – Mutations Festival
Nov 7, 2024 London, UK – Pitchfork Festival @ Roundhouse
Nov 8, 2024 Den Bosch, NL – November Music Festival
Nov 12, 2024 Copenhagen, DK – Vega
More dates can be found at Aroojaftab.com – more to be announced!
