[music]

David Furst: This is All Of It on WNYC. I'm David Furst. If you ever run into Grammy-award-winning vocalist and composer Arooj Aftab, it's a good chance it will be at night. Aftab has written a new album inspired by the energy of the night, where she is often at her most creative. The album is called Night Reign, that's reign as in R-E-I-G-N, and let's listen to the first song. This is Aey Nehin.

[MUSIC - Arooj Aftab: Aey Nehin]

David Furst: Aftab's new album comes after the success of her previous album Vulture Prince, which was released to critical acclaim during the pandemic. Night Reign is out now, and with us now for a listening party in studio is Arooj Aftab. Welcome back to WNYC.

Arooj Aftab: Thanks. Thanks for having me back, David.

David Furst: We just heard a little bit of the first song on the album, Aey Nehin. I hope I'm-

Arooj Aftab: Yes, you're nailing it.

David Furst: -close to getting it. What does that phrase mean?

Arooj Aftab: You haven't arrived yet. You're not here yet.

David Furst: I feel like it's directed at me.

Arooj Aftab: [chuckles] Well, we're both here, so-

David Furst: [laughs] We're both here.

Arooj Aftab: -maybe not. It's like you're waiting for someone and they're not here yet.

David Furst: If a listener is encountering your music for the very first time, how do you describe your music and what you do?

Arooj Aftab: I would say that it is really immersive and fantastical. Quite simply, though, it's something that will make you feel like you're listening to something very familiar, but at the same time, you are also discovering and being astonished by new sounds.

David Furst: It just sounds wonderful having a wash over me as we're listening to it. I don't want to start talking on top of it. I feel like I'm interrupting something magical, as you're saying. Can you tell us when you first started singing, how you first started making music?

Arooj Aftab: I was a teenager with a guitar, a typical trajectory. I was actually learning how to play the guitar myself and creating these obscure, long guitar solo pieces just because I didn't really know how to play it and I was learning chords. Then, of course, my schoolmates were like, "Well, aren't you going to play this cover? Aren't you going to play U2?" They just started requesting songs that they liked. Then I started learning the chords and then they were like, "Well, aren't you going to sing it?" [chuckles] That's how I got into playing the guitar for popular music and just at school for friends and stuff, and that's when I started singing, too.

David Furst: You were pushed into it by your friends.

Arooj Aftab: Yes.

David Furst: [chuckles] Now, the album is called Night Reigni, and you've called the night your biggest source of inspiration. Why is that? What is it about the night?

Arooj Aftab: The night is really deep and very versatile. It's also really typical for musicians and creatives to gravitate towards the night. It's not an entirely new concept, I think. I think it was great for me to let it happen and to just believe in it and just lean into it. The night is for resting. It's for going out. It's for meeting people. It's for thinking about everything that happened over the last few days. It has a lot of range.

Once you make the protagonist of your work the night, then you have so much to play with. You have so much more to say and do as opposed to the protagonist being yourself or a lover or a tragedy. To me, the night felt very freeing in this project, in this instance, and it is because it's all those things.

David Furst: Was that your initial concept that I want to write something about the night, or did you start to notice that it was just heading in that direction?

Arooj Aftab: It was just heading in that direction, yes.

David Furst: Interesting. I want to ask about the album cover as well because it looks like this is maybe you at the beach. This is no standard summer beach photo here that you seem to be dressed in full evening where the water is rushing in on you right at the edge of the waves and it seems to be the middle of the night.

Arooj Aftab: It's late at night. We did that shoot in Brazil at the water, and the photographer is actually in the water. The waves are coming in and the beach is behind me. It was exciting and dangerous a bit. I love the cover. The photo is by Kate Sterling. The cover is done really well where on the front, you see the wave coming in, and then when you flip over, the back is a different photo where the wave has gone back out. That's also really beautiful and really subtle. We're catching the ocean at night, which, like you said, you don't really see, and it's not really photographed. You can also see the passage of time that the wave came in and the wave went out. There's a lot of little concepts in there that I love.

David Furst: You have to check out the photo because it really is a great photo. I didn't really notice when I was first looking at it that, "Oh, that's water."

Arooj Aftab: Right.

David Furst: You're about to get hit by a wave, it looks like.

Arooj Aftab: It was pretty fun. It was a crazy shoot because that did happen a few times.

David Furst: We spoke about the album cover, but there is a cover on this album, your interpretation of the jazz standard Autumn Leaves. What is it about this song that made you want to tackle it?

Arooj Aftab: Autumn Leaves is so funny because people are like, "Oh, no, not another Autumn Leaves cover." Then at the same time, I was like, people haven't been rendering Autumn Leaves for a while, except for if you're just starting out in school or something and they teach. Autumn Leaves is one of those first institutional standard that you learn or whatever. It's also beautiful and it has a bit of a history with Nat King Cole. I have loved it for a long time and it fits with the theme of the album. I guess autumn and the leaves falling, it's not entirely nighttime, but getting there. The way that I rendered it felt like it should be on an album. [chuckles] I really liked it.

David Furst: Let's hear a little bit. This is Autumn Leaves by Arooj Aftab from her new album, Night Reign.

[MUSIC- Arooj Aftab ft. James Francies: Autumn Leaves]

The falling leaves drift by my window

The falling leaves of red and gold

I see your lips, the summer kisses

The sunburned hands I used to hold

David Furst: Arooj, you talked about, oh, no, not another Autumn Leaves. Boy, that's the last feeling I have listening to this version of it.

Arooj Aftab: Yes, thank you. Thanks. It's turned out really special, especially with Linda playing bass on here, Linda May Han Oh, and if you listen-

David Furst: Great percussion, too.

Arooj Aftab: -to the later part, there's a long solo by James Francies. The percussion is a sample that I put together. It's pretty special.

David Furst: Really cool. You've lived in New York for a while. Brooklyn is your home.

Arooj Aftab: Yes.

David Furst: Of course, we know New York as the city that never sleeps, right?

Arooj Aftab: Right.

David Furst: This seems to fit right in. [chuckles]

Arooj Aftab: Absolutely.

David Furst: What is it about New York at night, the city at night that is inspirational to you as an artist?

Arooj Aftab: I think that New York is one of those very rare cities where everybody is just constantly on top of each other. I know it's the lack of housing and space or whatever it is, but we are packed up in here. There is just so much overlap of music, creativity, musicians. Even when you're having dinner, there's another table less than a foot away from you. It's so communal. Because it's a big metropolitan city, so many different musicians come through. You get to see so much art and music just by being here. I think that has had a real effect on me.

I think there are places like LA where it is diverse, but it's segregated. You've got to drive to that area, you've got to drive to the end. There's different vibes going on. New York is just quite essentially the cliche, like it's a melting pot. That's why there's a lot of exchange of ideas and cultures and musics, and there's also a healthy amount of competition, and there's just this restless energy that's keeping you-- such a drive.

David Furst: That restless energy. I'm imagining you're always doing cool things at night. Do you ever turn off and just have a lazy night at home?

Arooj Aftab: I do. Of late, yes. Wherever I can get the moment, I am definitely resting because it's become really crazy lately.

David Furst: You're about to head out on tour, right?

Arooj Aftab: Yes.

David Furst: You're going to be going to Europe and then you're going to be back in New York City for a SummerStage show. Central Park SummerStage in July.

Arooj Aftab: Yes. Excited for that one.

David Furst: A lot on your plate right now.

Arooj Aftab: Yes.

David Furst: I want to get some more music in before we run out of time. I have to ask about the song Whiskey. This sounds like a really personal song, one that you first starting writing in college, is that right?

Arooj Aftab: Yes, that's true. I wrote the first couple of bars in college and then let it go, and it resurfaced because the song is so wonderful. It's about going out and maybe just having a little too much, maybe being a little nervous with the person that you're with, who you like, you both like each other. Then the night just kind of slips out of your hands because maybe you drank too much or whatever. You know what I mean?

It's a thing that happens to us all. It's happened so many times and we just don't write enough love songs about it. It's the other side story, which I love. I love the side stories, the side love stories, and this is one of them. Then you're finding your way home and you're tired and annoyed, but you still are having fun. It's just that middle zone that we experience so often but don't really talk about.

David Furst: Let's go to that zone right now. This is a little bit of Whiskey.

[MUSIC - Arooj Aftab: Whiskey]

Your head gets heavy and rests on my shoulder

'Cause you drink too much whiskey when you’re with me

I think I’m ready to give into your beauty

And let you fall in love with me

I think I’m ready to give into your beauty

And let you fall in love with me

David Furst: Let's talk about that line. That's such a great line, "I think I'm ready to give into your beauty and let you fall in love with me."

Arooj Aftab: You fall in love with me. It's pretty blamey. The lyrics, it's like your head gets heavy and you drink too much whiskey, and I'm ready for you to fall in love with me. It's putting a lot of work on the other person's really unfair.

David Furst: You're going to let that person.

Arooj Aftab: I'm going to let you fall in love with me. It's when you give in to someone, you're like, "Yes, fine." You're holding back, you're not allowing it. Then you give in and then you become more open and free, and then you let them fall. Otherwise, you're disconnected. You have your guard up. You're not letting someone fall in love with you.

David Furst: Lyrically, it's just such a great twist though. Also, it's not at all what I'm expecting you to say in that moment. We just got a call from someone saying, "Please let me know when you're going to be at SummerStage because I really want to go." I will let you know right now. July 24th, Arooj Aftab playing Central Park SummerStage on July 24th. I also want to talk about the song Last Night Reprise. This is a new version of a song that originally appeared on your previous album, right?

Arooj Aftab: Yes.

David Furst: Why did you want to come back to it?

Arooj Aftab: I love that a song ties the next album with the previous one. I did it before as well with another song for my first record, tying it to Vulture Prince. It's just a little quirky thing that I do. Also, this version is so fun, and this is the version that we've been playing for the last two or three years on tour. We never played the reggae version that's on Vulture Prince just because we were like, "Why? What are we doing?" This Last Night version is really cool. I also wanted there to be a Bitches Brew-type moment between three or four of the musicians--

David Furst: A Miles Davis.

Arooj Aftab: Just everybody soloing at the same time. That is all happening on Last Night. How could we not have, "Last night, my beloved was like the moon," on an album about night? It had to be there.

David Furst: It had to be there. This song is based on a poem from a 13th-century Persian writer, is that correct?

Arooj Aftab: That's correct. Rumi, the famous Sufi poet, yes.

David Furst: How did you first engage with that work? How did that--

Arooj Aftab: I had a book of his work that was specifically about music, translations of it in English. I would just flip through it a lot, and then this is the one that I really liked.

David Furst: I think we should take a quick listen.

Arooj Aftab: Let's do it.

David Furst: This is the new version of Last Night.

[MUSIC - Arooj Aftab: Last Night]

Last night, my beloved was like the moon

Last night, my beloved was like the moon

Was like the moon

David Furst: We're just starting to feel everything start to build up here after that great bassline that opens things. Can you talk about the bass player again?

Arooj Aftab: The bass player is Petros Klampanis. He is an incredible musician, and we've been playing music together for more than 10 years. Just like Maeve Gilchrist, him and Maeve are my two main collaborators. We arrange a lot of the stuff together and we exchange a lot of ideas together. This bassline, in fact, is his evolution from the original Last Night.

David Furst: This is where it's morphed.

Arooj Aftab: This is where it started. Yes. The baseline is where we began the new version.

David Furst: I see in the credits that you also enlisted Elvis Costello to join the band on this one. He's playing a Wurlitzer electric piano?

Arooj Aftab: Yes. Elvis Costello is on this as well.

David Furst: How did that connection happen?

Arooj Aftab: He's just wonderful and amazing human being who loved my previous record and then would just write to me and then became my friend, which is a great honor. I was like, "Hey, we're making the new record. Do you want to come to the studio?" He came through to listen because he's just so excited about what I do and he's so supportive. Then I was like, "Well, do you want to play something?" He was like, "Well, I don't really have an instrument here or whatever." I have some ideas. We pulled out the Wurlitzer, and he sat down and he played a little part throughout the thing. That sounds really cool. Even though it's so minimal. It's a great Elvis idea in there.

David Furst: He found a way in.

Arooj Aftab: Yes. Sounds good.

David Furst: Very cool. Oh, gosh, I want to try to get some more music in here. I want to ask you about the song, and I hope I'm pronouncing it correctly, Raat Ki Rani.

Arooj Aftab: Perfect, yes.

David Furst: This is the name of a flower and it translates to Queen of the Night. Do I have that right?

Arooj Aftab: That's absolutely right, yes.

David Furst: That's a great title too. Was that the original working title of this?

Arooj Aftab: That was the original working title. Yes.

David Furst: Queen of the Night. Did that seem too presumptuous for you?

Arooj Aftab: It really did. I was saying who is the Queen of the Night? It certainly shouldn't be me. Then it evolved into Night Reign. This was the jumping point. This was the starting point.

David Furst: Let's hear a little bit of that one.

[MUSIC - Arooj Aftab: Raat Ki Rani]

David Furst: Such magical music. Again, I hate coming on a talking on top of it.

Arooj Aftab: It's okay.

David Furst: You're going to have to get the whole album so you can hear the complete performances all the way through. It's really an incredible collection of music. As we're wrapping up today, I wanted to mention again the new album, Night Reign. You're heading out on tour this summer. First going to Europe, is that right? Playing Glastonbury, do I have that?

Arooj Aftab: Playing Glastonbury, yes, end of June.

David Furst: Then coming back and playing Central Park SummerStage on July 24th. Are you excited to be playing?

Arooj Aftab: So excited. I can't wait. Can't wait to play that. Big New York crowd, let's have some fun. Come on through.

[laughter]

David Furst: Big New York crowd, let's have some fun coming. Now, thank you so much for joining today.

Arooj Aftab: Absolutely.

David Furst: Congratulations on the new album. I want to finish with a little more music. We've been speaking with Grammy Award-winning vocalist, musician, composer, Arooj Aftab, and a little more music. This is, and again, make sure I'm saying this right, Na Gul.

Arooj Aftab: That's right.

David Furst: Thanks again for joining us.

Arooj Aftab: Thank you. Bye.

[MUSIC - Arooj Aftab: Na Gul]

David Furst: Arooj Aftab here on WNYC. If you have ever convinced yourself you had an incurable disease, we have more All of It on the way, and we're going to hear all about that based on a Google search. If you've ever convinced yourself of that, our next conversation is for you. We're going to be talking about the history of hypochondria with author Caroline Crampton, and taking your phone calls. That's coming up right after news headlines here on WNYC.

 

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