After being nominated for two Grammy Awards (and winning one) for her work on 2021's Vulture Prince, the Pakistani-born, New York-based singer and composer Arooj Aftab is returning next month with her new album Night Reign.
Today, she's sharing the beautifully shimmering song "Whiskey," which features Kaki King and Gyan Riley on guitars, Maeve Gilchrist on harp, Linda May Han Oh on bass, Jamey Haddad on percussion, and TimaLikesMusic on keyboard and electric piano.
“‘Whiskey’ is about being out at night with someone you like, but the evening gets a little carried away,” Aftab explains in a statement. “My friend has had too much, now I am tired, and I need to figure out how to get us both home. But overall somehow the night and the interaction is still pretty cute.”
"Your head gets heavy and rests on my shoulder 'cause you drink too much whiskey when you're with me," Aftab sings on the track. Listen below.
"Whiskey" is the second track from the upcoming record that Aftab has shared following lead single "Raat Ki Rani," which came with a video helmed by actress Tessa Thompson in her directorial debut.
“‘Raat Ki Rani’ is about a person whose allure, magnetism, and charisma floats through a beautiful evening garden party,” Aftab explained in a press release. “Interaction with the queen of the night feels unthinkable. Sometimes we must be content with an exchange of glances.”
Night Reign tracklist:
1. Aey Nehin
2. Na Gul
3. Autumn Leaves (ft. James Francies)
4. Bolo Na (ft. Moor Mother, Joel Ross)
5. Saaqi (ft. Vijay Iyer)
6. Last Night (Reprise) (ft. Cautious Clay, Kaki King, Maeve Gilchrist)
7. Raat Ki Rani
8. Whiskey
9. Zameen (ft. Chocolate Genius, Inc.)
Night Reign is out May 31 viaVerve Records. Pre-order it here.
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