Arooj Aftab @ the El Rey
Arooj Aftab has spent her career mastering the art of seduction. Firmly rooted in the Hindustani classical music of her native Pakistan, the 39-year-old singer and composer’s music also draws from Western folk and jazz influences in pursuit of a wholly unique sound.
Before her set at the El Rey Theater on 1/26/25, however, audiences were treated to opener Zsela, whose music is equally indefinable, somewhere between the airy minimalist RnB of Kelela, the bassy Gabber of Bjork’s Fossora, and the emotional drama of the most epic Caroline Polachek songs. The Brooklyn singer passionately wrestled her way through the reverb-heavy soundscapes, oscillating between intense fits of forlorn longing and more subtle expressions of romantic frustration. Throughout her set she maintained an authoritative vocal control, carving unlikely melodic niches with her profoundly deep voice.
Though completely distinct from headliner Arooj Aftab in terms of genre, Zsela’s meditative power, an important commonality between the two artists, provided the necessary linkage between the two acts. Deep into her second to lastsong, Zsela even invited the audience to engage in a deep breathing exercise in pace with the rhythm of the track. She ended her set with an acapella rendition, ushering in a 30-minute break before Arooj would start performing.
After Arooj’s first song, she spoke coolly about the need for community and human connection, and the wonderful ability of live music to bring people together, something especially important in these trying times — politically, environmentally … the diverse Los Angeles audience at the El Rey Theatre clearly understood the sentiment. Then began the seduction.
The show unfolded like the concert equivalent of a dreamy, whiskey-filled last night of the honeymoon. Arooj commanded her three-piece band with sensual assuredness, and even told the audience explicitly that songs off her recent album are about “what you do with your partner late at night.” In several instances, she lamented that audience members at her shows tend to slip into a state of meditation; “Look at me!!” she urged, in a joking attempt to refocus the audience on her effusive sexuality.
Arooj Aftab would rather pour out her soul than her heart. A sense of restraint guided even her most expressive vocal runs. She’s cool. Her eccentric sunglasses remained on the entire night, rendering the performer an unattainable fantasy, not real almost. With this quality her voice became an instrument of its own, permeating the repetitive dreamscape of drums, upright bass and Eastern guitar playing. “Last night my beloved was like the moon,” Arooj murmured on the standout “Last Night.”
The set closed with her best song to date, the entrancing “Mohabbat,” (which earned her a Grammy for Best Global Music Performance). The audience instantly felt the magic of the moment, and certain members felt compelled to clap along to “Mohabbat”’s infectious groove. After a quick bow, Arooj glided off the stage, gracefully plucking her near-done whisky glass on her way out. I’m not sure who slept better that night — Arooj herself, or the audience, forever reeling from the erotic hypnosis of her performance, perpetually calmed by the sensuality emanating from the stage.
-DJ Minor Sky AKA Ryan Ades