Podcast Summary: "Arooj Aftab's New Album, 'Night Reign' (Listening Party)"

Podcast: All Of It
Host: David Fuerst (WNYC)
Guest: Arooj Aftab
Date: June 3, 2024

Episode Overview

In this vibrant listening party episode, host David Fuerst welcomes Grammy-winning vocalist and composer Arooj Aftab to discuss her new album, Night Reign. The conversation explores Aftab’s inspirations, songwriting process, the influence of nighttime on creativity, and the collaborative spirit of New York City. The episode features in-depth insights into the album’s concept, song highlights, creative collaborations, and behind-the-scenes stories, all interwoven with live track snippets and Aftab’s candid reflections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Album Inspiration & Nighttime Creativity

• The Night as Muse

  • Aftab describes the night as “deep and versatile,” explaining how it became the protagonist for her project.
  • "The night is for resting, it's for going out, it's for meeting people... once you make the protagonist of your work the night, then you have so much to play with." (Arooj Aftab, 05:36)
  • The theme wasn’t a pre-conceived concept, but rather an organic development as the songs evolved. (06:42)

• Album Cover Imagery

  • The cover shoot took place on a Brazilian beach late at night, capturing waves ebbing and flowing as metaphors for time and movement.
  • “...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. And that's also really beautiful and really subtle.” (Arooj Aftab, 07:02)

2. Arooj Aftab’s Musical Journey

• Early Days

  • Began as a self-taught guitarist with “obscure, long guitar solo pieces.”
  • Encouraged by friends, she started singing and playing popular covers at school. (04:40)
  • "I was a teenager with a guitar...my schoolmates were like, aren't you gonna play, like, this cover? Aren't you gonna play U2? ...And then they were like, well, aren't you gonna sing it?" (Arooj Aftab, 04:40)

• Describing Her Sound

  • Defines her music as "immersive and fantastical," yet with a sense of familiarity and surprise. (04:06)

3. Track Spotlights & Stories Behind the Songs

a. Ai Nahin

• Meaning: “You haven't arrived yet. You're not here yet.” (03:45)
• Reflects the emotional nuance of anticipation and waiting.

b. Autumn Leaves (Jazz Standard Cover)

• Chose this song for its beauty, history, and its fit with the album’s atmospheric themes:
  • “It has a bit of a history with Nat King Cole, and I have loved it for a long time. And it fits with the theme... of the album…” (Arooj Aftab, 08:14)
• Unique contribution from Linda May Han Oh (bass) and a sampled percussion track.
• Extended solo by James Francies. (10:11)

c. Whiskey

• Originated in college, left unfinished, then revived for Night Reign.
• Explores the “side stories” of love in nightlife:
  • "It's about going out and maybe just having a little too much, maybe being a little nervous...the night slips out of your hands..." (Arooj Aftab, 12:31)
  • Memorable lyric twist: “I think I'm ready to give in to your beauty and let you fall in love with me." (14:28)
  • Aftab self-critiquing: “It’s pretty blamey, right?...It’s really unfair.” (14:35)

d. Last Night Reprise

• New version of a song from Vulture Prince, tying together her albums.
• Heavily inspired by live performance arrangements and "Bitches Brew" style jazz improvisation.
• Based on a poem by Rumi, the 13th-century Sufi poet.
  • “This version is so fun... it's everybody soloing at the same time.” (Arooj Aftab, 15:49)
  • "How could we not have 'Last night my beloved was like the moon' on an album about night. So it had to be there." (16:41)
• Features Petrus Klampanis on bass, Maeve Gilchrist (collaborator), and a guest appearance by Elvis Costello on Wurlitzer piano.
  • “Elvis Costello is on this as well...he just came through to listen...then I was like, do you want to play something?...It's a great Elvis idea in there.” (18:59 - 19:46)

e. Raat ki Rani

• Title means “Queen of the Night,” referencing a fragrant night-blooming flower. (19:59)
• Originally considered titling the album “Queen of the Night,” but found it too presumptuous.
  • "Who is the queen of the night? It certainly shouldn't be me. And so then it evolved into Night Rain. But yeah, this was the jumping point." (20:15)

4. New York City at Night & Artistic Community

• NYC’s Constant Overlap and Creative Energy

  • “New York is one of those very rare cities where everybody is just constantly on top of each other...There's so much overlap of music, creativity, musicians...It's so communal.” (Arooj Aftab, 10:45)
  • The city’s diversity and density foster creative exchange and "restless energy." (10:45-11:50)
  • Compares NYC's vibe to more segregated, car-dependent LA.

• Rest, Touring, and Upcoming Shows

  • Aftab talks about the importance of rest amidst a busy schedule.
  • On tour in Europe, including Glastonbury, and returning for an anticipated Central Park SummerStage show (July 24th). (12:05, 21:33)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The night felt very freeing in this project...it is all those things.”
  — Arooj Aftab (06:13)

• “We just got a call from someone saying, ‘please let me know when you're going to be at summer stage, because I really want to go.’ ...July 24th. Arooj Aftab playing Central Park Summer Stage.”
  — David Fuerst (15:21)

• “It's about going out and maybe just having a little too much...we don't write enough love songs about it.”
  — Arooj Aftab (12:31)

• “It's when you give in to someone, you're like, okay, yeah, fine. . . . Then you become more open and free, and then you let them fall.”
  — Arooj Aftab (14:48)

• “Elvis Costello is on this as well...he just came through to listen... It's a great Elvis idea in there.”
  — Arooj Aftab (18:59-19:46)

Key Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment/Content | |-----------|------------------------------------------------| | 01:50 | Introduction to Arooj Aftab and Night Reign | | 02:30 | Play “AI Nahin” (Opening track) | | 03:32 | Aftab describes album inspiration | | 04:06 | How Aftab describes her music | | 04:40 | Early musical beginnings | | 05:36 | The night as creative protagonist | | 07:02 | Story behind album cover photography | | 08:14 | Choosing to cover “Autumn Leaves” | | 10:03 | Discussing arrangements and collaborators | | 10:45 | New York nightlife inspiration | | 12:31 | “Whiskey” – story and lyric discussion | | 14:28 | Analysis of “Whiskey” lyrics | | 15:46 | Revisiting “Last Night” – connecting albums | | 16:51 | Rumi and the poetry influence | | 18:19 | Collaborators: Petrus Klampanis & Maeve Gilchrist | | 18:59 | Elvis Costello guest story | | 19:59 | “Raat ki Rani” and album titling | | 21:33 | Touring: Glastonbury and Central Park preview |

Conclusion

The episode takes listeners on a rich sonic and conceptual journey through Arooj Aftab’s Night Reign, as she unveils the intricate layers of her creative process and honors the nocturnal, multicultural soul of her music and her city. With illuminating anecdotes, academic references, and playful chemistry with the host, Aftab invites both new listeners and longtime fans to immerse themselves in the mystical allure of the night—through her artistry and New York’s communal, vibrant energy.