arooj aftab

Having been born to seven consecutive generations of qawwals (those who perform the ancient form of religious Sufi music from Pakistan and Northern India - Punjab - known as qawwali), Faiz Ali Faiz was raised on the practice.

After having performed at Le Guess Who? in 2021, we asked Pakistani singer Arooj Aftab, whose work is inspired by Sufi poets and musicians that came before her, to interview Faiz Ali Faiz. They talked about his background story, what music means to him, and about pushing the boundaries of what qawwali can be.

Words & audio by Arooj Aftab
Photography by Lucien Lung

Música nueva para volarte la cabeza de GoGo Penguin, Arooj Aftab,  Electric Jalaba, Stanley Turrentine, Viagra Boys. Presentada por Omar Morales.

Social activist, fashion influencer and illustrator, Arooj Aftab has been breaking down barriers in the quest for inclusivity within the fashion industry. Arooj is now recognised as a spokesperson for body inclusivity and poses important questions about the language we use when it comes to promoting real and meaningful diversity. 

After discovering she had Neurofibromatosis at a young age, she appeared in the BBC Newsbeat doc, 'My Tumour Made Me Trendy' which revealed more about her story and coming to terms with her condition. Since then been heralded by British Vogue and Elle for her work on her platform and won 2019's Asian Media Award.

She has since been a panellist for Instagram, appeared at Summer in the City and received support from Bustle, GUAP, BBC Radio London, Thiiird Magazine, Fizzy Magazine and more. 

Earlier this year she launched her #donewithdiversity project which sees her combine her passion for inclusivity within the fashion industry with her talent for illustration. The project aims to encourage brands and publishing platforms to rethink the language they use and to consider if they are truly inclusive to all.