Arooj Aftab Makes U.S. Television Debut With Stunning ‘Raat Ki Rani’ Performance On ‘Colbert’

Grammy nominee Arooj Aftab performed on U.S. television for the first time on Monday as the musical guest on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert. The vocalist and composer delivered a mesmerizing performance of “Raat Ki Rani” from her excellent 2024 album Night Reign at the Ed Sullivan Theater.

Arooj Aftab released Night Reign, her fourth studio album, on May 31, 2024. The nine-track follow-up to 2021’s Vulture Prince saw Aftab joined by guests including Vijay Iyer, Cautious Clay, Chocolate Genius, Moor Mother, Petros Klampanis, James Francies, Kaki King, Joel Ross and Maeve Gilchrist.

Night Reign was nominated for a 2025 Grammy Award in the Best Alternative Jazz Album category. “Raat Ki Rani” scored Aftab a nod for Best Global Music Performance.

The Pakistani-American artist was backed on Colbert by a band featuring Kaki King on guitar, harpist Maeve Gilchrist, violinist Darian Donovan Thomas, bassist Zwelakhe-Duma Bell Le Pere and drummer Engin Kaan Günaydin. Aftab recently performed “Raat Ki Rani” on the British television show Later… With Jools Holland.

Watch Arooj Aftab perform “Raat Ki Rani” on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaGus2qA1zE&ab_channel=TheLateShowwithStephenColbert