Watch: Arooj Aftab, Anoushka Shankar perform 'Udhero Na' at the 2023 Grammys

Singer and sitar player may not have won for the song but they sure did win hearts

Renowned artist, vocalist, and Pakistan’s first-ever grammy-winner, Arooj Aftab, returned to the Grammy Premiere Ceremony this Sunday to perform on its stage – another first for a Pakistani. She stood beside Anoushka Shankar to croon their gut-wrenching track, Udhero Na, to open the 2023 awards held in Los Angeles.

The singer set the tone for the night with her grammy-nominated track and haunting vocals. The song may not have won Aftab her second Academy Award but her meditative voice and range, accompanied by the British-Indian sitar player’s mastery over the instrument, sure did win hearts.

The Brooklyn-based star has on numerous occasions made Pakistan proud since winning last year for Mohabbat. Even before that, Aftab had a loud and loyal fanbase in Pakistan. Her iteration of Hafeez Hoshiarpuri’s 1921 composition racked up several million streams before earning a coveted place in Barack Obama’s 2021 summer playlist and eventually winning at the Academy Awards.

Aftab was also the only artist to have won a Grammy for Best Global Music Performance before Sunday, considering the category was introduced last year, beating out likes of Burna Boy, Yo-Yo Ma, and Wizkid.

This time, however, Aftab was nominated for one Grammy Award for Udhero Na, once again in the Best Global Music Performance category. The year before, she also took home the inaugural award for Best Global Music Performance with Mohabbat, along with her Best New Artist nomination. Shankar, on the other hand, has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards till date.

Watch the maestros in action at the premier in the video below: