Fossilized white men: Arooj Aftab calls out US magazine for its racist review of her latest album

Grammy wining vocalist Arooj Aftab has called out an American magazine and a music critic for publishing a racist review of her latest album. Aftab's response on social media has sparked a conversation about racial prejudice and Islamophobia within the music industry.

Arooj Aftab's experimental jazz album, Love in Exile, released in March 2023. Collaborating with American pianist and jazz composer Vijay Iyer and musician Shahzad Ismaily, Aftab received critical acclaim for her unique blend of Urdu poetry with jazz elements. Music magazine PitchFork praised the album by noting how Aftab and her collaborators crafted emotional depth through the repetition of couplets.

However, a review in jazz and blues magazine DownBeat by contributing editor and music critic John McDonough took a different stance. McDonough described the album as having “Urdu chants” contributing to a "tedious monotony" and questioned the universality of music as a language. “In the celebratory spirit of diversity, maybe I’m obliged to embrace the ‘timeless beauty’ of these Urdu chants. But in the rigor of critical candour, I must admit that music is not a universal language and warn of their tedious monotony,” McDonough wrote about Love in Exile.

Aftab, rightfully disappointed, took to social media to call out the writer and magazine for “racism and Islamophobia”. She accused the publication of providing a platform for "fossilized white men" to publish their racist views. “Outrageous and unapologetic racist remarks towards three brown musicians creating in a contemporary idiom. This is what journalism is passing as in 2023. Grotesque,” she tweeted.

In her tweets and Instagram posts, Aftab further condemned the reduction of her album and the contributions of South Asian artists to mere chanting. She argued that McDonough's remarks reflected the belief that brown musicians should not exist in the contemporary music scene, drawing attention to the systemic bias that artists from marginalized communities face. She also accused McDonough of reducing South Asians to “meditation, yoga, chanting and Bollywood”.

Collaborator Vijay Iyer, himself of Indian origin, lent his support to the singer, “This is what passes for okay in jazz journalism. Love to my dear sister Arooj Aftab for calling it out,” he tweeted. In the comments section of Iyer’s thread, DownBeat editor Frank Alkyer tweeted through its official handle: “Three other DB reviewers loved this record, as do I. John McDonough doesn't. okay. It doesn't fit his definition of jazz — period — hence the term ‘diversity’. He has no other malice. No one should be cancelled for so little.”

In response, Aftab maintained, “Frank, we appreciate all the love for this record, but these lines you printed are racist. To not like the record and offer criticism is one thing. But he wrapped it in race by pointing out ‘diversity’.” She further elaborated, “And he reduced the new music of three acclaimed composers of south Asian descent to something tribalist as a whole, by using the term ‘chanting’. It doesn’t take a lot to read what is actually being said here, way, way more deadly than a simple negative review.”

Aftab’s call out highlights the urgent need for a more inclusive and diverse music industry and music journalism plays a crucial role in shaping public opinion, providing exposure to artists. It is, therefore, essential that critics approach their work with cultural sensitivity, avoiding stereotypes and racial biases. It is also a reminder that artists deserve fair evaluations of their work, free from discrimination against their ethnicity or background.

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