The well-known jazz pianist from New York, Vijay Iyer, is excited to collaborate with Pakistani-American singer Arooj Aftab on their next joint album, “Love in Exile.” Shahzad Ismaily, a synth player, is also a part of the collaboration, which Aftab first announced on social media last month. Aftab, a Pakistani musician who was born in Saudi Arabia, made history in 2022 when he became the first Pakistani musician to win a Grammy. He also recently received the renowned Vilcek Award for Artistic Potential in Music. Iyer claims that he has known Aftab for a number of years and that they had previously collaborated numerous times starting around 2016. He explained that Ismaily’s electric bass and synthesiser prowess are featured on the album, along with Aftab’s soulful singing and his own acoustic grand piano performance. Iyer underlined that the project is truly collaborative and that each team member is contributing their particular set of skills. His joy for the release of “Love in Exile” was increased when he said, “The three of us as human beings realised that we could create music together.” Iyer, Aftab, and Ismaily’s upcoming joint album, “Love in Exile,” is scheduled to be released on March 24. Six songs make up the album, and “To Remain/To Return,” the first single, was previously published a month ago. Iyer said he was happy with the record, adding that, “it magnifies something special. It takes its time to unfold.” The music is quite calm and has a ritualistic feel to it, like a prayer. On the professional front, Aftab won the first-ever Best Global Music Performance award with Mohabbat and was nominated for Best New Artist in 2022.