Latest news with #Pakistani-American
Calgary Herald
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Vancouver concerts: Chan Centre's new season includes Grammy winners Esperanza Spalding, Arooj Aftab, Natalia Lafourcade
Article content The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts has just announced its 2025/2026 season, the biggest in the Chan Centre 's 28-year history. The upcoming season will offer new diversified programming streams and a new membership model, as it showcases a mix of internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent. Article content 'I'm thrilled to be returning to the Chan Centre as part of its upcoming new season!' said in a statement Grammy-winning Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer Arooj Aftab who will be at the Chan on Oct. 25. 'Performing here is always unforgettable — Vancouver's vibrant energy, welcoming audience, and the venue's world-class acoustics make it a truly special experience.' Article content Article content Article content Featuring an expanded roster, the season includes a diverse range of music, conversation, and interdisciplinary performances, showcasing both internationally acclaimed headliners and emerging voices, fostering inclusivity and enhancing cultural relevance. Article content Article content 'We're thrilled to welcome an incredible lineup of performers who inspire, challenge, and bring people together, celebrating artistic excellence and global perspectives. This year's focus is on bringing unique, first-time performances to the city,' said Jarrett Martineau, head curator at the Chan Centre in a statement. 'I'm overjoyed to be making my debut at the Chan Centre in Vancouver as part of their 28th season,' said Fils-Aimé. 'This venue has long been on my dream list, and sharing this moment with my West Coast family in such a stunning space fills me with gratitude. I can't wait to connect through the music.' Article content Article content With an entertainment landscape that is always growing and shifting the ongoing challenge for live venues like the internationally acclaimed Chan Centre is getting people in the seats and keeping membership coming back year after year. The Chan hopes the new three-tired model will help to increase engagement and further foster a sense of community among members. Article content Article content
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Vancouver Sun
Vancouver concerts: Chan Centre's new season includes Grammy winners Esperanza Spalding, Arooj Aftab, Natalia Lafourcade
The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts has just announced its 2025/2026 season, the biggest in the Chan Centre 's 28-year history. The upcoming season will offer new diversified programming streams and a new membership model, as it showcases a mix of internationally acclaimed artists and emerging talent. 'I'm thrilled to be returning to the Chan Centre as part of its upcoming new season!' said in a statement Grammy-winning Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer Arooj Aftab who will be at the Chan on Oct. 25. 'Performing here is always unforgettable — Vancouver's vibrant energy, welcoming audience, and the venue's world-class acoustics make it a truly special experience.' Featuring an expanded roster, the season includes a diverse range of music, conversation, and interdisciplinary performances, showcasing both internationally acclaimed headliners and emerging voices, fostering inclusivity and enhancing cultural relevance. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'We're thrilled to welcome an incredible lineup of performers who inspire, challenge, and bring people together, celebrating artistic excellence and global perspectives. This year's focus is on bringing unique, first-time performances to the city,' said Jarrett Martineau, head curator at the Chan Centre in a statement. One of those debut artists is two-time Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter Montreal's Dominique Fils-Aimé. 'I'm overjoyed to be making my debut at the Chan Centre in Vancouver as part of their 28th season,' said Fils-Aimé. 'This venue has long been on my dream list, and sharing this moment with my West Coast family in such a stunning space fills me with gratitude. I can't wait to connect through the music.' With an entertainment landscape that is always growing and shifting the ongoing challenge for live venues like the internationally acclaimed Chan Centre is getting people in the seats and keeping membership coming back year after year. The Chan hopes the new three-tired model will help to increase engagement and further foster a sense of community among members. 'With our ever-expanding programming, this new membership model will be the best way for our patrons to take advantage of all we have to offer at the Chan Centre,' said Pat Carrabré, director of the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts in an email. 'Membership means getting closer to the Chan Centre, creating community with fellow arts enthusiasts who not only recognize the value of what the Chan Centre does, but the value of the arts in our lives.' Basic Membership: The basic tier is free for University of British Columbia's students and those under 30. A $50 introductory offer will be available until September. Members get 10% off up to two tickets per event, early ticket access, and 20% off at the Michelin-recommended Wildlight Kitchen + Bar, and free ticket exchanges. Membership Plus: New members can join for $100 until September, then $200. Benefits include 20% off up to two tickets per event, exclusive event promotions, 25% off concessions (excluding alcohol), lounge access, and invites to exclusive events. Premium Membership: At $1,000, membership perks include up to two complimentary premium tickets to any show of the season, an exclusive private tour of the Chan Centre, and lunch with a curator. Note: Current subscribers will be automatically upgraded to Membership Plus and can begin purchasing tickets on June 4, 2025. Basic Members can access tickets starting June 10, 2025, with general sales opening June 13, 2025. This season includes the following series: Esperanza Spalding Aug. 29 Grammy-winning American bassist, vocalist, and composer known for her unique mix of jazz, Brazilian, Afro-Cuban, and funk influences. Natalia Lafourcade — The Cancionera Tour Sept. 27 Multiple Grammys and Latin Grammys award-winning Mexican singer, songwriter, and producer known for blending pop, rock, jazz, and traditional Latin folk music makes her Vancouver debut. Carminho Oct. 2 Blending Brazilian bossa nova and pop the Portuguese singer is recognized as a standout voice in contemporary and traditional fado, Arooj Aftab Oct. 25 Grammy-winning Pakistani-American singer, composer, and producer whose music blends jazz, folk, pop, and Urdu poetry into global soul soundscapes. Ray Chen Nov. 2 The Taiwanese-Australian violinist was a winner of the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin and 2009 Queen Elizabeth competitions and has performed with top orchestras worldwide. Tim Hecker and Fennesz Sept. 17 Hecker, a Canadian electronic musician, and Fennesz, an Austrian guitarist and composer, are renowned for their innovative ambient sounds. ganavya Nov. 18 A vocalist, composer, multi-instrumentalist, and scholar who weaves South Indian classical traditions, jazz, and contemporary music makes her debut in Vancouver. Dominique Fils-Aimé March 7, 2026 Inspired by Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, the two-time Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter from Montreal blends blues, jazz, and soul to explore African American history and social realities. An Evening with Louise Penny Oct. 29 Canadian author renowned for her award-winning mystery novels set in Quebec. This event will be an evening of conversation in celebration of her latest novel, The Black Wolf. Susan Aglukark and PIQSIQ April 12, 2026 Inuk singer-songwriter Susan Aglukark and throat-singing duo PIQSIQ join forces for a night of performances, blending Aglukark's mix of Inuit folk, country, and pop with PIQSIQ's modern twist on traditional throat singing. GOOD THINGS: An Evening with Samin Nosrat Oct. 16 An Iranian-American chef, author, and educator, renowned for her James Beard Award-winning cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, which was also a Netflix documentary series, comes to Vancouver for the first time. An Evening with Yotam Ottolenghi Feb. 25, 2026 Israeli-born British chef, bestselling author, and culinary innovator is known for vibrant, vegetable-focused, Middle Eastern-inspired creative cuisine. ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl (Come Toward the Fire) Festival Sept. 20 and 21 Presented in partnership with Musqueam First Nation, this festival celebrates music, dance, storytelling, film, poetry and food and invites all to experience and support Indigenous voices and creativity. The artist roster is scheduled to be released in June.
Express Tribune
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Faran Tahir won't fade to beige
Faran Tahir isn't here for watered-down representation. The Pakistani-American actor, best known for playing the menacing Raza in Iron Man, is steadily rewriting the Hollywood script for South Asian and Muslim actors, and doing it on his terms. For Tahir, the goal has never been assimilation. It's about owning your identity, and using it as a strength. "Some people see our colour or our faith as weaknesses," he told Jamal Ouazzani on the Saturday installment of the Jins podcast. "But there's another way to look at it. These are your uniqueness. Find the strength in it rather than be dejected by it." In fact, his primary advice to young South Asian and Muslim actors is to learn to say no when you must, and show up when it matters. "We see doctors, cab drivers, storekeepers, people from our part of the world are part of this reality. We need to show our identity and own our identity." And always have the conversation, even if you don't win. "That idea, that concept, it stays. Maybe next time, it lands." "When I started, there weren't too many good roles we could bring our talents to," he recalled. "And there was not enough choice of talent." Rather than accept the one-dimensional parts often thrown his way, Tahir leaned into theatre, where he could tackle complex roles and grow as an artist. "If I could handle verse, do Shakespeare, there was a place for actors like me." His breakout role in Iron Man was a tightrope walk. Playing a villain while being visibly Muslim required nuance. "I wanted to strip away any real allusions to faith. Raza was a mercenary, a soldier of fortune, not a religious zealot," he explained. By adding linguistic and cultural ambiguity, he worked with the production to avoid lazy tropes. "Worldliness was important to me rather than making the character a savage." Still, the grind isn't easy. "Not all work is good work," he said bluntly. Tahir chooses roles that let him sleep at night. "If I can't look at myself in the mirror when I wake up, I shouldn't be doing it." He's found stability through voice acting, television, and theatre, work that gives him the freedom to say no. Hollywood, in Tahir's world, is a global stage. "These colours we bring to stories? They're not invaluable. They are the story."
Express Tribune
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Grammy winner Arooj Aftab is set to take over BBC Proms
Grammy-winning Pakistani-American singer Arooj Aftab is set to make her BBC Proms debut this summer in a performance at London's Royal Albert Hall. The concert, scheduled for July 29, will feature orchestral arrangements of music from across Aftab's discography, including selections from her albums Bird Under Water (2015), Vulture Prince (2021), and Night Reign (2024). Aftab announced the concert on Instagram on Tuesday, inviting fans to join her for the event: "Listen, you have to come to BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with me. Get tickets without thinking. We will present selected tunes, the good sh*t from Bird, Vulture Prince and Night. The great Ibrahim Maalouf will be there with his own full set the same day. I am beyond crazed for this one, and so proud and ecstatic to share this iconic experience with you." The performance will be conducted by Jules Buckley, known for his work bridging contemporary music and classical performance. The BBC Symphony Orchestra will provide the symphonic foundation for Aftab's genre-defying sound, which blends jazz, folk, blues, and South Asian classical influences. Aftab will be joined on stage by her longtime collaborators: Greek bassist Petros Klampanis and American guitarist Gyan Riley. Also appearing is celebrated French-Lebanese trumpeter Maalouf, who will perform his own solo set before joining Aftab's ensemble. Known for his eclectic sound combining Latin American, Middle Eastern, and electronic influences, Maalouf describes music as "limitless", a sentiment echoed in the cross-genre spirit of the evening's lineup. The Royal Albert Hall's official programme describes Aftab as "breaking new ground with her captivating, eclectic melting-pot of influences." Her Proms debut promises a new dimension to her work, reinterpreted through full symphonic arrangements. The July 29 performance is part of the wider 2025 Proms season, which includes 86 concerts across venues in London, Gateshead, Bristol, Bradford, Belfast, and Sunderland. Also confirmed for this year's edition are performances by St Vincent, Angelique Kidjo, and one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy. Aftab's appearance at the Proms marks a significant milestone in her expanding international career, offering audiences a rare opportunity to hear her signature sound on an orchestral scale. Tickets are currently available via the Royal Albert Hall website.
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First Post
21-05-2025
- Politics
- First Post
Landmark verdict in Pakistan: Death penalty upheld in gruesome murder of diplomat's daughter
A three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by Justice Hashim Kakar, delivered the landmark ruling in a case that has again exposed deep-seated issues of gender violence in the country read more Pakistan's top court on Tuesday (May 20) upheld the death penalty of Zahir Jaffer, a Pakistani-American and son of a wealthy industrialist. Jaffer is convicted of the 2021 gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam, the 27-year-old daughter of a former Pakistani envoy. A three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan , headed by Justice Hashim Kakar, delivered the landmark ruling in a case that has again laid bare deep-seated issues of gender violence and privilege in the South Asian nation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD More about the case The high-profile case came to light in July 2021 when Noor Mukadam's body was found at Jaffer's residence in Islamabad's upscale Sector F-7/4. The body had signs of extreme torture, rape, beheading and brutal killing. At the scene, Jaffer was found covered in blood. Initial investigation revealed that Jaffer had held Noor hostage for two days after she turned down his marriage proposal. Jaffer allegedly tortured her with knuckleduster, raped and also decapitated her. The horrific case triggered a nationwide outrage. It also attracted expansive media coverage because both the victim and the perpetrator belonged to Pakistan's elite class. The case also reignited the debate over violence against women and the access to justice and fair trials. The Supreme Court in Tuesday ruling dismissed Jaffer's plea against the death penalty earlier imposed by a lower court. Jaffer's lawyers argued that their client was not given a fair trial because of media's pressure. They also claimed 'erroneous appreciation' of evidence in the case. The court meanwhile upheld Jaffer's death sentence for murder but converted another death sentence for rape case to life imprisonment, citing legal deliberations. Shaukat Mukadam, Noor's father, welcome the ruling, saying, 'This is not just my daughter's case; it is a case for all the daughters of Pakistan'. What do critics say? Critics say the case got a lot of attention because the victim was from a wealthy, influential family. Women's rights activist Tahira Abdullah pointed out that the murder of Mukadam received much more focus than similar cases involving less privileged women, which often get little attention or quick justice. Pakistan ranks very low, 153 out of 156 countries, in gender equality, according to the World Economic Forum's 2021 report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Domestic violence is also a big problem, with 28 per cent of women aged 15-49 saying they've faced physical violence, as reported by the Ministry of Human Rights.
