When Arooj Aftab won the 2022 Grammy Award for Best Global Music Performance for her song Mohabbat, she didn’t just secure a personal milestone — she expanded the global imagination of what Pakistani music could sound like on the world stage. Known for her haunting, genre-defying sound that blends classical South Asian traditions with jazz, minimalism, and contemporary composition, Aftab has steadily carved a space for deeply introspective music in an industry often driven by spectacle. Now, she has lent that voice to a project grounded not in awards or charts, but in urgency and empathy.
Aftab is among the international artists featured on HELP(2), a charity album released by War Child UK through its label War Child Records. The project aims to raise funds and awareness for children living under the shadow of armed conflict. Released across major streaming platforms — including Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, Deezer and Amazon Music — the album also invites listeners to purchase physical editions and digital downloads, with proceeds supporting War Child’s work in conflict-affected regions.
The urgency behind the project is stark. As violence escalates again in parts of the Middle East and other regions, millions of families face displacement, fear and instability. War Child estimates that more than 100 million children could now be at risk as the threat of wider conflict grows. For these children, the consequences of war extend far beyond the battlefield — disrupting education, mental health, family structures and basic safety. HELP(2) positions music not merely as expression, but as intervention: every stream, download and purchase contributes directly to aid programmes designed to protect and support vulnerable children.
The album brings together a remarkable cross-section of the global music community. Alongside Aftab are artists such as Beck, Beth Gibbons, Bat for Lashes, Arctic Monkeys, Oasis and Depeche Mode, among others. The project continues the legacy of the original HELP album, a landmark charity release that mobilized artists to support children affected by war.
Much of HELP(2) was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios during an intense week-long session in November 2025, under the guidance of acclaimed producer James Ford. The condensed timeline created a sense of immediacy and collaboration, with artists contributing quickly and instinctively, echoing the urgency of the cause the album supports.
For Pakistan’s music scene, Aftab’s presence on the project carries symbolic weight. As the country’s first Grammy winner, her trajectory reflects a broader shift in how Pakistani artists are entering global conversations, not simply as representatives of a national sound, but as participants in a shared artistic and humanitarian dialogue. Her music has always carried a quiet emotional gravity, often dwelling on longing, memory and vulnerability. Within the context of HELP(2), that sensibility takes on another dimension: art as witness, and music as a gesture of solidarity.