Bangladeshi singer‑composer Armeen Musa captivated audiences at The Pearl, Shanghai’s iconic cabaret and live entertainment venue, with a performance on Thursday that blended tradition with global flair.
Musa’s performance drew a diverse audience from across the world -- Ukraine, the USA, China, Thailand, Canada, India, and a small but spirited group of Bangladeshis whose presence brought her immense joy from the stage.
Arriving in the city ahead of the show, Musa brought her Grammy‑nominated artistry to the historic 1930s venue, once a temple and now one of Shanghai’s most distinctive cultural spaces.
Her solo piano set opened the evening, followed by a featured segment with The Pearl Red Stars, where her soulful vocals and South Asian influences resonated with the crowd.
The performance carried personal significance: Musa became the second in her family to bring Bengali music to China, echoing the footsteps of her great‑aunt Ferdausi Rahman, who toured the country in 1966.
Paying tribute to her great‑grandfather Abbasuddin, Musa performed original songs in both English and Bangla, weaving heritage into a contemporary soundscape.
Her opening set featured original compositions, including Oh Ki Oh Bondhu Kajol Bhromora, dedicated to her great‑grandfather Abbasuddin.
In the second half, Musa joined The Pearl Red Stars for an English segment, where her fusion of Eastern and Western sounds enthralled the crowd.
The highest applause came for her songs Jokhon Chole Jao and Simultaneously.
The show followed her recent feature in That’s Shanghai magazine, which spotlighted her as an artist bridging cultures through music.
While in Shanghai, Musa also collaborated with cinematographer Angela Leung, a local documentary videographer, to shoot a new music video -- adding another creative milestone to her expanding international journey.
