Urvah Khan (she/her) is a Canadian-Pakistani musician, trailblazer, and cultural provocateur redefining the boundaries of art, identity, and activism.
Based in Toronto, Khan fuses her South Asian heritage with a fearless punk ethos to create 'Scrap' —a genre forged from the rubble of traditional rock and roll.
With six albums released and a seventh in the works, her music isn’t just sound—it’s a movement, a manifesto, and a call to action.
Born in Karachi, raised in Abu Dhabi, and shaped as a teenage runaway on the streets of Malvern in Toronto’s east end, Khan’s story is one of survival, reinvention, and grit. Each chapter gave her a new language—for struggle, for strength, for sound.
From navigating displacement to finding belonging in underground scenes, she has spent her life and career challenging conventions, amplifying the unheard, and dismantling the stereotypes that tried to define her.
Reconciling her Muslim roots with a Western creative spirit, Khan walks the line between worlds—honoring where she comes from while carving new paths forward. Her journey is one of deep questioning, constant learning, and bold self-expression.
Along the way, she’s become a scene builder, a cultural bridge, and a quiet force of resilience for those navigating layered identities, faith, and art in a world that rarely makes space for all three.
Whether offering the Azaan (Islamic call to prayer) as one of the few women in the world to do so publicly, Khan challenges deeply rooted religious and cultural norms. Traditionally, the muezzin has been a male role, and a woman stepping into this space often faces controversy and backlash. For Khan, being a female muezzin is both an act of faith and defiance—a way to reclaim spiritual authority and expand what tradition can hold. Her call to prayer is a call for inclusion, justice, and transformation that echoes beyond the mosque.
As the curator of ScrapFest and Muslim Pride, Khan has created transformative spaces for marginalized communities.
Founded in 2019, ScrapFest amplifies trans and underground voices through music, drag, dance, and spoken word, continuing its work even after being banned twice in Pakistan through underground and digital programming.
Muslim Pride, launched in 2020, centers queer and trans Muslim artists and builds space where faith, culture, and queerness can coexist.
Through partnerships with community organizations, the initiative challenges Islamophobia within queer spaces while uplifting Muslim artists and audiences alike.
In June 2026, Khan leads Muslim Pride’s first multi-city U.S. tour, bringing the festival to Washington, DC, New York City, and Los Angeles.
With events at historic venues including Black Cat, Stonewall Inn, and Beaches Tropicana, the tour expands Muslim Pride’s mission across borders—centering queer and trans Muslim artists on iconic stages while building safer, community-funded spaces for celebration, visibility, and care.
Whether opening for Bif Naked or being recognized for her feminist, boundary-pushing approach to music, Khan continues to carve out space for artists who exist between genres, cultures, and worlds.
Urvah Khan’s journey is one of bold creativity and deep commitment.
From the underground music scenes of Pakistan to cultural spaces across North America, Khan continues to build platforms where art, faith, and resistance meet.
Not just performing on stages, but creating them — shaping spaces where others can gather, create, and belong.
Building something lasting, out of scraps.