Once, “jazz-inspired”’ music was all about black men. Then, in a strange but not entirely unpredictable twist, it seemed to become all about white men (well, in Australia at least).

During these not-so-long-ago times, it would have been hard to imagine a night of music led by artists who draw on this foundation to transcend boundaries in music.

Even fewer might have predicted that such spirited exploration would be led by a young Chinese-Australian woman and a Saudi-born Pakistani woman from New York City.

But last Friday night, those of us lucky enough to be at the Melbourne Recital Centre were treated to just that. Perfectly embodying an understated celebration of International Women’s Day, Mindy Meng Wang and Arooj Aftab are extraordinary artists making their mark in the world of genre-defying ‘experimental music’.

Arooj Aftab. Photo supplied

The first-ever Pakistani woman to win a Grammy, the multi-award-winning Aftab is credited with launching the Pakistani indie scene, appearing on Barack Obama’s playlists and being unafraid to speak her mind about politics and society in her home country and elsewhere.

Drawing on genres from Hindustani classical to indie pop, she creates music like few others and...