Ustad Mahwash

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We’re staying in Afghanistan for today’s Global Hit. Farida Mahwash was born in Kabul in 1947. She’s more formally known as Ustad Mahwash. Ustad means ‘maestro.’ It’s a title she was granted in 1977 by the Afghan government. Farida Mahwash was the first woman ‘ustad.’ Not surprisingly, that was controversial. But she was not put off by her detractors. More on Ustad Mahwash on the today’s show.

• Wikipedia: Farida Mahwash
• MySpace: Ustad Mahwash

Mahwash’s music career in Afghanistan took an abrupt turn in 1978. First the government fell in a coup.

The following year Soviet forces invaded. Later, the Taliban banned popular songs AND musical instruments.
By 1991, Farida Mahwash was in exile. She had moved to Pakistan.

BUT threats on her life THERE forced her seek political asylum in United States. These days the acclaimed Afghan singer performs around the globe. And records classic Afghan songs like this one, All My Life.

The music of Farida Mahwash closes our program today.