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Naghma نغمه ښاپېرۍ | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | Shahpari or Shahpary (1964-01-01)1 January 1964 (age 61) |
| Genres | Folklore, pop |
| Years active | 1980–present |
| Labels | Afghan Vision Records Ariana Records |
| Awards | Pride of Performance |
Naghma (/ˈnæɡmə/;Pashto:نغمه ښاپېرۍ,IPA:[ˈnaɣmɐʂɑpeˈrəɪ]; born 1 January 1964) is anAfghan singer who started her career in the early 1980s. Similar to that ofSonny & Cher, she sang alongsideMangal during the 1980s and early 1990s. She sings in bothDari andPashto—the country's two main languages.[2]
Naghma stated in a 2019 interview onMashriq TV that she was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan.[1] Her exact birthplace and date of birth are not reported. She was the eldest daughter in a family of five boys and three girls,[3] and was given the nicknameŠaperai (نغمه ښاپېرۍ). Her father was Sayed Suleiman Shah, aFarsiwan fromDeh Sabz District ofKabul Province.[4] Her mother Bibi Mashala was aPashtun from Kandahar. Both of Afghanistan's major languages were spoken in their house. Her father died when Naghma was five years old, all of her brothers were killed serving in the army and one of her sisters was killed in Kabul.[3] As a young girl, she developed an interest in music since elementary school in Kandahar. At the age of around sixteen years, she moved to Kabul with her paternal uncle and continued her secondary education atRabia Balkhi Lece, where she began performing as a vocalist in a girl's band. This was around the time of theApril Revolution of 1978, when thePeople's Democratic Party of Afghanistan took control of Kabul and other parts of the country.[5]
A year before finishing high school she marriedMangal, an already popular Afghan singer fromLaghman Province. They were instant celebrities, recording hits that are famous to this day. Her early songs were based on southern Afghan music, most of which were folkloric in nature.[citation needed] She additionally sang a song for theAfghan Air Force and Air Defense, titled "Lalaya Hawabaza (Beloved Pilot) in which she stood in the cabin of an AfghanMil Mi-8.[6]
She and the family left Afghanistan to take residence in India for about two years and from there to Dubai in the UAE.[7] After staying there for two years, the family proceeded to Pakistan.[4] There, they became very successful with an enthusiastic crowd ofAfghan exiles who were nostalgic for their native music. Her financial situation by this time had improved significantly. In 2000, the family immigrated to the United States as refugees.[2] Naghma and Mangal connected with theAfghan-American community ofNorthern California.
In March 2014, she became the first Afghan to receive theTamgha-e-Imtiaz and thePride of Performance, the highest Pakistani Presidential Awards handed to artists, sportsmen, scientists and writers. It was a proud moment for Naghma who has always been a strong voice for the Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Naghma encourages Afghan refugees to try and go back to Afghanistan through her aid work and music to rebuild the country.[citation needed]
Naghma and Mangal divorced in 2006 and later she married the son ofMohammad Nabi Mohammadi ofLogar Province. They also broke off the marriage.[8] Naghma has four children, they are Anwar, Khyber, Lima and Madina.[9]
She has recorded over 500 songs in a period of 32 years in Afghanistan, Pakistan and also in the United States.This list is incomplete
Album: Bachi Hamsaya
Album: Best of Naghma
Album: Kabul Nazaneen
Album: O Khoda Jan
Popular Singles:
