Naghma
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| نغمه Naghma |
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Shaperee (Fairy) |
| Born | January 1, 1964 |
| Origin | Kandahar, Afghanistan |
| Genre(s) | Folklore, Pop |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Label(s) | Afghan Vision Records, Ariana Records |
| Website | http://www.mastana.net
Height = 5' 10" Weight = 145 Lbs Hair = Black Eyes = Brown |
Naghma (Pashto: نغمه, born Jan 1, 1964) is a popular Afghan singer. She and her first husband, Mangal Pashtun, were a well known musical duo who dominated Afghan music scene throughout the late 80s and early 1990s. Naghma sings in various languages, but mostly in Pashto language. She is also popular outside her native Afghanistan.
In 2007, Naghma along with her four children left the United States to settle in Islamabad, Pakistan after finalizing her divorce from Mangal in that same year.
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[edit] Early years
Naghma was born as Shaperai (Fairy) on January 1, 1956 in Kandahar, Afghanistan.[1] She belongs to the Pashtun ethnic group. As a young girl, she developed an interest in music. Her early songs were based on Kandahari songs, most of which were folkloric in nature but were essential in training the novice. After moving to Kabul, Naghma held various jobs, all the while pursuing her passion. Coming from a traditional family, she met with much resistance from relatives who saw singing as a demeaning career for an Afghan woman. However, Naghma was not discouraged by this. Naghma became a student of a musician-turned-singer Mangal, a fellow Pashtun from Laghman province of Afghanistan, and one day brought him to her family home and introduced him to her mother as her teacher. After her mother emerged from the kitchen with tea, Naghma proclaimed that she wished to marry Mangal. It is known that her mother at this point threw a chainaka (tea pot) at her, prompting Naghma and Mangal to leave hurriedly. The turning point for the Kandahari girl came when she married Mangal. This pairing not only gave Naghma the support she desired, but also created their image as a complete musical set. In 1986, their first album was released, which became a springboard that jumpstarted the duo’s professional career. Although not a huge commercial success, it did however establish the pair as well-recognized singers. Their image, that of a perfect couple, contributed to their popularity as well.
[edit] Career
The pivotal point of their career came with the hit single ‘Malek Janah.’ The song was immensely popular and, to this day, remains the couple’s most memorable. Soon after this song came ‘Mazdigar di ka na dai,’ another popular song that enlivened the radio stations of not only Afghanistan but Pakistan and some African countries as well. A number of moderately successful albums followed, after which they performed in a series of well-received concerts.
[edit] Immigration
With impending civil war, the couple left Afghanistan for Pakistan in 1992. There, they became very successful with an enthusiastic crowd of Afghan exiles who were nostalgic for their native music. Their financial situation by this time had improved significantly. In the late 90’s, they left Pakistan to immigrate to the United States.
After establishing contact with the Afghan community of northern California, the duo held a series of performances. However, Naghma and Mangal have since divorced, citing Mangal's continual alcohol abuse, and the couple has been sensitive about elaborating further on the issue. Their divorce has also cast a doubt as to whether this former pair can reconcile at least on the professional level. While Mangal performs solo in private events and television programs, Naghma is continuing her career as a professional artist.
[edit] Recent developments
In 2006, Naghma’s new single ‘Mohabbat’ was released. This was the first time she had sang a pop song. It is a favorite club remix and the accompanying video is also Kabul TV station’s and AfghanMTV's most requested video. The song is one of the highest ranking Afghan songs in the world. Also in that year, Naghma returned to Afghanistan to give a round of concerts in various cities with Naim Popal, another popular Afghan singer. During her concert held in Kabul, the crowd showered the singer with rose petals.
[edit] Trivia
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Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines. The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones. |
- She is known to be very patriotic and has dedicated many songs to Afghanistan.
- Her name-Naghma-incidentally means melody in Persian.
- She moved from the United States with her two daughters and two sons in 2007 and is currently living in Islamabad, Pakistan.
