Shoista Mullodzhanova
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Shoista Mullojonova (born as Shushana Rubinovna Mullodzhanova on September 3, 1925 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan) is a famous legendary Bukharian Jewish Shashmakom singer.
She was born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan to a Bukharian Jewish family to a mother from Bukhara and a father, Ruben, from Samarkand. The Mullodzhanov family trace their ancestry to an artistocratic Levite tribe and the family had been into performing and entertainment as long as anyone could remember. Shoista had four older brothers. She came from a family full of entertainers (actors, singers, and musicians), so singing was in her blood. In 1924, her parents and her four older brothers moved from Uzbekistan to Tajikistan and Shoista was born a year later. Mullodzhanova learned to speak fluent Bukhori, a dialect of the Persian language, and Russian. Her mother was also a singer and her whole family was into music and acting. Shoista studied at the Stalinabad Women's Pedagogical School and Moscow Conservatory.
Mullodzhanova had her debut at age 8 when she sang on radio. During the beginning of her career, she sang all over Central Asia and the Middle East. She was part of the Rubab Player Ensemble in Tajikistan's Ensemble. In the early 1940s, she sang in Iran for the royal Shah family, including Reza Shah the Great, and for the Iranian audience in her native Persian language. She was also named "Merited Artist of Tajikistan."
Mullojonova also performed at the Aini Theater for Opera and Ballet. Shoista became instructor of Tajikistan Institution of Art and a soloist for the Tajik State Philharmonic.
Through the years, she sang Shashmakon music all over the Soviet Union and made a wonderful living with her husband Benyaev Efrem Haritonovich. One of her most popular songs was a Shashmakon Bukharian folk song called "Yalalum." [1] She was named the "People's Artist of Tajikistan," in 1957 [1] and People's Artist of USSR. [2] Mullodzhanova has become very successful through the years and one of the most famous entertainers in Central Asia and in the Bukharian community. Even though Jews were treated unfairly in Central Asia, Shoista's talent brought her wealth and fame in a communist country. She sang in Central Asia and all over the Soviet Union for over 50 years.
In the early 1990s, Shoista and her family began to move from Central Asia, to the United States and some family members moved to Israel because of the Collapse of the Soviet Union. There was civil war and rise of Islamic Fundamentalism in Tajikistan, so they moved out to go to another country for a better life. Shoista came to the United States. Her and her family settled in Forest Hills in Queens, New York.
Shoista has three children: Ana (who lives in Forest Hills, NY), Dr. Negmat (who is lives in Moscow), and Sofia (who lives in Austria).
Mullodzhanova still sings sometimes in family events. After her husband, Efrem Haritonovitch Benyaev, died, she dedicated an album in memory of her husband. In September 2005, in Forest Hills High School, Mullodzhanova came out of her 15-year retirement to sing for a crowd of audience that all came to celebrate her 80th birthday. Some of the people in the audience that heard her sing were Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Governor Pataki, President Emomalii Rahmon of Tajikistan, and Boris Kandov, President of the Bukharian Jewish Community. Shoista was praised and honored for her amazing performance that was enjoyed by the whole audience. Even at age 80 she was able to touch people with her singing and remind them that she is singing for each and every one of them, as she says, "I am singing for you."
Boris Kandov wrote a biography about Shoista Mullodzhanova which he titled Born to Sing as well as making a documentary about the legendary singer.
