by S. Ghilzai / Published on November 11, 2014
Naghma is a well-known Afghan singer.
Naghma was born as Shaperia, on April 23, 1954, in Kandahar, Afghanistan. She is an ethnic Pashtun. Growing up, she always loved singing, even though music as a career is frowned upon in Afghan culture. However, she continued practicing and writing songs, until she met Mangal, a musician and singer, whom she started recording with. The two eventually got married, and were known as a popular duo throughout Afghanistan throughout the 1970s, 80s, and 90s. Naghma sings in Pashto and Dari and is highly influenced by Kandahari folk songs. Recently, she has been releasing more pop-genre singles, which have also been huge successes.
When the Taliban invaded in 1992, Naghma, Mangal and their family fled to America. However, Naghma comes often to Afghanistan to put on concerts for her many fans. Since moving to California, Naghma and Mangal have gotten a divorce, stating Mangal’s alcoholism as the key to the demise of their relationship. Because of this, now Naghma is a solo artist. She is still releasing new music today.