by S. Ghilzai / February 2, 2016
Valy Hedjasi is an Afghan pop singer. Professionally, he just goes by the name Valy.
Born in Mashad, Iran, on May 29 1986, Valy is from a family of musicians. He grew up in Heidelberg, Germany, where his parents, both from Herat, encouraged him into music. At a young age he learned to play several different instruments. Valy was classically trained in Indian, Arabic and Persian music. Later, Valy studied with the famous Afghan musician Nasrat Parsa. Valy’s first hit single was “Bia Tu” which garnered him immense fame in Afghanistan and Iran, as well as Farsi speaking diasporas living elsewhere. He released his first album, After Love, to much acclaim, with the Iranian record label Avang, produced by renowned producer Kostas Karagiozidis (known mostly for his work with the Iranian singer, Afshin). After the release, Valy went on tour, holding concerts in Canada and the United States. Valy has since set up his own charity, for children, called the Valy Foundation. His second album, Crazy in Love, was released in 2011.