Farhad Darya facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Farhad Darya فرهاد دريا
Farhad Darya in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Farhad Nashir
Born	(1962-09-22) 22 September 1962 (age 62) Gozar Gah, Kabul, Kingdom of Afghanistan
Genres	Pop dance ghazals classical music rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, composer, human rights activist, peace ambassador
Instruments	Harmonium, keyboard, guitar
Years active	1980–present

Farhad Darya is a famous singer, composer, and helper from Afghanistan. He was born on September 22, 1962. Since the 1980s, he has been one of the most important pop musicians in Afghanistan. He helped create new music styles by mixing different sounds. Farhad Darya sings many types of music, like pop, folk, and rock. He sings in several languages, including Dari, Pashto, Uzbek, Hindi, and English. Besides music, Farhad Darya works to help people and fight for human rights. He has been a special ambassador for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan. He also helps many charities, like 'Music Village'.

Farhad Darya's Early Life and School

Farhad Darya was born Farhad Nashir in Kabul, Afghanistan. His family came from Kunduz Province. He is the grandson of a famous person named Sher Khan Nashir.

After moving back to Kabul, he finished high school. Then, he went to Kabul Polytechnic University. During this time, he started his first music band. He later studied Persian literature at Kabul University. He also wrote songs for other artists using the name Abr, which means "Cloud." He learned to play Indian classical music. Sometimes, he had to leave university to serve in the Afghan army. By 1988, he was teaching classical music at the university.

Farhad Darya's Music Journey

Farhad Darya at a Peace Concert in Kabul, Afghanistan in 2010.

Farhad Darya has created music that mixes different styles. His songs often combine Western pop sounds with traditional Afghan and Indian music. Many of his early songs were about the Soviet–Afghan War and the problems it caused. But he also sang about love. Some of his songs were even banned by the government for a while.

Starting with Goroh-e-Baran

Farhad Darya first appeared on TV and radio as the leader of a band called Goroh-e-Baran. This means "Rain Band." The band played a new kind of folk-pop music. They became very popular in the 1980s with hit songs like "Aay-e-Mann" and "Dokhtar-e-Sardaar." After the band broke up, Farhad Darya started his solo career. He was one of the first in Afghanistan to use special recording techniques.

Albums Made While Away From Home

In 1990, Farhad Darya left Afghanistan. He traveled through Prague and Paris before settling in Hamburg, Germany. He recorded his first album while away, called Begum Jaan, which came out in 1992. This album had a popular song called "Kabul Jaan," meaning "Beloved Kabul." This song was played when rebels entered Kabul. Years later, it was the first song played on Afghan radio after the Taliban government fell.

His next album, Afghanistan, came out in 1995. It was a big hit with many different Afghan music styles. The song "Golom Golom" was very popular. After this, Darya and his wife moved to the United States. He continued his music career there, releasing Shakar in 1997. This album also had many upbeat dance songs. In 1999, he made the music for an Afghan-American film called In Foreign Land.

Salaam Afghanistan and Later Music

After being away for 13 years, Farhad Darya returned to Afghanistan. He worked on a new album called Salaam Afghanistan, which means "Hello Afghanistan." This album was a huge success and was the first big hit after the Taliban era. Thousands of CDs were sold, and the main song "Salaam Afghanistan" became very popular. A music video for the album was filmed all over Afghanistan in 2004.

On May 14, 2004, Darya held a huge concert in Kabul. About 45,000 people came to the Ghazi Stadium. This was the first big music event after the Taliban had banned music. A British magazine called it one of the "50 Great Moments in World Music." Darya said it felt like a national independence day.

Later, Darya worked with a German rock musician named Peter Maffay. They created a rock song called "Salamaalek." It was sung in both Dari and English. This song was the first mainstream Afghan rock song. It appeared on Maffay's album in 2006 and was popular in Afghanistan. They performed together to raise money for children in need.

In 2007, Darya released his album HA!. This album mixed Eastern and Western music. It included a music video for the song "Dohle Bezan," which called for national unity. Darya said that rock music is "protest music" and helps send a message louder to the world.

His next album, Yaahoo, came out in 2008. He called it a "peace album" and gave away free CDs in Afghanistan. This project was supported by a German group to promote peace through music.

Recent Music Work

In 2009, Farhad Darya released new songs like "Atan" and "Sarzamine Man." In 2010, he started the Life Is Beautiful tour. He traveled across Afghanistan to perform for peace. This included a concert just for women in Mazar-i-Sharif with 15,000 people. He even performed in a war-torn area called Helmand Province for 5,000 people. British forces praised this concert.

In 2014, Darya released a song called "Oo Ghaita," meaning "those days." This song was about missing the past in Afghanistan before the war. It became very well-known.

In 2019, there was talk that Darya might quit music. But he explained that it was about some personal challenges he was facing. He released new songs in 2020, including "Corona." In 2022, he started a "Music Never Dies" concert tour. This was a protest against the Taliban's rules against music. He also released a new song called "Dar Molkake Ma."

Helping Others and Campaigns

After returning to Afghanistan in 2003, Farhad Darya started a group to help children. He also launched a project for street children. In 2006, he received a Human Rights Award for his work. In 2008, he became a special ambassador for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Afghanistan. He believes music is a powerful way to share messages of peace.

In 2014, he started a blood donation campaign for Afghan security forces. Darya and his wife also supported the #WhereIsMyName campaign. This campaign helped women use their own names freely in public. It led to a law change in 2020.

In 2020, Darya tried to stop the demolition of a historic cinema in Kabul, but it was torn down. In 2022, he asked the president of Tajikistan to help Afghan refugees who had lost their homes. In 2023, Darya and 14 female painters started an art campaign to support women in Afghanistan.

Awards and Recognition

Farhad Darya is very well-known in Afghanistan. People praise him for promoting peace and understanding between cultures. Western media has also recognized him, sometimes calling him the "Afghan Elvis." Darya says this nickname is sweet but not what he is called in Afghanistan. He is also known in other Persian-speaking countries like Iran and Tajikistan.

• 1990: Afghanistan: Singer of the Year by Youth Magazine/Radio Afghanistan
• 1996: United States: Star Of The Contemporary Music Of Afghanistan by Afghan Radio (California)
• 2006: Afghanistan: Human Rights Award by Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
• 2010: Germany: Best Male Artist of 2009, Annual ATN Awards
• 2011: Netherlands: Best Male Artist of 2010, Annual ATN Awards
• 2011: Afghanistan: Person of the Year (2010) by Radio Azadi
• 2013: India: Legend in Music by Annual ATN Awards

Farhad Darya's Music Albums

Studio Albums (Released in Afghanistan)

Studio Albums (International Releases)

Video-Only Releases

Images for kids

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  Farhad Darya's Peace Concert in Kabul, Afghanistan.