Mozhdah Jamalzadah

Mozhdah Jamalzadah (Persian: مژده جمالزاده‎) (born December 27, 1982 in Kabul, Afghanistan) is an Afghan singer, actor, and talk show host. Referred to as 'The Oprah of Afghanistan', Jamalzadah hosts The Mozhdah Show, which often touches on issues such as women's rights.

Mozhdah Jamalzadah
Birth nameMozhdah Jamalzadah
مژده جمالزاده
Born (1982-12-07) December 7, 1982
Kabul, Afghanistan
GenresPop music
Occupation(s)Singer, talk show host, actor
InstrumentsVocals
Years active2007–present
LabelsEthnobeast

Early life

During the civil war in Afghanistan, at the age of five, Jamalzadah and her family fled the country to settle in Canada.

Jamalzadah was raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, where she went on to study broadcast journalism at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, and Philosophy and Political Science at the University of British Columbia.

Rise to public recognition

Jamalzadah began writing songs in the early 2000s,[1] the most prominent of these, Dokhtare Afghan (Afghan Girl), became instantly popular on Afghan TV stations and airwaves. The song called attention to past stories of strong Afghan heroines got many young Afghan men and women. The song earned Jamalzadah nominations and awards at the Afghan and International TV and radio stations. As a result, in December 2009, she was offered a position to work with an up-and-coming television station in Afghanistan, 1TV.

Career as host of The Mozhdah Show

Mozhdah's political and philosophical studies gave her the drive to pursue more difficult ambitions. Once she joined 1TV, she decided she wanted to make her trip to Afghanistan fulfill her desire to make a difference. She became the host of "The Mozhdah Show" which later became the subject of international media. The concept of The Mozhdah Show was created after the Oprah Show, which gave Jamalzadah the title "Oprah of Afghanistan" by western media such as CNN and Time Magazine etc. On the Mozhdah Show, Jamalzadah and her producers created programming that addressed taboo topics in Afghan society, describing what it was like to be a woman, a child, and a person living in Afghan society. The Mozhdah Show also provided Mozhdah with the ability to explore and learn more about the current situation in Afghanistan through the eyes of Afghans.

On International Women's Day 2010, Mozhdah was asked to be the first Afghan to perform at the White House for the President, Barack Obama and First Lady Mrs. Obama, singing "Dokhtare Afghan", a song describing the bravery of Afghan women.[2][3][4][5][6]

In 2019, she had an acting role in the drama film Red Snow and had a biography of her life released by Greystone Books entitled "Voice of Rebellion".[7]

Awards
  • Excellence in the Arts CCLA Gala 2012 Toronto, Ontario, Canada (for outstanding commitment and contribution to a rich, diverse and dynamic Canada)
  • Best Light Song of the Year ATN Awards (2010)
  • Best Female Artist ATN Awards (2012)

References
  1. "Afghanistan's Oprah: Mozhdah on fame, threats and why she won't live her life in fear". the Guardian. October 30, 2019. Retrieved November 29, 2020.
  2. "Afghanistan's 'Oprah' helps heal country's wounds". CNN. July 15, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  3. Baker, Aryn (August 9, 2010). "Afghan Women Fear Their Fate Amid Taliban Negotiations". Time. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  4. Stephenson, Mercedes (November 10, 2010). "'Oprah of Afghanistan' still fears for her life". London Free Press. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  5. Macdonald, Nancy (December 17, 2010). "Mozhdah: The Oprah of Afghanistan". Maclean's. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  6. "Une femme d'influence". Canoë (in French). March 25, 2011. Retrieved July 21, 2012.
  7. "Voice of Rebellion". CBC Books. July 30, 2019.
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