Given all that has been said, Afghan Star is much more than just an entertainment show.
Rather, it represents the struggle of a very traditional nation seeking to redefine itself in a modern world. Afghan Star forces viewers to ask themselves what it means to be Afghan. Does
“Afghan-ness” require gender segregation, ethnic division, and strict observance of social hierarchy, or is it something more? Can it include democracy, men and women singing together on stage, and the latest Western fashions?
Afghan Star provides a model for what Afghanistan could look like in the future. It suggests that there is a way for the nation to modernize without losing itself in the process.
Keyboards, saxophones, guitars, and drum machines need not replace the rubab, dambura, tanbur, and tabla. They can rather be welcomed into the fold. Nationalism need not preclude ethnic pride. Instead, the different ethnic groups can support one another. Preserve that which is good—music, poetry, respect for authority, and hospitality—yet root out war, oppression,
corruption, and ethnic discrimination. By introducing styles like rap, Afghan Star asks viewers to be open to new ideas, all the while remembering that they are Afghan: whether Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Pashtun, or Hazara. Throughout Season 12, host Omid Nezami frequently commented that Afghan Star is like a “miniature world”—a place where a Pashtun woman can stand proudly alongside a Hazara man and both say “I am Afghan.”
This study found that Afghan Star, though it may not have the same following it did ten years ago, remains an important voice in Afghan culture. Many people still watch it, talk about it, and cast their vote for their favorite singer. Most viewers do not think about the political and cultural ramifications of the show, but I believe it has a subconscious effect. Whether it be
Hazara folk music, kataghani dance melodies, rap, or rock n’ roll, the music presented on Afghan
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Star makes people happy, and that is what keeps them watching. The entertainment value alone is enough to endow the show with meaning. In a nation where entertainment is sparse and people are familiar with hardship, a series like Afghan Star is a bright spot, bringing happiness to people of all generations.
It seems what people like best about Afghan Star is that it helps the youth to develop and discovers hidden talent. Afghan Star brings local styles of music to a national stage and promotes traditional culture, yet also encourages Afghan musicians to take their art in new directions.
Further, it provides a forum where ethnic, gender, and class distinctions do not matter. In so doing, it promotes national unity. Each year, families across the nation and around the world gather together to witness the creation of a new superstar.
Despite these positive points, Afghan Star has its critics. Some accuse the show of being divisive, because people vote along ethnic and regional lines. Religious fundamentalists see it as un-Islamic, particularly because men and women share a stage, and women sing in front of men.
Further, a number of people do not see the value in entertainment television. They believe it distracts people from things that really matter, such as education. For some musicians, Afghan Star represents a degradation of their craft due to oversaturation in the field of music. They would like music to remain the domain of a few professionals. Still others have lost interest in the show because it follows the same pattern each year. Whether valid or not, these criticisms show that Afghan Star is causing people to think about music in new ways.
So how does Afghan Star maintain continuity with Afghan heritage? During Season 10, a young Uzbek musician, Majid Andkhoyi, auditioned in Mazar-e-Sharif (November 7, 2014).
After he had played and sung, the judges were impressed and asked him who his teacher was. He replied that he was self-taught, but a few moments later, through a slip of the tongue, he
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contradicted himself and revealed that he did indeed have a teacher. The judges roundly rebuked him, insisting that he give proper credit to the man who had taught him music. Discipline, respect for authority, honor, and hospitality. These are Afghan values which the series upholds through its traditional performances. Folk ensembles from Badakhshan, Nuristan, Badghis, and Herat have all found their way into the lineup of guest performers. By inviting these performers to the stage, Afghan Star proclaims that Afghanistan has a heritage of which it can rightly be proud.
At the same time, Afghan Star has gradually introduced changes to Afghan culture. It was the first program to feature Afghan men and women singing together. It was among the first reality television shows. Afghan Star has been called a rehearsal of the election process, a voice for national unity, and a platform for young people to grow and develop. It may even be credited with popularizing the cellphone—now a ubiquitous accessory for young and old alike. Like any popular TV show, Afghan Star’s influence has waned over time as other shows gain in
popularity, yet it continues to stay at the cutting edge of the music industry, introducing genres like rap, and innovations like Western harmony and modulation to its broad viewership. Whether the show continues for one more year or ten, it has already had an impact that will outlast the competition itself.
Afghan Star also has potential to bring Afghan culture to the rest of the world. Comments on its YouTube videos show that it has a following in Tajikistan, Iran, and even among people who do not speak Dari or Pashto. In Season 10, an Indonesian man named Augus Protama submitted an online audition. He was not allowed to participate in the competition, but did receive an invitation to perform as a special guest (December 26, 2014). Augus had been an avid fan of Afghan music for several years, and had learned how to sing in Pashto and Dari. Such
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international collaborations are likely to increase as Afghanistan becomes more and more connected to the world through the Internet.
So, where next? I believe recent developments on Afghan Star will guarantee its success in the next few years. A return to a one vote per SIM card system will help restore confidence in the process. Season 12 extended the possibilities by allowing viewers to vote through their Facebook profile. An active social media presence will keep younger audiences engaged. From Season 8 onwards, results episodes have been shortened. This improves the pace of the show (previous seasons had a tendency to drag). Another positive development in Season 12 was an insistence that all singers, including guests, perform live. While this resulted in fewer guest performances than previous years, it improved the show’s authenticity. Ongoing musical direction from Wahed Qasemi (or someone equally qualified) will ensure that the series stays true to its cultural roots.
A few other measures would help to keep Afghan Star on the air in years to come. To counteract the voices of the critics, I would recommend that Tolo TV provide informative programming regarding the benefits of music in cognitive development, education, mental health, and trauma healing. Afghanistan’s schools do not offer music education, so TV stations like Tolo should take on this responsibility. I would also suggest occasional changes in the rules of Afghan Star. On American Idol, judges had the chance to save a contestant of their choosing who had been voted off. An innovation like this would help to keep viewer interest high.
I have attempted a rather broad study of Afghan Star and its effect on Afghan culture.
However, this study has barely scratched the surface of the topic. Hopefully, research on Afghan music will continue—both in regard to popular culture and traditional performances. This study took place primarily in one region. However, the survey and interview questions could easily be
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modified and taken to other cities and rural areas across Afghanistan. An entire wealth of data awaits any researcher who is up for the challenge of analyzing it.
It would be particularly useful to collect data from predominantly Pashto-speaking regions, as people likely hold more conservative views than they do in Mazar-e-Sharif. Another approach would be to focus in on a specific performer or style of music. For instance, the original rap songs of Syed Jamal Mubarez provide insight into the situation of Afghanistan in 2017. Analysis of his lyrics would shed light on the viewpoints of young people. On the other end of the musical spectrum, a comparison of ghazals on Afghan Star with other performances of the same songs would reveal if any significant innovation is taking place because of the show.
While Afghan Star is not the only venue for music in Afghanistan, it is one of the best-known. As the presenters frequently say, it is “the biggest stage for music in Afghanistan” and a
“miniature world.” While the representation is not perfect or complete, Afghan Star shows something of what Afghanistan was in the past, what it is today, and what it could be in the future. Hence, it seems an appropriate starting point for any investigation into the nation’s music culture.
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Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Approval
116 CONSENT FORM (INTERVIEW WITH PUBLIC FIGURES)
“Only the Name is New:” Identity, Modernity, and Continuity in Afghan Star Timothy Olson
Liberty University
Department of Multi-Ethnic Music Studies
You are invited to be in a research study of the cultural impact of Afghan Star. You were selected as a possible participant because of your association with the show. I ask that you read this form and ask any questions you may have before agreeing to be in the study.
This study is being conducted by Timothy Olson, a graduate student in Liberty’s Department of Multi-Ethnic Music Studies.
Background Information:
The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of Afghan Star on contemporary culture in Afghanistan. In
The purpose of this study is to analyze the impact of Afghan Star on contemporary culture in Afghanistan. In