Tajik music is closely related to other forms of Central Asian music. The Tajik form of Classical music is Shashmaqam, a genre shared with other Central Asian countries. Folk music from Southern Tajikistan is called falak and is played at ceremonies like weddings and circumcisions.
Tajik pop music is like a lot of pop music in Central Asia, it takes elements from modern western R&B and popular European dance music and often features traditional Tajik instruments.
One popular artist from Tajikistan, Noziyai Karomatullo, sings in native Tajiki, a dialect of modern Persian, but occasionally sings in Hindi. Karomatullo attended a musical conservatory in New Delhi, India and graduated with honors. She is the daughter of famous Tajik singer Karamatullah Qurbonov. According to UNICEF 90% of men and 80% of women in Tajikistan enroll in secondary education.
According to the BBC, one third of the Tajik population is under 14 years old. If the consumption of pop music in Tajikistan matches the way pop music is consumed in the United States, we speculate the industry will continue to or have the potential for a huge audience of young people.
In the comments below, please share your favorite Tajik pop star. How did you hear about them? What do you like about them that sets them apart?
Are you a musician in Tajikistan? Please share your music below.
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