Birth name Farhad Nashir Role Singer · farhaddarya.info Years active 1980–present Spouse Sultana Emam (m. 1993) | Labels Various Children Hejran Darya Name Farhad Darya | |
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Similar People Ahmad Zahir, Ahmad Wali, Habib Qaderi, Aryana Sayeed, Hangama Profiles | ||
Farhad Darya Nashir (Pashto: فرهاد دریا; Persian: فرهاد دریا; born September 22, 1962) is an Afghan singer, composer and music producer. He serves as the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) National Goodwill Ambassador for Afghanistan and is involved in numerous charitable organizations, such as Music Village and others. He has earned affection for not only his music but also patriotism. He has a fan base that stretches from his native Afghanistan to parts of Central Asia, and Tajikistan. Darya sings in various languages including Persian, Pashto, Uzbek, English and Urdu.
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Early years and personal life
Darya was born in Kabul, Afghanistan to ethnic Pashtun parents, he is the grandson of Sher Khan Nashir. He studied Persian literature while attending Kabul University. Darya founded his first professional band, Goroh-e-Baran (meaning "Rain Band") with Asad Badie. During this time, he wrote music for other artists under the pseudonym Abr (Cloud), and started playing Afghan and Indian classical music. He later left the university and enrolled in the Afghan Armed Forces.
In 1990 he immigrated to Germany and began singing again. After traveling through Prague and Hamburg, Darya arrived in Paris, where he would meet Sultana Emam. The two were married in 1993 and moved to Northern Virginia in the United States in 1995. A year later they gave birth to a son, Hejran Darya.
Career
Since Darya's television debut on Afghanistan's television network in 1980, he has released over two dozen albums, which sold over 2 million copies (the acclaimed ones produced overseas). many of which refer to the Soviet war in Afghanistan and the resulting misfortunes of the war-torn nation. Most of the music is aimed at helping Afghans bringing peace and unity to their country., and deals with themes of national unity.
He released his Salaam Afghanistan album in 2003, with a DVD release of music videos in March 2004.
In September 2006, Darya's new single Salamalek in a collaboration with German musician Peter Maffay was released, as part of Maffay's album Begegnungen - Eine Allianz für Kinder. It was Darya's first rock song.
In August 2007, Darya completed his new album HA! and was released in Afghanistan, followed by Germany in March 2008. The video of his song Dohle Bezan (Nazdeek Shodan) (Talk To Me/Closer) from the album HA! premiered on Afghan's national television in February 2008. Later that year, Darya's new album Yahoo was released.
He has not worked on a new album since, but has released many singles, including: Attan, Dew Hai Mast, Nashkenad and Oo Ghaita.
Awards
Discography
Filmography
Darya produced additional scoring and lyrics for Through Her Eyes a film by Mithaq Kazimi in 2007.
Darya produced background music for the film In Foreign Land (1998).