Mozhdah never calls herself the “Oprah of Afghanistan”. That’s just the name her adoring global audience—which includes individuals like Barack and Michelle Obama as well as Ms. Winfrey herself—has given her. That’s because, like Oprah, this Kabul-born, Vancouver-based icon has sparked conversations and inspired women all over the world as a bold, big-hearted example of female leadership.
Through her internationally renowned music career and groundbreaking television show The Mozhdah Show, Mozhdah has inspired profound respect and serious controversy in equal measure. She’s the first Afghani artist to produce hit records in English, capturing a global audience and performing on international stages. She’s the first Afghani woman to brave death threats in order to host her own talk show and cover sensitive subjects impacting Afghani women and children. She’s the first Afghani female artist to perform in the White House, or appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show, or express her mission of empowerment on CNN.
Other pop artists and media figures may be known as daring, even groundbreaking, but Mozhdah’s courage is on another level. A singular voice in music and media, she’s risked everything in order to express herself—along with the deepest hopes of women across the planet.
- 2004 – Mozhdah wins the award for Best Female Artist at the 6thannual ATN Awards
- 2009 – Mozhdah wins the Best Light Song Of the Year at the 4thannual ANT Awards
- 2009 – Mozhdah accepts an offer from 1 TV to host The Mozhdah Show, a North American style talk show for an Afghani audience. The show, which becomes an instant success and runs for two years, includes groundbreaking discussions of taboo topics like divorce and the hijab.
- 2010 – Mozhdah performs her hit song “Afghan Girl” for President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their guests in celebration of International Women’s Day.
- 2011 – Mozhdah appears on The Oprah Show Surprise Spectacular Finale, during which Oprah Winfrey praises her work on The Mozhdah Show. She also wins (for the second time) the award for Best Female Artist at the 6thannual ATN Awards.
- 2012 – Mozhdah co-hosts the final five episodes of the 2012 season of Afghan Star, the country’s most popular television show. She co-hosts the show’s final ten episodes following year.
- 2014 – Mozhdah is selected to compete for a spot to appear as a guest co-host on Canada’s most watched entertainment show Entertainment Tonight Canada and comes in second place.
- 2015 – Mozhdah signs a contract with one of the largest literary agencies in the world to write her memoir, Kabul, High Society. She also lands a deal with Ardomi Media Group to continue developing her music and media career.
- 2015 – Mozhdah is selected by the Ariana Television Network to represent Afghanistan in the 4thABU International Song Festival. Here, she boldly reprises her role as an Afghani female artist who dares to perform on international stages.
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2016 – Mozhdah wins Best female Artist of Afghanistan at the International Awards Show in Hamburg, BAMA Music Awards, competing with artists from Asia and Europe