Elaha Soroor & Kefaya

She studied music in Kabul, and was a member of the Afghan National Orchestra and vocalist in the band Aryan. She studied classical Indian singing, and became well known in her home country in 2008 through the TV show Afghan Star. Her increasing popularity and publicly expressed opinions about women’s rights ultimately compelled her to flee Afghanistan.

Together with the award-winning music collective Kefaya she released Songs Of Our Mothers, a collection of Afghan folksongs handed down from mothers to daughters. This blend of traditional and contemporary sounds is a courageous protest against the patriarchy, and a forceful statement of resistance and emancipation.