Burka Band
Burka Band | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Genres | Indie rock |
| Years active | 2002–2021 |
| Label | Ata Tak |
| Members | Three anonymous Afghan women |
The Burka Band (or the Blue Burqa Band) was an Afghan all-female indie rock band formed in Kabul in 2002.[1] They performed anonymously, with all of the members wearing burqas in an apparent protest against the Taliban's rules regarding Islamic dress; the members were never officially identified to ensure their protection.[2] They released the single "Burka Blue" and a self-titled album in 2003. "Burka Blue" came about during a workshop at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, sponsored by the Goethe-Institut, in October 2002.[3] Blue-colored burqas, also called "shuttlecock", are native to Afghanistan and a symbol of Afghan culture.[4]
The group gained some popularity in Europe in the 2000s, and toured in Germany,[5] where one of their songs was remixed by the DJ Barbara Morgenstern.[6] Singing in burqas was a joke, but also necessary to avoid retaliation by religious fanatics, according to Nargiz, a member and the drummer of the band.[7]
According to several online interviews, the Burqa Band is on permanent hiatus after the lead singer moved to Pakistan to pursue a music career.[2] Their last tracked activity on MySpace dates back to 2007. Some accounts under their name exist on Spotify, although it hasn't been confirmed to be them.
References
- ↑ Ata Tak, Burka-Band "Burka Blue" Archived 2021-08-16 at the Wayback Machine
- 1 2 Edraki, Farz (2012-08-18). "WoroniBurqa Ballads". Woroni. Archived from the original on 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2026-04-05.
- ↑ "Burka Blue (Single), by Burka Band". Burka Band. Archived from the original on 2026-04-18. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
- ↑ Sherazee, Mahnoor (2014-04-24). "'The difference between black and blue'". Dawn. Retrieved 2026-01-26.
- ↑ "Female Afghan Burqa Band Breaks Barriers - Salem-News.Com". www.salem-news.com. Archived from the original on 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2025-07-16.
- ↑ Female Afghan Burqa Band Breaks Barriers Archived 2022-04-07 at the Wayback Machine, Salem News, February 24, 2007. Accessed May 16, 2007.
- Burqa Blues Hit the Airwaves Archived October 1, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. News24.com. Accessed May 16, 2007. - ↑ Michael Lund and Signe Daugbjerg, "Girl band in burka Archived 2013-01-21 at the Wayback Machine", Lnd.dk, no date.