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Interview with Kurdish artist Dashni Murad
27.6.2009
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June 27, 2009
Amsterdam, Holland,— Radio Curdonia Interviews Kurdish
singer Dashni Murad. ( Script of the interview
translated from Dutch, June 26, 2007). Dashni Murad is presentor of
the youth show “Be control” on Kurdistan TV. The
show was a hit through the unconventional way of
presenting and also the spontaneity of Dashni, that
led often to hilarious moments. After the success of
the show in Europe, she went back to Kurdistan to
produce another serie of the show and at the same
she started a singing career with the famous
composer Halkawet Zahir.
Q: Dashni
Welcome to our show, let’s start with some basic
factual questions, you were born in Sulaimaniyah in
1986 ?
Dashni: True
Q: And migrated
to Holland in 1997 ?
Dashni: Yes, I
live since 1997 in Holland with my parents, brother
and sisters.
Q: How was the
beginning in Holland , could you easily adjust to
the new culture ?
Dashni: No,
absolutely not. We had a very nice life in Kurdistan
as children. We were surrounded by mountains, and
had a super life that every child could wish. And
when we came here, the first thing I asked my mom
"where are the mountains?” It was bizarre that the
whole country is flat, and besides it was a grey day
when we arrived. We lived in a village,www.ekurd.net
and everybody looked at
us when I was walking with my parents, with an
attitude like "look there they are the foreigners of
the town”. So, I can say it was pretty difficult,
until you find yourself again.
Q: In your
interview on azady.nl, you said that you want to
combine the good things of the Kurdish as well as
the Dutch culture, doesn’t that create an identity
problem for you? |
Dashni Murad, a Kurdish artist from Sulaimaniyah |
Dashni: No, on
the contrary I think I am really blessed, as many
other are who live between two cultures. That makes
them absorb the good things of both cultures, which
ultimately makes them a better person to serve their
own community, in my case the Kurdish as well as the
Dutch. I hope to be a better person by having the
positive sides of the Kurdish culture as well as the
positive sides of the Dutch culture.
Q: But are you
more Dutch or Kurdish in your behavior ?
Dashni:
(Laughing) I think I am more Dutch in many things
Q: OK, about
your family? How many members does your family count
?
Dashni: We were
6 but 7 months ago we got a new little brother, who
is only dancing and loves music. And he wants to
play the whole time, he makes us really crazy.
Q: That’s what
you can expect when you have an older sister like Dashni
Dashni:
(Laughing) I agree , he is really hyper-active.
Q: Dashni where
does your family come from ?
Dashni: My
mother comes from Hawraman, what I call the paradise
of Kurdistan. And my father is originally from
Kirkuk, but they both grew up in Sulaimaniyah. So, I
am an amalgamation of 3 cities in Kurdistan.
Q: Let’s talk
about the Kurdish society, we all know that the
Kurdish society is to a certain degree a
conservative society! How do your parents view what
you do ? Are they conservative?
Dashni: No,
absolutely not. On the contrary, they are very
progressive, it is their dream as well as mine, to
see the Kurdish society progress. The ones you see
on TV, you can predict how their parents are. Like
for example me, If you look at me then you can guess
how my parents are. With the help of my parents, I
could achieve what I achieved now. They supported to
be free and myself. Besides, to send a message that
more women should work in the media or enter the
labor market, and to let the economy grow. Because
half of the society is female, and they should get
active and stimulated, and that is their dream. And
it is because of them, I am the person who I am now.
Q: Let’s talk
about your new album, by the way congratulation,
they are very daring songs which are produced by
Halkawet Zahir whose been heavily criticized for
using Arabic and especially Egyptian melodies? What
are the reactions on your clips and how do you deal
with the critical voices ?
Dashni: First of
all, I want really to thank him. He is a great
composer, songwriter and everything else. He is just
good, and therefore I really want to thank him, with
his effort I could realize my album. Many people say
that he makes Arabic music and blab la bla, but I
think that if the music is good, it does not matter
where you get your inspiration. Music is a universal
language,www.ekurd.net
look at Holland. They
use all the music styles available in their music
culture. And the reactions on my songs were more
like, what is it about, simple text, no any depth,
about a girl that long for a guy, and then some
people found it too sexy and nude. All these
reactions I had to cope with and I said why me, I am
not the first one to do such a thing. Especially,
the male artists have sung songs with the same kind
of text and dancing females. You don’t hear about
them. But I found a way to deal with it.
Q: And that is?
Dashni : I said
all negative reactions is attention and promotion
for me and if they didn’t find me interesting, they
wouldn’t be talking about me. So, let them talk.
Q: Everybody
gives you the credit for being the first female
presenter or singer that crossed the boundaries.
Dashni: No,no
look at Rojin in Heja Hejai. She has a nude belly
and sings about the guys who impregnated her and
with all males dancing behind her. Or look at Leila
Feriqi in “Ana Sabiya min Kurdistan” dancing with a
group of girls, or Natalia from Canada. There are so
many girls that started before me, I just don’t get
it why this whole fuss about it.
Q: What are you
future plans ?
Dashni: It is
too broad, and too much. I should ease it a little a
bit. First , have a good vacation then I will look
what I can do. I will continue anyway, producing the
Dashni show on Korek TV, and I am busy with a
producing another show, for that I discovered a new
talent. A girl, 17 year old, her name is also Dashni.
She is from Holland, and she is very good at
presenting. And I am also preparing for several
concerts in Kurdistan and busy with a Kurdish movie.
Q: You are doing
a lot
Dashni: in the
future, I have the ambition to work in Holland,
whether it is presenting or singing. I would find it
great if that would be possible.
Q: So you want
to pursue a career here in Holland ?
Dashni: Like I
said, it would be great if I could achieve in
Holland, what I did in Kurdistan.
Q: Last
question, Dashni about your last show, which seems
to be also successful from the reactions of people.
There is only one point people criticise you or
actually the setting of this show, your earlier
shows and some programs of Korek, is that you too
much emphasize on the prosperity and the good life
here in Europe, and not the difficult side of
Europe. And that confuses many young Kurds in
Kurdistan ?
Dashni: That is
what they also said about “Be kontrol”. But, look
the youth live in Kurdistan, as if they are 80 yrs
old, because they experience so many difficulties in
life, like there is no electricity, no water to
shower, in the morning you don’t have clean clothes
to wear,www.ekurd.net
that’s why they live
like they are 40 or 80 years old. But, what we
really need is energetic youth that can build
Kurdistan towards something better. So, what can you
do to motivate them and make them more positive by
setting up an entertaining channel that has nothing
to do with politics, relaxing , listening to nice
music and watching positive programs.
Q: It is all
true what you said, but why not in Kurdistan ? why
here in Europe ?
Dashni: it is
our goals to do that in Kurdistan but it is very
difficult to set up things there, and to find
qualified presentators, besides the lack of a
professional team that can carry the whole work
alone, like montage and everything else. It is much
more than what you get to see on TV. But now we
attracted an excellent cameraman and editor, to give
some courses to Korek staff. So,www.hawlati.net
after six months they
should be able to take over the responsibilities and
produce programs in Kurdistan. It is just difficult.
Q: Dashni I wish
you luck in your upcoming show and your singing
career, and hopefully we see more from you.
Dashni: I want
also to thank you for this short but to the point
interview, and wish you also all the luck with the
new radio station. I want to host you on my show, to
let the people know what you are doing and promote
you station.
Q: absolutely
Dashni, but we want to host you here live in the
studio too.
Dashni: No
problem, agreed thank you.
The English version published was on kurdonyafm.blogspot.com
To listen to the interview in Dutch
click here to visit Curdonia
Copyright, respective author or news agency,
kurdonyafm.blogspot.com | curdonia com
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