Estrada is a French word meaning “stage.” In the USSR, it came to refer to big-name performing pop stars. Estrada artists rarely play an instrument and instead focus on pulling the audience into the performance through soaring vocals, intense emotions, direct interaction, humor, or other performative elements. Estrada music across the USSR is always recognizable […]

Here are five Kazakh bands working to bring traditional Kazakh instrumentation and musical styles into modern music. Roksonaki Seamless Kazakh Folk Rock Roksonaki is a Kazakh band that was formed in 2006. Its name means “lightning” in Kazakh, chosen to represent the band’s energetic and electrifying musical style. They are known for their unique fusion […]

The Kambarkan Folk Ensemble (Камбаркан фольклордук ансамбл) represents a milestone in the cultivation of Kyrgyz national identity. Originally founded in 1987 by artist and musician Chalagyz Isabayev, the ensemble aimed to preserve, appreciate, and explore Kyrgyz folk music. Isabayev, born 1937 in Kyrgyzstan’s Issyk-Kul Region, was an honored artist of the Kyrgyz Republic. Although he […]

The Rebellion of the Brides (Kelinlar qoʻzgʻoloni/Бунт невесток) is one of the most famous films released in Uzbekistan under the Soviet Union in 1984. The film is available for free on YouTube from the studio. The original was shot with both Uzbek and Russian used in the dialogue. Another version is also available online from […]

The history of soccer in Kyrgyzstan goes back to 1921, with an oft-cited first match taking place in Bishek, Kyrgyzstan’s capital city, against a team from Kazakhstan. The Kazakh team won, but not before the sport of soccer staked a permanent claim on the Kyrgyz national consciousness— the game’s been culturally significant ever since. However, […]

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mamer Rayes has been an active musician for more than 30 years. While his style of music has shifted over time, it remains deeply rooted in the language, instruments, and folklore of the Khazak culture in which he was raised. Mamer was born in Xinjiang, an autonomous region of northwestern China. […]

Otyken is an indigenous Siberian folk pop band that uses traditional instruments and sings in Khakas, Chulym, and Russian. For much more on the Khakas language, check out this great resource from our sister site, Folkways.today. The members of the group are Chulym Khakas, an indigenous population that lives in Eastern Siberia. The name “Otyken” […]

Feruza Jumaniyozova is an Uzbek singer. She has released songs in Tajik, Uyghur, Farsi, Dari, Turkmen, Azeri, Hindi, Turkish, and Uzbek. Feruza was born on 14 Feebruary, 1984 in Khorezm, in the Uzbek SSR. She started performing music when she was three. Originally wanting to be a doctor, she enrolled in the Institute of Medicine […]