As in any conflict, all aspects of society are eventually drafted in to make their contribution. The lastest fighting between Uzbeks and Kyrgyz is no exception. As reported in Central Asian news websites, the 'Madonna of Central Asia', the extremely popular Uzbek singer Yulduz Usmonova has released a song called Kyrgyzlarga (To the Kyrgyz), where she asks “What was this bloodshed for? Don’t you have a conscience? Ah, my Kyrgyz, how cheaply you’ve sold yourselves and destroyed your wellbeing.” She also hinted at reports that the violence was instigated by provocateurs who paid locals to take part in attacks on Uzbek neighborhoods: “Don’t trust every hand that gives you bread; don’t rejoice in victory for nothing. You’ve inflicted pain on the souls of my Uzbek people; don’t regret it tomorrow.” Now this is something I believe is true. Usmonova goes on to sing “If you kill and strangle each ethnic group, who will stay in the land of the Kyrgyz?” Usmonova asks in the song, to accompanying images of people fleeing, people in burnt-out houses, APCs driving through city streets and houses belonging to ethnic Uzbeks painted with SOS signs in a desperate plea for help. Here's the song:
Naturally the Kyrgyz are not answering Usmonova's questions and see this as a provocation. What I expect now is that Kyrgyz pop singers will sing something just as provocative in response, and there, a pop war. I've seen this happen in all Balkan conflicts, resulting in some of the scariest lyrics ever I've ever heard.
When you have pop stars and conflict, soon after come the bitchy comments. In response to Usmonova's song, Kyrgyz composer Gulshair Sadybakasova wrote “Better a slave who has a motherland than a singer who has no motherland.” Meow! This is a direct reference to the fact that Yulduz Usmonova now lives in Turkey where she has expanded her already successful career to become a high profile star there.
So how come Yulduz Usmonova is considered the 'Madonna of Central Asia'? She was born in Marghilan, Uzbekistan in 1963 to a poor Uzbek family of silk factory workers . Her talents as a singer and composer were discovered quite early with her big break coming in 1991 when debuting at the Voice of Asia song competition held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, she won with the hit 'Kyzyl alma' (Red Apple). Her powerful delivery and exuberance on stage, added with her compositions displaying an intoxicating mix of traditional Uzbek music with Russian and Western pop landed her with a huge fanbase not only in Uzbekistan and neighbouring countries, but eventually among the World Music scene. Her third album 'Jeli jeli' was released by a Dutch label and soon after her songs were being copied and sung into many other languages, most famous of which was the signature Alabina song by Ishtar. Here is the original by Yulduz:
And here is the Ishtar version released four years after
Due to her popularity, she was courted by Uzbek president Islom Karimov. Usmonova was invited to write the anthem for the newly independent Uzbekistan and was also a deputy in the Uzbek (rubber stamp) parliament. Now this wouldn't be Central Asia if there was no nepotism - Yulduz's daughter Nilufar also has become a pop singer though decidedly more Western in approach than her mother.
Despite being quite close to the Uzbek leadership in the 1990s, Usmonova did have fall outs with the authorities. As I have written before about the importance of politicial patronage with the careers of music stars in the former Eastern bloc, Usmonova is no exception, who has seen her career rise and fall in Uzbekistan in accordance with the level of favour she showed to Karimov's dictatorial government. In Uzbekistan, where freedom of expression is tightly restricted, singers often use the arts to address political themes. She wrote the song "I Won’t Give You to Anyone, Uzbekistan" after a series of terrorist bombings in Tashkent in February 1999, earning her brownie points. However Usmonova turned against Karimov in 2005 after the bloody crackdown on opposition forces in her home region of the pious Ferghana Valley. Her opposition to the government was displayed in subtle ways, such as her greater use of Islamic imagery in her video clips, appearing increasing more in full veil and her 2007 album was written using Cyrillic and not the officially sanctioned new Latin alphabet - all symbols of opposition. Her fall from grace came in 2008 when an arrest warrant was placed on her, which some in Central Asia speculated that this was more to discredit Usmonova not only for her increasing disloyalty but also to wipe out the competition to Karimov's despised daughter Gulnara Karimova who had decided then to become a pop star. Usmonova was arrested while singing at a wedding in the Kyrgyzstan capital Bishkek and was threatened with extradition. However she was able to make her way to Turkey where she has been based since. Usmonova has been on the record of saying that she moved in protest against the government’s efforts to exert control over artists’ creative independence. Her release of her second Turkish album in 2009 has made her immensely popular there. However, the release of this new Uzbek nationalist song against the Kyrgyz is seen as a mending fences exercise with the Uzbek authorities.
I had the rewarding opportunity to have seen Yulduz Usmonova perform live at a World Music Festival in Adelaide, Australia in 1998. It was amazing to see how many Uzbeks actually live in Adelaide, coming out en masse to see their superstar and elegantly dressed in colourful Uzbek-style glam - lots of colour! The group of obsessed Kylie-fan gay men with me instantly were mesmerised by Usmonova's enchanting performance style, energy and charisma. I'd love to see her again, though we'll see what her next step is. By making herself persona non grata in an increasingly polarised Kyrgyzstan, a rapprochment with her old political patron may now be on the cards, especially since the President's daughter quit singing.
Please enjoy my favourite Yulduz Usmonova song, released in 2000, called 'Dunyo' (World) featuring vocals by a South African choir. Magical!
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