The Motherland's Girl: Sevara Nazarkhan and "Yol Bolsin"

Uzbekistan is one of the 'Stans, a country that was formed out the breakup of the former Soviet Union. Since then, like the other 'Stans, it has been struggling to forge its own identity. During the period of Soviet rule, a large part of Uzbek history was that of "Russification." In other words, to get ahead in the Uzbekistan SSR during Soviet rule one had to give up any connection to Uzbek culture, lifestyle, identity and language and conform to Russian lifestyles, language and identity. Those who didn't were excluded from political and meaningful economic opportunity. Out of the wreckage of the Soviet Union, ethnic animosities in Uzbekistan led to clashes between Uzbeks and Turks, and animosities against Russians led to 2 million ethnic Russians fleeing Uzbekistan. Political upheaval and fraudulent elections also led to instability and violence.

However, one of the positive things about Uzbek independence was a reflowering of traditional Uzbek art and music. From this exploration back into culture and history came artists like Sevara Nazarkhan, who has not only given new life to Uzbek folk music traditions, but has also enabled its appreciation on a wider world basis. Nazarkhan was born into a musical family. Her mother taught traditional instruments at an Uzbek school, and Nazarkhan began her career as a doutar (a long necked lute) player for a state ensemble. By 2000, Nazarkhan had already achieved fame in Uzbekistan in her solo career as a pop singer, but she wowed crowds and Peter Gabriel when she performed as a last minute replacement at that year's WOMAD. Gabriel asked her to record an album for his Real World record label, and matched her with legendary French music producer Hector Zazou. The resulting album, Yoʻl Boʻlsin (2003), propelled her to international fame in its incorporation of traditional Uzbek folk music and contemporary sounds. She has released six albums and and has collaborated with artists such as Peter Gabriel, Sinead O'Connor and the Afro Celt Sound System. This song, "Yoʻl Boʻlsin," appears on that 2003 album of the same name. (The version I have is a five minute version, but the only similar one I could find online was edited to 3 minutes or so for radio airplay).

Addendum after I posted this: I just found longer version of this song, with Sevara Nazarkhan singing a capella: