Classical music of Uzbekistan Famous Uzbek singers Lola Yoʻldosheva

2015 controversy[edit]

Lola was given a warning by Uzbeknavo, Uzbekistan's government agency that issues licenses to performers, for wearing a red low-back dress that “conflicts with the national mentality” while performing the song "Koʻnikmadim" with Rayhon at the latter's concert on 24 February 2015.[5]
In March 2015, Uzbeknavo issued a directive that female singers were no longer to wear clothing that exposed their shoulders or legs, that they were not to appear “half-naked” at public events, and that they were not to include any sexually suggestive moves on stage.[6] Deputy Prime Minister and chairperson of Uzbekistanʼs State Women’s Committee Elmira Bositkhonova was quoted as saying “How can one explain the fact that some of our female singers are dressed in a more than revealing style, completely divorced from the national style, and appear on television channels intended for family viewing, singing songs with messages that aren’t subjected to any criticism and in frivolous video clips?”[7] Following Bositkhonova's remarks, Uzbeknavo suspended Lolaʼs license on 14 July 2015.[8]

2019 censorship video[edit]

In November 2019, Lola released a second music video for her single "Sevgingni menga ayt" (Tell Me About Your Love) in her personal YouTube channel in which she criticized censorship of singers and musicians in Uzbekistan.[9] The video, which was directed by Lola herself, went viral and was hailed as a "social protest" and "revolutionary" by many critics and fans, including the well-known Uzbek director Ali Hamroyev.[10] Uzbek government officials, however, criticized the music video, saying that "all clips, all music and songs must adhere to the Uzbek mentality."[9] In 2020, the singer deleted her YouTube channel along with all of her videos.

Daler Xonzoda

Daler was born on April 1, 1989, and at four years of age, he moved to Samarkand, Uzbekistan and in 1996 he started to go to school No.1. In 2004 he began to study music independently and in 2005, he was enrolled in the academic lyceum under Samarkand State University.
In 2006, he began to develop his own guitar and piano works. As a young singer, in 2009 he opened his own home studio, studied studio work, began to write his own songs, both lyrics and music. In August 2011, he signed a contract with the studio "PanTerra" and became a soloist of the group "Sahro" (in Cyrillic alphabet "Сахро").[1][2] The band included Daler Xonzoda and Daler Ametist. In the same year, he was nominated for "Discovery of the Year" award at the M&TVA Awards.[3]
In 2012, Daler took part in the campaign Мы – одна команда, мы – одна семья ("We – a team, we are – one family") and made a tour throughout the Republic of Uzbekistan.[4] The same year, he won a grant to create music videos in the award ceremonies at the M&TVA Awards and in 2013, became a member of the jury commission in a televised music competition Zo'r Zo'r Star.[5][6] He also participated in the event "Uzbek Day of Culture" in both Moscow and London.
In 2013 has ended its contract with PanTerra Records, leaving the band "Sahro" and started working as a solo. In 2014 he performed a concert in the Karakalpak Republic.