Nasrat Parsa

Afghan pop singer Nasrat Parsa was born in Kabul on February 22, 1969. First exposed to music via his older brother, he made his public debut at age six, performing two songs composed by Afghan icon Ahmad Zahir during a new year's celebration broadcast over Radio Kabul. Zahir heard the performance and invited Parsa to his home, with Zahir remaining the boy's mentor for years to follow; after several years studying classical music under Ostaad Mohammed Houssein Sarahang, at age 12 Parsa and his family fled the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and relocated to Pakistan, later sett...