The 4th Annual Ariana Television Network’s Awards show was held in Hamburg, Germany on Saturday, December 5th, 2009.  Your favorite Afghan celebrities and artists from all over the world were invited and given recognition for their achievements. The awards show reached a global television audience covering the majority of Afghans everywhere. It was a wonderful opportunity for supporting Afghan culture and the performing arts.

The recorded program will likely be broadcasted end of December or for new years.

Below is the list of 2009 award recipients (not in order):

Best Male Artist: Farhad Darya
Best Female: Naghma
Best New Male: Shekeb Osmani
Best New Female: Ghazal
Best Duo: Hafiz & Devyani Ali
Best Ghazal Artist: Najim Nawabi
Best Mahali Artist: Mir Maftoon
Best Album: Jawid Sharif (Kankaash)
Best Track: Bia Janam (Tawab Arash)
Best Music Video: Atish Ba Dilam (Valy)
Best Patriotic Song: Shahe Mardan (Jawid Sharif)
Best Lyrics: Maadar (Hafiy & Devyani)
Best Light Song: Dokhtar-e Afghan (Mozhdah)
Lifetime Achievement Award Recipients: Zahir Howaida, Afsana, Rahim Mehryar, Parasto, Ustad Arman, Madadi

AfghanMP3.com editor’s note:
Though better than last year’s show… like most of you, we felt that some of the awards given in certain categories were biased simply because certain artists have videos and program deals with Ariana Television Network.

No disrespect to Tawab Arash and Jawid Sharif – they’re both great artists, but by awarding Bia Janam and Shah-e Mardaan as Best Song and Best Patriotic Song of the year respectively, is ATN telling us that they are better than Latif Nangarhari’s Afghanistan or Farhad Darya’s Atan? Mozhdah’s Dokhtar-e Afghan for Best Light Song? You kidding me!

We are witnessing small but positive signs of Afghan music industry picking itself up through the production of better music and videos as well as tv programs… let’s hope that people in charge of such award and tv shows do justice by selecting and awarding the appropriate winners instead of playing favors or the usual biased politics.

Some fundemental changes are necessary, both by TV stations and our artists, if we want to see our music industry succeed in the right direction.

Known for his hit songs “Laila” (in Dari, German and Arabic) and “Allah Allah”, Arash got his fame for his ability to successfully introduce and combine hip hop and dance beats into Afghan music. His compositions and music are influenced by western and middle eastern beats and tunes.

Arash has assisted in the composition of songs and albums for Afghanistan’s artists such as Habib Qaderi, Najim Nekzad, Fardin Faryad and Sear Azizi, Zubair Nekbin and many more. His most noticeable work was Habib Qaderi’s latest Closer in which Arash showcases his rich knowledge of traditional Afghan music within the realm of his own hip hop and dance style.

Arash Howaida’s videos

Arsh Howaida Pictures

Arsh Howaida Pictures

Listen to Arash Howaida Music