A remarkable and rare piece of Afghan music history is presented here. Bakht Zamina, often remembered as the “Queen of Kunar,” released only one officially known cassette during her lifetime—her 1980 studio album, shown here. Bakht Zamina was a celebrated Afghan singer from Kunar who moved to Kabul at a young age to pursue her musical career, training under Ustad Gul Zaman and quickly becoming one of the defining voices of her generation. According to documentation from the Meli Archives, her recorded legacy includes 21 television and radio performances in addition to this single studio cassette.

Renowned for both her powerful voice and striking presence, she became one of the most admired performers of her era. Her life, however, ended tragically and under disputed circumstances. Some accounts suggest she was killed by the Mujahideen because of her pro-PDPA song “Ay Sarbaza Yara” (“O Beloved Soldier”), while other sources claim she was murdered by her husband. At the time, the PDPA-controlled Kabul Times officially reported her cause of death as tuberculosis. Despite the tragic end to her life, Bakht Zamina’s legacy continues to endure through her timeless recordings.