Prominent Afghan musicians and cultural dignitaries on Wednesday said that the Afghan Star music contest has played a positive role in strengthening national unity among the people of Afghanistan.
 
This comes a day after the 12th season of Afghan Star music contest ended in Kabul with a rap artist crowned as winner.
 
Talking on the implications of such contests regarding national unity, a number of residents in Kabul  said that youths voted for their favorite singers regardless of their ethnicity.
 
Rap artist Sayed Jamal Mubarez, from Bamiyan, won this year’s title after beating fellow finalist, Zulala Hashimi, who was the first female in the contest’s history to reach the finals.
 
Hashimi hails from the conservative province of Nangarhar.
 
Mubarez, who is a barber, says he always sings for his clients, but no one took him seriously.
 
Zulala meanwhile is a symbol of courage for millions of girls in the country – especially for those in Nangarhar, a province grappling with several militant groups.
 
After the downfall of the Taliban regime, Afghan youths from around the country were able to raise their signing voices on the stage of Afghan Star.
 
Some previous winners have since because considerably famous in their country and have helped revive the Afghan music scene.