Kyrgyz Music Friday is a weekly feature in which I post a pop music video from an artist in Kyrgyzstan. It could be catchy, annoying, funny, insightful, brilliant, awful, or anything in between. It’s what’s playing on the radio, what all the cool kids are listening to these days. Kyrgyz Music Friday is not trying to appeal to your musical taste (which I’m sure is awesome), but simply gives you a glimpse into how pop music is done on this side of the world. Feel free to share your thoughts on this week’s video in the comment section!
This weeks video is “Khanisham” by Kenesh Tobu (“Ханышам” Кенеш тобу), which means “my queen”. A friend told me she has been listening to this guy-girl duo on repeat recently, so I felt pretty good about choosing this song for this week’s Kyrgyz Music Friday.
The guy raps, the girl has a high-pitched, nasal-sounding voice that reminds me of Indian singers, and the song is pretty repetitive in my opinion.
I know what you’re thinking. “Gee, with that glowing review, you expect me to waste 7 1/2 minutes watching this video?” BUT! Here’s the treat: this week, not only are you getting a budget music video, but halfway through, you get a three-minute, budget movie with plenty of bad acting. You’re welcome!
Imagine this: bad sepia tone, a passionless belly dancer, several fat guys in cheap Halloween costumes, a love story that doesn’t quite develop until the bit is almost over, and an ending that we all saw coming from a mile away. My favorite part is when the sword-maker receives the news from the little boy by picking him up by his shoulders, as if he is just so massive that the only way he could listen to the boy is by bringing him up to his altitude.
The movie ends just in time for a key change, awesome! (My feelings are that not every song needs a key change, but Kyrgyzstan doesn’t seem to agree.)
In other news, this week was a bit slow for posts, but next week? Photos from the International Cat Show I went to last weekend. Get excited!
Yeah, it’s cheesy but it’s also cute and sweet in a tacky sort of way.
BTW, I’ve been following your KMF since I discovered your House Hunters International episode and I absolutely adore their music–I think it’s got the best of Europop (without the banal teenage sexual angst) and the best of Asian pop (without the crass materialism and general soullessness). Good job, Kyrgyzstan!
International Cat Show!! I went back in 2008 🙂 Can’t wait to see pics!