Voice of Rebellion

The first-ever biography of Mozhdah Jamalzadah: refugee, pop singer, and champion of women’s rights.

Many have tried to silence her, but Mozhdah Jamalzadah remains the most powerful female voice of her generation in Afghanistan, boldly speaking out about women’s rights. Voice of Rebellion charts her incredible journey, including arriving in Canada as a child refugee, setting her father’s protest poem to music (and making it a #1 hit), performing that song for Michelle and Barack Obama, and, finally, being invited to host her own show in Afghanistan. The Mozhdah Show earned her the nickname “The Oprah of Afghanistan” and tackled taboo subjects like divorce and domestic violence for the first time in the country’s history. But even as her words resonated with women and families, Mozhdah received angry death threats—some of them serious—and was eventually advised to return to Canada.

Traversing Central Asia and North America, Voice of Rebellion profiles a devoted singer and activist who continues to fight for change, even from afar.

Roberta Staley is a magazine editor, writer, and documentary filmmaker. She has reported from Afghanistan, El Salvador, Haiti, Cambodia, Israel, and more countries around the world. Her award-winning documentary, Mightier Than the Sword, reveals how Afghan women in media are working to overcome a culture of silence and invisibility.

"Refugee stories are too seldom hopeful. But Voice of Rebellion, the story of one of Afghanistan’s most remarkable women, is an inspiration—a gripping tale of triumph and of breaking barriers."
—Melissa Fleming, chief spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and author of A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea

“Women can see themselves in the heroine of this story, Mozhdah, and find true inspiration from her strength and courage to return to Afghanistan. This book cries out with passion to follow your true calling despite overwhelming obstacles.”
—Nazanin Afshin-Jam MacKay, human rights activist

"A heartbreaking and empowering tale of self-discovery, Voice of Rebellion offers chilling insights into the plight of refugees and invokes incredible empathy for those adjusting to life in a new country. Mozhdah's journey from trying to fit in to embracing her identity and speaking up against injustice is something all can relate to, while her rebellious courage to drive change is awe-inspiring. I found it difficult to put this book down!"
—Samra Zafar, bestselling author of A Good Wife