In a statement on its website, Uzbekistan’s Culture and Sports Ministry has announced a ban on «meaningless» songs that fail to «praise the motherland.»

In a rather insensitively worded ruling, the music of pop groups Mango and Ummon and singers Dilfuza Rahimova, Otabek Mutalhojaev, and Dilshod Rakhmonov were condemned as being «meaningless from musical and lyrical standpoints.» (Ouch!)

They were stripped of their performing licenses, which are issued by an agency within the ministry, Uzbeknavo, and which are needed in order to perform in public in Uzbekistan.

Says the ministry:

Seven other performers were issued «harsh warnings» and given a deadline of July 1 to eliminate what the ministry euphemistically calls their «creative shortcomings.»

Unsurprisingly, the ruling does not apply to the musical oeuvre of the Uzbek pop star Googoosha, also known as Gulnara Karimova, also known as the daughter of authoritarian Uzbek President Islam Karimov, whose most recent music video, «How Dare,» features her gyrating sexily to a thumping beat in front of a half-naked man in a chair who appears to be in some sort of distress.

Perhaps Mango and Ummon and all the others should count their blessings, though. As RIA Novosti points out:

— Grant Podelco

http://www.rferl.org/content/uzbekistan-meaningless-pop-songs/25023250.html