Biography
Sonita is a rapper and activist from Afghanistan. Born under the Taliban regime, war and poverty forced her family to flee to Iran, walking countless miles on foot in the winter. In Tehran, where she was denied access to formal education, she secretly attended music classes, defying the restrictions of a society where music was considered forbidden. She was inspired to become a rapper after hearing Eminem’s songs.
Almost sold into marriage twice, once at age 10 and again at 16, Sonita met Iranian filmmaker Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami, who documented her journey in the award-winning documentary Sonita, which won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Soon after, she recorded Daughters for Sale, a powerful song that helped her secure a full scholarship to study in the United States.
But her story doesn’t end there. Today, Sonita is a storyteller, amplifying the voices of brave women around the world. She has written her memoir, which will be published by HarperCollins on July 8, 2025.
She has graduated from Bard College, majoring in Human Rights and Music. One of her greatest goals is to use her music and story to inspire women and girls to hold on to their dreams.