CALID
Afghan singer-guitarist reworking folk and classical songs
Based in Hamburg, Germany
Voice and electric guitar lead the set, with spare arrangements that leave space around the melody. The songs sit in Afghan folk and classical material, then get pared down into a clean, minimalist frame rather than dressed up for club or pop use. Expect slow-burn phrasing, long notes, and a set that feels built around memory and loss.
More about CALID
CALID is the stage name of Khalid Wardak, an Afghan singer and guitarist based in Hamburg. He records with Kabul Fire Records, the label founded by Farhot in 2016, and his 2026 EP 'NOWROZ 1405' revisits songs from an older Afghan repertoire. Farhot also featured CALID on 'Ashiq Shodam' on 'Nowroz 1401', which placed him inside a contemporary Afghan diaspora network around Kabul Fire.
A story
On 'Baran', the song moves into the dalaan, the part of the Afghan home used for gathering, protection and intimacy.
Playing
- 2026-11-07 2026-11-07T17:45:00 · CALID · Museum Speelklok
Labels
Start here
- NOWROZ 1405 (2026) · Calid
Best snapshot of his current approach. - Ashiq Shodam (feat. Calid & Elaha Sahoor) (2022) · Farhot
Shows his voice inside Farhot’s Afghan diaspora frame. - Deeshab (2026) · Calid
Sparse, direct entry from the new EP.
Worked with
- Elaha Sahoor featured on 'Ashiq Shodam'
For fans of
Arooj Aftab, Farhot, Elaha Sahoor, Ahmad ZahirOfficial links
Plan Le Guess Who? 2026 with Songpot · Ask about CALID in ChatGPT or Claude