John Legend to host Afghan Star podcast

John Legend is set to host a podcast series about Afghan Star.

On Wednesday, it was announced that the musician will host a new podcast series about Afghan Star, a musical talent show that ran in Afghanistan from 2005 to 2021.

Launched four years after the fall of the Taliban, the show searched for talented artists across Afghanistan but was scrapped shortly after the Taliban regained power and banned TV and radio stations from broadcasting music.

According to Deadline, John has partnered with iHeartPodcasts and Kaleidoscope to release an eight-part documentary podcast series that explores Afghanistan's cultural revolution through the story of the country's first musical talent show.

"I was immediately drawn to this story, with its many heroes and heroines, moments of tragedy, triumph and suspense," the All Of Me hitmaker said in a statement via Deadline. "Afghan Star is a true celebration of the power of music and showcases how, even in exile, courageous teams are working around the clock to save our music and bring a little joy back to our communities."

Will Pearson, President of iHeartPodcasts, noted that the podcast publisher was "thrilled" to be working with John on the project.

"We are thrilled to have John Legend on board for this extraordinary series," he said. "His voice, along with his commitment to social impact and uplifting communities through music has helped bring this show together. We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with Kaleidoscope and excited to match extraordinary artists like John Legend with meaningful storytelling."

The podcast series will premiere on 15 May.