Sherali Jo'rayev

Sherali Jo'rayev was born in 1947 in Asaka. In 1972, he graduated from the Tashkent Institute of Theatre and Fine Arts. In 1976, he finished his studies at the Mannon Uyg'ur Tashkent State Institute of Arts.

Sherali Jo'rayev was a solo singer for the Uzbek State Variety (1972-1973), the "Shodlik" Song and Dance Ensemble (1972-1979), the Andijan Regional Philharmonic (1979-1986), the Uzbek State Philharmonic (1986-1996), and the "O'zbeknavo" association (from 1999 onwards).

The foundation of Sherali Jo'rayev's songs consists of poems by classical Oriental (Alisher Navoi, Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, Saadi Shirazi, Hafez, Mashrab, Ogahi, Jalal ad-Din Rumi, Jami, and others) and contemporary (Erkin Vohidov, Abdulla Oripov, and others) poets. In 2008, Jo'rayev organized Rumi reading nights at his home. Over his long career, Sherali Jo'rayev has written and performed more than 600 songs. Among his most famous songs are "Bahor ayyomi" (poem by Babur), "Birinchi muhabbatim" (poem by Abdulla Oripov), "Inson qasidasi" (poem by Erkin Vohidov), "Karvon", "Meni kutgil" (poem by Konstantin Simonov), "Oshiqlar sardori" (poem by Rasul Gamzatov), "O'zbegim" (poem by Erkin Vohidov), "O'xshamas" (ghazal by Alisher Navoi), and dozens, perhaps hundreds, more.

Sherali Jo'rayev composed the music for most of his songs himself (including "Birinchi muhabbatim", "O'zbegim", "Karvon", "Achchiq haqiqat", "Yaralgan", "Oshiqlar sardori", "Inson qasidasi", "Oshiq bo'ling", and others). He also wrote the lyrics for some of his songs. In particular, the songs "Bobo Dehqon", "Zamon", "Qarashlarga", "Ona Turkiston", "Sohibqiron", "Do'st bo'lsang, yonimda tur", and "Qayon ketmoqdasiz" are among them.
In 1992, the Uzbekistan National Television and Radio Company produced a film-essay dedicated to the work of Sherali Jo'rayev titled "Bir ulug' el bor jahonda". The singer has been on professional tours in countries across Europe and Asia.

Sh. Jo'rayev wrote the screenplay for the film "Sherali va Oybarchin" and played the lead role in it. Sherali Jo'rayev has two sons and three daughters. His sons, Shohjahon and Zohirshoh Jo'rayev, have also chosen the path of singing.