Arriving during the ongoing revolutionin Iran, the playlist includes music and commentary from women artists andallies like Googoosh, Snoh Aalegra and Shervin Hajipour.
Googoosh and Snoh Aalegra
Spotify haslaunched a new playlist to amplify the voicesof Iranian women, who have for the last four months have led thefight towards human rights in Iran.
The playlist, titled “Women of Iran,” includessongs by iconic Iranian singers, including Googoosh, Mahasti and Hayedeh,alongside artists like Shervin Hajipour and Toomaj Salehi, who wereboth arrested and imprisoned after sharing music in support of the fightagainst the Islamic Republic’s injustices. Hajipour, who received a whopping95,000 submissions for The Grammys’ new best song for social change award, wasreleased following international pressure back in October.
“TheAcademy is deeply moved by the overwhelming volume of submissions,” saidRecording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr in a statement. “While we cannot predictwho might win the award, we are humbled by the knowledge that the Academy is aplatform for people who want to show support for the idea that music is apowerful catalyst for change.”
After his October arrest, 32-year-old rapperSalehi has remained in police custody and is at risk of receiving the deathpenalty, according to BBC.
As a part of the playlist launch, Spotify isutilizing its playlist clips feature, which are likened to “stories” connectedto a playlist, providing a platform for Iranian musicians, comedians,designers, producers and more to speak on topics like culture, art, creativeprocess and the importance of freedom of expression. The playlist also includesdiasporic Iranian artists, including Rana Mansour, Snoh Aalegra, andIranian-Dutch singer Sevdaliza, who has released a number of songs in supportof the ongoing revolution in Iran.
Stemming from the death of Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iran’s“morality police” but rooted in over 40 years of oppression, the current Iranian revolution began in late September and hasresulted in over 500 deaths officially, although some human rights groupsestimate the number to be over 5,000. The number of individuals arrested spansbeyond 20,000, while four known executions have taken place, with many moreestimated to come.
International uproar has ensued since the startof the protests, with government officials and global stars alike speaking outon the brutal injustices taking place under the authority of Iran’s IslamicRevolutionary Guards Corps. Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Samuel L. Jackson,Jason Momoa, Britney Spears and Bella Hadid are among the celebrities who haveused their platforms to bring awareness to the ongoing fight, while a massiveshow of international solidarity led to a vote in the United Nations to removeIran from the Commission on the Status of Women.
In Iran,kissing and hugging in public, women singing and dancing in public, among otherbasic acts, are illegal. Women also face discrimination in matters regardingmarriage, divorce, inheritance and decisions relating to children. Members of anumber of religious groups, including Baha’is are heavily persecuted in Iran,considering that Zoroastrians, Jews and Christians are the only recognizedreligious minorities. These human rights violations, along with incomeinequality and lack of freedom of expression has brought the Iranian public totheir boiling point time and time again.
While there is no end in sight, the playlist’screator Leila Kashfi emphasizes the importance of keeping the voices ofIranians alive, writing on Instagram, “For decades, the IslamicRepublic has forced Iranians to suppress the beauty of Persian culture – aculture founded thousands of years ago in music, dance, romance, &tolerance. The [Islamic Republic] targets artists because music fuelsrevolution.”
