The Iranian protest anthem “Baraye” has been awarded a Grammy. Singer Shervin Hajipur’s ballad, which touched millions during the recent wave of protests in Iran, won the Best Song for Social Change category at the major music awards ceremony on Sunday night (local time) in Los Angeles.
First Lady Jill Biden introduced the award. “A song can unite, inspire and ultimately change the world,” she said. The song is “a powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights”. Hajipur wrote on Twitter on Monday: “We won”.
In “Baraye” (For), the 25-year-old gives a voice to the people who took to the streets in Iran against the repressive policies. Within a few days, the song reached an audience of millions. The ballad addresses the various reasons why Iranians call for political and social change. Shortly after the release, the singer was arrested and had to apologize – probably under massive intimidation.
Iran’s political leadership has been under enormous pressure since the protests broke out in mid-September. Triggered by the death of the Iranian Kurd Jina Mahsa Amini in police custody, Tehran plunged into the worst political crisis in decades. The 22-year-old was arrested almost five months ago for violating Islamic dress codes. Although the street protests have decreased significantly, many people in Iran remain deeply dissatisfied and are demanding change.
