2023-09-16 13:40:03
In Iran and beyond, arrests of singers and dancers show how music can be a powerful tool of resistance
Iranian women are barred from singing and dancing in public, but many are using social media to share videos of themselves dancing and singing along to singer Mehdi Yarrahi’s song "Roosarito" (Your Veil). This surge in videos follows Yarrahi’s arrest on August 28th, as the Islamic Republic of Iran deems the song "illegal and inconsistent with the ethical and societal norms of the Islamic community."
"Roosarito" is just one of the anthems that have become part of the soundtrack for the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, which originated with the killing of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian Jina Mahsa Amini by the morality police on September 16, 2022. Amini had been arrested for not adequately covering her hair in accordance with Iran's mandatory veiling laws. Since then, protests for freedom and equality, particularly women's rights, have swept across the country.
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Research has shown how music and dance can serve as forms of resistance and advocacy in human rights struggles, specifically within feminist movements. Iranian singer Mehdi Yarrahi's "Roosarito" advocates for Iranian women's right to choose whether or not to wear a veil and reminds listeners that many Iranians have sacrificed their lives for freedom and democracy. Similarly, his song "Soroode Zan" (Woman's Anthem) has been played and chanted during protests across the country.
Powerful Anthems of the Woman, Life, Freedom Movement
One song that encapsulates the Woman, Life, Freedom movement is Shervin Hajipour's "Baraye" (For). Created just days after Mahsa Amini's death, Hajipour compiled tweets expressing Iranians' aspirations for a future free from oppression and violence. "Baraye" was performed by artists worldwide as an expression of solidarity with the Iranian people.
Images and videos of women in Iran singing and dancing as an act of defiance against the regime and its oppressive policies have flooded social media platforms. Notably, a video of five young women in Tehran dancing publicly without wearing hijabs to the song "Calm Down" by Rema and Selena Gomez sparked a TikTok trend. Iranians and non-Iranians alike replicated the dance and shared their videos in a show of solidarity.
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Iran is not the only place where music has been utilized to raise awareness of social justice issues. In Afghanistan, two anonymous sisters recorded songs hidden under burqas to draw attention to the Taliban's efforts to erase women from public life. These songs conveyed both pain and hope for change, garnering attention worldwide.
LasTesis, a Chilean feminist collective, created "Un Violador en Tu Camino" (A Rapist in Your Path), which became the anthem of the Chilean struggle against state violence. Feminist movements in countries like India, Turkey, the US, and Venezuela adopted the song during protests for gender equality.
Within feminist movements, music fosters community and collaboration. Music invites listeners to sing along, share their own performances, dance with their communities, and spread powerful messages. Its universal appeal and cultural significance make it a potent medium for social change.
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Artists like Renata Flores from Peru use their music to draw attention to the marginalization of Indigenous people and their culture. Mona Haydar, an American-Syrian artist, addresses Islamophobia, prejudice against Muslim women in Western societies, and misogyny within Muslim communities in her songs. Pakistani rapper Eva B advocates for women's rights and tackles broader community issues in her songs.
Music has long been a tool for social justice, giving rise to entire genres like blues and hip-hop that derive from the experiences of Black Americans. The internet and streaming platforms have made it easier for music associated with social movements to reach global audiences.
The introduction of the "best song for social change" category at the Grammy Awards highlights the music industry's recognition of music's role in activism. Shervin Hajipour's "Baraye" was awarded the inaugural prize.
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A playlist of songs mentioned in this article:
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