Women Of Iran Spotify Playlist Released

Spotify have released a new playlist titled “Women of Iran”, in support of those facing the restrictive regime in the country. In support of the current uprising taking place in Iran, and ahead of the upcoming Grammys ceremony, the playlist highlights the current musical and political movements that are taking place.

The situation in Iran

The uprising in Iran began back in September 2022, when Mahsa Amini, a young woman was murdered. Many more deaths have followed, which include public executions, and the imprisonment of over 18,000 people.

Many woman musicians and allies have been involved in the revolution, and have been fighting for human rights in Iran, where it is currently illegal for women to sing and dance in public. Conversely, Iranian musician Shervin Hajipour is nominated for a Grammy this year with his song Baraye, which is in the “best song for social change” category.

According to Billboard, Hajipour has received 95,000 submissions for the award, and overwhelming global support outside of Iran. He had previously been imprisoned for sharing his music against the Islamic Republic, along with peers who had been similarly outspoken including rapper Toomaj Salehi.

Speaking about the new Grammy category, the Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. explained:

“This Special Merit Award, which honors a song based on the impact and ability to make a difference in the world, is something that is a first for the Academy, and something I think we’re all excited about and proud of.

This is one of the purposes of music: to make a difference in the world. And a social change impact award for a song highlights those songs, or that one song, that has a massive impact.

I don’t want anybody to misconstrue this award as something that’s just singling out one song of impact or importance. Because we know every year, there are a lot of songs that have so much value and impact. But this is a chance for us to celebrate a short list of songs, and ultimately one song, that we feel has made a big impact.”

The Women of Iran playlist

Leila Kashfi is the person who created the playlist, an Iranian-American woman who is associate manager, artist partnerships with the DSP. According to Variety,

“The playlist aims to amplify the voices of Iranian women and their global allies. The curated compilation reflects core characteristics of Iran’s ancient culture, which is steeped in music, dance and art, celebrating the beauty of a country that is unfamiliar to many. With universally relatable themes, it pulls from 100 songs, creating an algorithm-driven 50-song custom selection for each listener.

Five songs will be pinned to every user’s playlist, including Hajipour’s “Baraye” and Salehi’s “Soorakh Moosh.” The other three are “Dobareh,” a collective song led by iconic artist Googoosh, “Soroode Zan” from popular singer Mehdi Yarrahi, and a song that translates to “Freedom Anthem” by a collective calling themselves Ethnic Musicians.

In addition to the music, Spotify is activating playlist clips for “Women of Iran.” These feature video stories that live on the platform, sharing Iranian creatives’ views on freedom of expression.”

Kashfi she released a statement on Instagram that read:

“For decades, the Islamic Republic has forced Iranians to suppress the beauty of Persian culture – a culture founded thousands of years ago in music, dance, romance, & tolerance. The Islamic Republic targets artists because music fuels revolution.”

The Women of Iran Playlist

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