Iranian artists AIDA and Nesa Azadikhah release a not-for-profit compilation Woman, Life, Freedom to draw attention to the plight of women in their home country, with female Iranian artists recording 12 original tracks for its release.
Throughout Iranian history, women have been at the forefront of music and performing arts. However, for the past 44 years under the Islamic regime, women in Iran have been banned from singing, dancing, and performing. Facing threats to the safety of themselves and their families, to their career and reputation, female artists are forced to quit, leave Iran, or go underground facing grave risks. Despite this, Iranian women have remained active and at the forefront of their art, pushing boundaries from Iran and different corners of the world.
Woman, Life Freedom is a collection of original music from Iranian women artists, dedicated to the recent uprising of people, especially the women in Iran who have endured silencing, censorship, and forced control over the past four decades.
The compilation consists of 12 new tracks across electro, breaks, techno, ambient and experimental from Iranian artists including SarrSew, MENTRIX, Sharona Lico and AIDA and Nesa Azadikhah themselves, with many of the tracks either directly addressing or inspired by the current revolution.
The goal of this project is to raise awareness in the international music community about the bravery, talent, and difficulty of female musicians working under the Islamic Republic’s Regime, as well as the brutal killings of people who have been speaking up since the start of the revolution in September 2022.
AIDAAIDA can be found at the intersection of two contrasting worlds: rich Iranian roots and a serene west-coast Canadian upbringing. This dichotomy is infused in everything she crafts, combining elements of world-inspired music with electronic, she gives colourful twists to masterful blends of groovy house, techno, and breaks geared for the dancefloor.
Nesa Azadikhah is a Tehran-based DJ, music producer, composer, sound artist, and musician. From playing Tonbak and Daf at the age of six to DJing at the age of sixteen in the underground dance scene, she has established herself as one of Tehran’s most in-demand electronic music and sound artists and composers. Nesa is also the founder and managing director of Deep House Tehran, which focuses on showcasing Iranian electronic musicians.
Nesa AzadikhahProceeds from this release will be donated to charities that help struggling women in Iran. The first selected charity is Saraye Mehr, an organisation that helps women and children recovering from domestic violence, addiction, homelessness, and societal distress in Iran.
Statement from the curators:
On September 16, 2022, A young girl named Mahsa Jina Amini was killed in the hands of Iran’s morality police, a police force assigned to enforce Islamic dress codes on women through harassment methods. This was a spark that started a powerful and deathly revolution that is currently taking place in Iran. Major protests have broken out across the country and throughout the world. Government forces have brutally killed, arrested, and tortured many protestors including children and teenagers. Despite this, the protests are getting larger and larger and the fight for freedom of oppression by women and girls is unlike any other that has happened throughout history.
As a group of Iranian women, this fight is closest to our hearts. We release this collection in solidarity and towards a fight for a free Iran and aim to raise awareness about this revolution through music. The theme of this collection is power, defiance, and ferocity and can be heard across all of the tracks. This is the energy with which Iranian women continue to push for freedom. We dream of a future where women and girls can openly and safely practice, grow, and shine within arts, especially electronic music. From us to you and to a free Iran.
Zan, Zendegi, Azadi, translates to Woman, Life, Freedom, the slogan for this movement..
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