Iranian singer who faces prison wins Grammy for protest anthem
An Iranian singer who faces possible prison time for his song that has become an anthem to the ongoing protests shaking Iran wept after seeing he had won a Grammy.
Shervin Hajipour appeared stunned Sunday night after hearing Jill Biden, the wife of President Joe Biden, announce he had won the Grammy’s new song for social change special merit award for “Baraye.” An online video showed Hajipour in a darkened room, wiping tears away after the announcement.
On Instagram, Hajipour simply wrote: “We won.”
Hajipour’s song “Baraye” (“For”) includes the lyrics “For dancing in the streets” and “For the fear we feel when we kiss.” The lyrics list reasons that young Iranians have posted on Twitter for why they have protested against Iran’s ruling theocracy.
It ends with the widely chanted slogan that has become synonymous with the protests since the September death of IranianKurdish woman Masha Amini: “For women, life, freedom.”
Released on his Instagram page, the song quickly went viral. Hajipour then was arrested and held for several days before being released on bail in October. The 25-year-old singer faces charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “instigating the violence,” according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that has been monitoring the protests.
The charges Hajipour faces can carry as much as six years in prison all together. The singer is also banned from leaving Iran.
The singer is among over 19,600 people arrested amid the demonstrations, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran. At least 527 people have been killed amid the violent suppression of the demonstrations.