Not many in the West and fewer in the US know the story of Googoosh. Her life mirrors the history of modern Iran.
She was born Faegheh Atashin in 1950 in Tehran, the daughter of parents of Azerbaijani origin. Her career extended from the 50’s through the 70’s as a movie star and singer. At the peak of her career she was the best known pop singer in the Persian language.
With the Iranian revolution in 1979 the theocracy banned her from singing , along with all other female singers. Even though she could not sing in public, her fame grew in Iran through pirated recordings. She did not perform again until the election of Mohammed Khatami when she was allowed to perform, but only outside the country and not in Iran (2000).
In 1980 she was imprisoned for a short time in Iran.
In 2009 she participated in an international protest at the UN in sympathy with the Iranian riots over the 2009 elections.
In February she released a video in support of the gay and lesbian community in Iran, where the death penalty can be imposed for homosexuality. As such, she was one of the first Persians to speak out.
She continues to perform outside Iran in cities with large Iranian populations.
Googoosh, in her public life, represents the vitality of the Persian people, even as they continue to live under the thumb of the theocracy.
