Singer Liraz brings collectively Israeli and Iranian musicians and challenges the Tehran regime
Israeli-Persian actress and singer Liraz Sharhi, whose Persian music “Zan Bizan” (Ladies, Sing) has been become an Iranian protest anthem, has secretly collaborated with Iranian artists in Istanbul on her newest album, “Roya”. The recording challenges the Tehran regime, which prohibits cooperation between Israelis and Iranians.
In an Istanbul basement hidden from view, Israeli singer Liraz Sharhi, who data below the identify Liraz, gathered a Tel Aviv sextet and musicians from Tehran to secretly create her third album. “Ruya” (Fantasia in Persian) was launched in October. .
It was a really dangerous enterprise for the 4 musicians from Iran. Because the Islamic Revolution of 1979, the Iranian regime has been thought of an anti-Israel state. Touring to Israel or cooperating with Israelis is strictly prohibited and punishable in Iran.
Iranian violinists and tars contributed, on-line, to Shaharhi’s second album. But it surely was the primary time they discovered themselves in the identical room as fellow Israelis in Turkey, one of many few international locations Iranians can entry with out a visa.
Liraz performs throughout the secret recording periods for “Roya” in Istanbul. © Ece Latifoglu
To make sure their anonymity and security, their names didn’t seem on the album cowl and their faces had been blurred all through all promotional pictures and movies. Related precautions had been taken throughout a live performance in a synagogue in Krakow, Poland final summer season, when masked Iranian musicians appeared.
“It was like being on a secret mission for a couple of 12 months. We knew it was harmful, however we agreed to not discuss it,” Charhi advised France 24. “However as soon as we met, worry become pleasure and a dream got here true throughout the ten days of recording…it was magic.”
“The Story of My Life”, born to Iranian dad and mom who emigrated to Israel a number of years earlier than the 1979 revolution, Sharhi found Iranian music in early 2010, when she moved to Los Angeles, the place there’s a giant Iranian neighborhood.
Though her dad and mom spoke Farsi again house in Israel, they not often spoke about Iran. They most well-liked to depart their nation of origin to raised combine into their adopted nation.
However when Shahry arrived in Los Angeles, she had a little bit of a epiphany.
“I found that I had household there, and that is after I fell in love with Iranian tradition and began exploring this heritage… I had this want for Iran, I am unable to clarify it,” mentioned Sharhi, who knew virtually nothing about Iranian tradition. the nation of her ancestors at the moment.
Since then, the 44-year-old artist’s work has targeted on reconciling this complicated and infrequently painful twin id. As an actress, she is greatest identified for her position as a Mossad agent within the Israeli collection ‘Tehran’. Within the hit collection Spy, her character arrives on her first secret mission in Tehran, which occurs to be the birthplace of Sharhi.
“You marvel if she is Israeli or Iranian, or each. That is the dilemma of my persona, and that is the story of my life,” Sharahi advised the French each day Le Monde in 2020.
The ‘actual leaders of this revolution’ Sharhi’s pop and psychedelic songs, carried out within the Persian language, draw a lot inspiration from the golden age of Persian folks music within the Nineteen Seventies, and for her debut album, the musician selected to pay homage to 2 such figures. Qoqosh and Ramesh, which had been destroyed by the Iranian non secular authorities in 1979.
“I’ve two daughters. I am elevating them to know how loopy it’s to be a lady on this world, however on the similar time, we’ve got this energy, this energy that we dream our desires about,” the singer advised France 24. .
Within the context of the brutally repressive demonstrations which have rocked Iran because the dying in custody of Mahsa Amini, Sharhi’s newest album feels like a cry for freedom for all Iranian ladies. “Dance with me like there has by no means been a revolution, let’s march collectively in direction of the solar,” exhorted the singer Bashtar Behand.
Sharhi’s music “Zan Bizan” from her earlier album has additionally change into one of many protesters’ anthems and accompanies many protest movies on social media.
Shehri mentioned, “What I do with my music may be very small, however on the similar time it’s a solution to discuss concerning the standing of girls in Iran. They embody freedom and they’re the true leaders of this revolution.” “I hope that in the future my Iranian associates and I can play collectively there, when Iran will lastly change into a free nation.”
This text is a translation of the unique in French.
