Hajipour, is an Iranian singer may be facing a prison term for a song he wrote in support of the recent Iran protests. The song “Baraye” has been likened to an anthem supporting the protests against Islamic rule. He wept when he was told that the song won a Grammy in a new category: social change (merit award). The song prompted an outpouring of positive reactions from Iranian social media users.
Shervin Hajipour was stunned after hearing announce. He had won the Grammy’s new song for social change, special merit award for “Baraye.” In a darkened room, wiping tears away after the announcement and acknowledged through Instagram. He wrote “we won.” This was the same venue he used to post the song that became an instant hit and a protest anthem, garnering 40 million views in its first 48 hours.
The song begins with: “For dancing in the streets,” “for the fear we feel when we kiss.” theocracy.
The song ends with what has become the widely chanted slogan against the September death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Masha Amini: “For women, life, freedom.”
Hajipour 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’s been monitoring the monthslong protests and is banned from leaving Iran.
Shervin’s Background
Shervin Haji Aghapour (born 30 March 1997) began posting covers to his social media in late 2018. After auditioning in New Era on 22 March 2019 with “Maybe Paradise” which he wrote, he released the song as his debut single on all platforms and gained recognition among the younger Iranian generation.
Hajipour rose to fame after the release of his single “Baraye” which has been described as “the anthem” of the Mahsa Amini protests.
Early life
Shervin Haji Aghapour was born on March 30, 1997, in Babolsar, Mazandaran. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in economy from University of Mazandaran. He took up music at the age of eight when he entered a violin class and graduated from several musical classes later. Then in secondary school, he started to compose professionally. When at university, he was composing music for theatre performances and editing. Only later he began to sing himself.
Career
At the age of 22, Hajipour participated in the New Era TV Talent show competition (produced by Ehsan Alikhani), where he advanced to the finals of the second round of its first season.Later, the artistic director of the program announced that Iran Broadcasting was worried that he would cause trouble later. During the Mahsa Amini protests in Iran, sparked by the death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini, Hajipour published his new song “Baraye…” (Persian: برای, For…; Because of…) in which he used protest tweets starting with the word Baraye…, written in support of the protests. He managed to express the wishes and grievances of Iranians in this song. It was seen more than 40 million times in less than two days on his Instagram page only. The main theme of the song is support of women with the slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom”.
“Baraye”
By Shervin Hajipour
For dancing in the alleys
For the fear when kissing
For my sister, your sister, our sisters
For changing rusted minds
For the shame of poverty
For the regret of living an ordinary life
For the dumpster-diving children and their wishes
For this dictatorial economy
For this polluted air
For Valiasr and its worn-out trees
For Pirooz and the possibility of his extinction
For the innocent banned stray dogs
For the unstoppable tears
For the scene of repeating this moment
For the smiling faces
For students and their future
For this forced heaven
For the imprisoned elite students
For the Afghan kids
For all these “for”s that are beyond repetition
For all of these meaningless slogans
For the collapse of fake buildings
For the feeling of peace
For the sun after these long nights
For anxiety and sleeping pills
For men, homeland, prosperity
For the girl who wished to be a boy
For women, life, freedom
For freedom. For freedom. For freedom