Googoosh, Iran’s Enduring Icon, Reflects on a Life of Art, Exile, and Resilience
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A new memoir and farewell tour mark a poignant moment for Googoosh, Iran’s most celebrated singer, as she reflects on a life shaped by political upheaval, personal struggles, and a relentless pursuit of artistic expression.
For Googoosh, born Faegheh Atashin, a life in the spotlight has always been a delicate balancing act. “I did not realize that all these challenges and struggles were considered a balancing act,” the 75-year-old singer told The Associated Press. “If that is what it means, then yes, I have spent my entire life trying to create and maintain a balance between my personal life and my artistic life.”
From Acrobat’s Daughter to National Icon
Googoosh’s journey began unconventionally, performing alongside her acrobat father, Saber Atashin, who famously balanced her on chairs stacked precariously atop his chin. This early exposure to performance instilled in her a fearlessness and stage presence that would define her career. She quickly transitioned to singing and acting, becoming a beloved figure in Iranian popular culture during the final years of the Shah’s reign. Iranian women emulated her style, coining the adjective “Googooshi” to describe her unique look and charisma.
Her new book, “Googoosh: A Sinful Voice,” co-authored with Tara Dehlavi, chronicles this formative period and the tumultuous decades that followed. The memoir details a life profoundly impacted by the political forces reshaping Iran and the singer’s own personal battles.
“They held their breath and waited in complete silence,” Googoosh recounted of her early performances. “Every muscle in my body tensed. Seconds felt like an eternity. Finally, Papa slowly began to lower me gently toward the ground. When my feet touched the floor, the audience sighed in relief before they erupted into roaring applause. I had survived. And we were a hit!”
Silence and Struggle After the Revolution
The 1979 Islamic Revolution dramatically altered Googoosh’s trajectory. Barred from performing, she endured decades of silence and hardship under the new theocracy. Her personal life, already subject to public scrutiny, became even more fraught with challenges. She candidly recounts in her memoir struggles with substance abuse, including cocaine and opium, and even contemplated suicide during a period in New York City.
“There were times where I would ask this question to you and say, ‘Are you sure you want to share this?’” Dehlavi, her co-author said. “And you always said that, ‘I’m either I’m telling my story or I’m not. I have to I have to tell it all.’”
Returning to Iran, Googoosh faced harassment, imprisonment, and restrictions on her freedom. Authorities placed a lien on her home and denied her a passport, effectively silencing her voice. Despite the risks, she found that even in hiding, people implored her to sing, to reclaim her artistry.
A Return to the Stage and Continued Defiance
In 2000, a window of opportunity opened under the reformist government of President Mohammad Khatami. Googoosh secured a contract to perform abroad, settled her debts, and finally left Iran. For the past 25 years, she has performed for a devoted diaspora audience, offering a poignant connection to a homeland many long to revisit.
However, her artistic expression continues to draw criticism from hard-liners within Iran, particularly following the release of a 2014 music video addressing homosexual love – a crime punishable by death in the country.
A Voice Amidst Contemporary Change
Googoosh’s book and farewell tour coincide with a period of significant social and political change in Iran. The increasing defiance of the mandatory hijab, sparked by the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the subsequent nationwide protests, signals a growing demand for greater freedoms. However, this unrest occurs against a backdrop of economic hardship, international sanctions, and a continued crackdown on dissent.
“We are seeing our youth, especially women, fighting for their most basic rights, including choosing what to wear, expressing their art freely if they have artistic talent, and living a normal life like people in other parts of the world,” Googoosh said. “People in my country are struggling to give their families an ordinary life. They struggle for clean water, clean air, and land where they can live. Our young people grew old without ever enjoying their youth. Our people must end this painful cycle and gain the freedoms every human being deserves.”
Despite the uncertainties of the future, Googoosh remains open to the possibility of returning to the stage, but with a clear condition. “Throughout my life I have almost never been able to plan my future. Everything has simply happened to me,” she said. “We have not controlled our own lives for 47 years. Whatever we planned never happened, and whatever happened was never planned by us. I am no exception, and I expect to continue living this way.” She added, “Still, I prefer to leave my artistic work for a day when the Islamic Republic no longer exists in my country.”
