Shervin Hajipour, the Iranian Grammy Award winner whose hit song became the anthem of the Woman, Life, Freedom protests, has announced the release of his state-sanctioned debut album -- a move that has sparked criticism from some of his supporters.
The 27-year-old singer-songwriter was sentenced to prison and later pardoned for his 2022 song, Beraye (For), about the unprecedented protests against Iran's clerical establishment that rocked the country that year.
Hajipour revealed on X that his album Vaqei (Real) will drop in late December after the authorities issued a license for him to record and release it legally in the Islamic republic.
SEE ALSO: How Protest Musicians Became Icons And Targets In Iran's Women, Life, Freedom MovementBut the announcement has drawn fire from some on social media who see it as a betrayal. Less than two weeks ago, Hajipour accused the authorities of denying him access to gyms and concerts, blocking him from renting an apartment, and stripping him of basic civil rights.
Critics are now questioning why he is releasing music through government-approved channels after publicly condemning those restrictions. The album is being distributed by Arad Cultural and Artistic Institute, which specializes in obtaining licenses for music releases and organizing concerts in Iran.
SEE ALSO: Iran's Protest Anthem Played At White House Norouz CelebrationResponding to the criticism, Hajipour denied accusations of "selling out" to the authorities to obtain a license and defended his decision to release the album.
"After three years of being unemployed and barred from working, I finally managed to release my album," he said in a post on X on December 2. "How does this contradict the collective interests of our people? I don't want to leave Iran, and I want to work."
However, his comments have failed to quell the tide of criticism.
Fellow artist Siavash Kamkar told Hajipour on X that his "staying in Iran is not a favor to anyone." Kamkar noted that Hajipour would not have been granted a license for a solo album if he was a woman. Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, women in Iran have been banned from singing solo in public.
But some have defended Hajipour, including Mojgan Ilanlou, a documentary filmmaker and women's rights activist based in Tehran who has been barred from working because of her activism.
SEE ALSO: Iran Steps Up Crackdown On Female SingersShe told RFE/RL's Radio Farda that the criticism directed at the singer is "unfair," noting that just as a doctor in Iran needs a permit to practice medicine, an artist whose job is to sing must also obtain official permission.
Ilanlou said it is reasonable to expect established artists to challenge the authorities and push for changes, such as permitting women to sing solo. But he added that an up-and-coming artist like Hajipour, who has felt the wrath of the country's rulers for his work, should not be held to the same standard.
"If someone wants to tell Hajipour to leave Iran or tell him what to do, they first need to ask themselves what they did for the [Woman, Life, Freedom] movement and what price they paid," she added.
Songs that are political or criticize the authorities are banned or heavily restricted in Iran, as are music genres with Western influences like rap and rock. Musicians who violate the law face arrest and bans. Despite the risks, underground artists release their songs through various platforms like SoundCloud and Spotify.
Hajipour's Rise To Fame
Hajipour rose to prominence during the 2022 protests that were sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who allegedly violated the country's hijab law.
His haunting song was compiled from tweets explaining why Iranians were protesting. The track became the protest movement's unofficial anthem and won the Grammy Award for Best Song for Social Change in 2023.
The authorities responded to the protests, the biggest threat to Iran's clerical rulers in decades, with a deadly crackdown during which dozens of musicians, artists, and activists were arrested.
Iranian authorities arrested Hajipour shortly after the song's release and sentenced him to three years and eight months in prison. But he announced in September 2024 that he had been pardoned, following a campaign by artists demanding his release.
Just last year, Hajipour released Ashghal (Garbage), another politically charged song addressing judicial and security restrictions in the country.
The track was an instant hit on social media, garnering 1.5 million likes and 30 million views within 24 hours on Instagram alone.
Despite the controversy, Iranian media reports suggest strong pre-sale numbers for Hajipour's debut album.