Iranian artists AIDA and Nesa Azadikhah have announced a not-for-profit compilation Woman, Life, Freedom to draw attention to the plight of women in their home country, with female Iranian artists recording 12 original tracks for its release.
Women have always been at the forefront of Iranian music and performance art. However, Iranian women have been prohibited from performing live for the previous 44 years due to Islamic rule. Female artists are compelled to quit, leave Iran, or go underground while facing serious hazards because of threats to their reputation, profession, and family safety. Despite this, Iranian women have remained active and at the forefront of their art, pushing boundaries from Iran and different corners of the world.
Woman, Life Freedom is a collection of original songs by Iranian women musicians in support of the recent revolt of people, particularly the women in Iran who have suffered for four decades from imposed control, censorship, and silence.
The compilation includes 12 brand-new songs in the electro, breaks, techno, ambient, and experimental genres from Iranian artists like SarrSew, MENTRIX, Sharona Lico, and AIDA and Nesa Azadikhah. Many of the songs on the compilation are either directly about the current revolution or were inspired by it.
This initiative seeks to educate the global music scene about the bravery, talent, and challenges faced by female musicians in the Islamic Republic of Iran as well as the harsh executions of dissidents since the revolution’s inception in September 2022.
Rich Iranian origins and a tranquil upbringing on Canada’s west coast come together to form AIDA. This dichotomy is infused in everything she crafts, combining elements of world-inspired music with electronic, she gives colorful twists to masterful blends of groovy house, techno, and breaks geared for the dancefloor.
DJ, music producer, composer, sound artist, and musician Nesa Azadikhah resides in Tehran. She started playing Tonbak and Daf when she was six years old and began DJing in the underground dance scene when she was sixteen. She has become one of Tehran’s most in-demand electronic music and sound artists and composers. Nesa founded and serves as the executive director of Deep House Tehran, a venue that highlights Iranian electronic musicians.
Donations from this release’s sales will go to organizations that support Iranian women who are in need. The first chosen charity is Saraye Mehr, a group that assists women and children in Iran who are suffering from addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, and other problems.
Download from Bandcamp the VA compilation Woman, Life, Freedom to destinate the entire price of the album to the cause.
