Wrong policies pushed new generation to Western music: pop singer

TEHRAN -- Iranian pop singer Khashayar Etemadi has said that the official macro policy making in music has pushed new generation of singers to Western music.

 

New conditions imposed restrictions on pop music in Iran after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

 

Most of the Iranian pop singers and a number of musicians left the country as result to live in self-imposed exile, mostly in Los Angeles. Thus, they were dubbed officially ‘the Los Angeles singers’.

 

They resumed their career in Los Angeles providing fellow countrymen with their records.

 

In 1990s, a new generation of pop singers emerged in Iran. The Iranian government lifted the restrictions on this music genre. By lifting the ban, the government also wanted to provide an alternative to the records that were being produced by the Iranian singers in Los Angeles.

 

Etemadi was in the vanguard of the new period of the Iranian pop music at that time.

 

“We, the first generation of pop music (after the victory of the Islamic Revolution), had something to say, but the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting’s policies hindered the flow,” Etemadi said in a press conference on Tuesday.

 

“Thus, the satellite channels provided the role models for the third generation. I think macro official policy-making in music was the wrong way and there were some mistakes in the priorities at that time,” he added.

 

The press conference was organized by the Soloist Art Institute in Tehran to discuss the current status of the Iranian pop music.

 

“Pop music lapsed after the victory of the Islamic Revolution over a misunderstanding,” Etemadi said.

 

“In 1993, I began to think that someone should clear up this misunderstanding… I consulted with my friends, experts and some officials, and they confirmed that the job was possible at that time,” he added.

 

He said that Iranian cultural officials did not authorize his songs for recording due to a resemblance between his voice and the voice of a ‘Los Angeles singer’.

 

However, one his songs based on one of Hafez’s poems was recorded and IRIB broadcasted it in 1995. He was banned again for the resemblance. 

 

Afterwards, He sold his car to provide the necessary funds for recording his debut album “Delshooreh” (Anxiety). He convinced cultural officials to authorize the album and it was released in 1997. 

 

He recorded several other albums, the latest of which was “You Are Condemned to Return” that was released last winter.

 

He also performed many concerts in Iran and abroad, but he has not given a public performance over the past four years.

 

“Pop music put on a good show after its rebirth… but the arrival of unprofessional people led to the downfall of Iranian pop music in the early 2000s. However, the unprofessional audience is always more dangerous,” Etemadi said.

 

“Now I think of the professional fans of music. If I want to give a concert, I will be there, with a piano and on a moonlit night,” he stated.

 

 

MMS/YAW

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