"Publicity material for Googoosh: A Sinful Voice, a new memoir by the Iranian singer in exile, calls her a predecessor to Beyoncé and Madonna-a comparison that might seem over-the-top to American readers but in fact sells her short. Googoosh, born Faegheh Atashin, is indeed the greatest pop star in Iranian history, but for her compatriots, she has long represented something more: In a country highly polarized over politics, religion, and education, she straddles all divides."
"Shiite clerics, Baluch fishermen, and Tehrani teenagers have all spent hours listening to Googoosh. It's hard to find an Iranian who wouldn't know the lyrics to one of her songs. What makes this truly remarkable is that she was banned for 21 years from singing, beginning with the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and ending when she was allowed to leave the country in 2000."
Googoosh, born Faegheh Atashin, is widely regarded as the greatest pop star in Iranian history and a unifying cultural figure across political, religious, and social divides. Her songs reached Shiite clerics, Baluch fishermen, and Tehrani teenagers alike, and many Iranians know her lyrics. She was banned from singing for 21 years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and left Iran in 2000, yet her music remained pervasive. Her lasting fame ties to nostalgia for 1970s prosperity, social liberalism, and cultural vibrancy rather than support for the shah's repression. She had earlier performed for the imperial court and state media.
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