Nushin Tafi's Account of Years of Struggle for Solo Singing and Performing Without Mandatory Hijab

The release of a clip titled 'Hypothetical Concert' by Parastoo Ahmadi, accompanied by a group of musicians in a caravanserai in Iran, has gained widespread attention on social media and news outlets. Many praised the actions of these artists, especially Parastoo Ahmadi, describing it as a sign of courage. What has received less attention is the trend initiated by other Iranian female artists in previous years, which has now come back into focus with Parastoo Ahmadi's performance. Nushin Tafi, another Iranian female singer, is among those who have been releasing solo performances without mandatory hijab for several years; she gained notoriety about ten years ago with her album titled 'I Love You, O Ancient Land,' which caused a significant uproar in Iran, leading to a session by the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. In an exclusive interview with Radio Farda, Tafi discussed her experiences over the years, her solo performances, and her works without the mandatory hijab. In response to the release of Parastoo Ahmadi's 'Hypothetical Concert' without the mandatory hijab and the ongoing trend of Iranian female artists releasing works without it, Tafi believes that the repetition of such actions will continue the movement initiated by other Iranian female singers years ago; first by releasing solo performances and later by discarding the mandatory hijab during performances. Nushin Tafi first gained attention around 2011 with a protest-themed piece called 'Yalda Night.' She recalls that her career began during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency when conditions were very difficult. A turning point in her artistic career occurred three years later, in 2014, when she released an album titled 'I Love You, O Ancient Land,' named after a famous poem by Mehdi Akhavan-Sales. The release of that album, featuring a female singer's image on the cover and her solo performance, sparked such controversy in Iran that it led to severe statements and a session of the Cultural Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly. Nasrollah Pejmanfar, a current member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly who was also present in that period, stated in February 2015 that the news of Nushin Tafi's album release had reached the Cultural Commission, and it was decided that this issue would be discussed in the commission in the coming days. Tafi recalls those days: 'I released the album [I Love You, O Ancient Land] under my own production and my own voice. The cover photo was also my own; specifically as the sole singer. The album included poems by Hooshang Ebtehaj, Mehdi Akhavan-Sales, and a few others. After the unveiling ceremony we held, the controversies began.' This female singer states that following attacks and pressure from hardline figures and media, security agencies interrogated her several times: 'I signed many pledges, and they said that I had to publish a message stating that this work was not a solo performance but a duet.' Following this request from security officials, Nushin Tafi and her colleagues were forced to release a different version of the album, this time arranged as a duet with Mohsen Karamati, a veteran singer and Tafi's mentor. Nevertheless, this 'religiously acceptable' solution proposed by security officials ultimately did not work, and as Tafi states, the album was eventually collected from the streets after a few weeks. After her album was confiscated, Nushin Tafi was banned from leaving the country for five years. She says she endured those five years with difficulty, but when she had started her work and fought for women's right to sing, she stood firm against the consequences: 'I was not afraid and continued.' This Iranian female singer mentions that in the past two or three years, she has continued her work as a solo performer and this time without the mandatory hijab. She explains her motivation for her new activities without the mandatory hijab: 'This was a decision I really sat down and thought about. It was a difficult decision. But [I told myself] when I took a right [and performed solo], I had to move forward. Now I am concerned about women's rights.' Nushin Tafi discusses her new works: 'These days I sing theme songs for foreign series, and I have removed the mandatory hijab from my work for several years'; these activities have helped continue her artistic endeavors, but apparently, compared to her work a decade ago, they have a smaller audience. This artist comments on the limited audience for her new works: 'That's the issue. If I want to release something broadly and with strong advertising, it will definitely provoke sensitivities again and I will face problems.' In reaction to the release of Parastoo Ahmadi's 'Hypothetical Concert' without the mandatory hijab and the ongoing trend of Iranian female artists releasing works without it, she considers it 'a very good event' and believes that this trend, which she and her colleagues initiated years ago, has led to 'a good movement.' She believes that the repetition of such actions will continue the process of claiming rights that was initiated years ago by Iranian female singers who first stood up for their rights by releasing their solo works and later discarded the mandatory hijab. Nushin Tafi hopes that, in the first instance, 'no problems arise for these artists' and in the second instance, 'they can continue this work.' She expresses hope that ultimately, the outcome of this movement will lead to a point where Iranian female artists can freely pursue their activities: 'At that time, a singer can work under all those standard conditions and what they want.' Nushin Tafi summarizes all this in two words: 'Day of Freedom.'