An Iranian singer facing a possible prison sentence for a song that became an anthem for protests that have rocked the Islamic Republic wept Monday when he learned he won a Grammy.
Shervin Hajipour seemed surprised when he learned that Jill Biden, the wife of President Joe Biden, announced that she had won a special Grammy for merit for song for social change, a new category, for her song “Baraye.” A video posted online showed Hajipour in a darkened room, wiping away tears after the announcement.
“Baraye,” whose title means “because of,” begins with, “Because of dancing in the streets,” “because of the fear we feel when we kiss.” The lyrics mention some of the reasons that young Iranians have posted on Twitter about what has led them to protest against the Iranian theocratic regime.
It ends with a popularized slogan that has become synonymous with the protests since the September death of Iranian-Kurdish woman Masha Amini: “For women, life and freedom.”
The song was posted on his Instagram page and quickly went viral. Hajipour was arrested and held for several days before being released on bail in October. The 25-year-old singer faces charges of “propaganda against the regime” and “instigating violence,” according to Activists for Human Rights in Iran, a group that has monitored the protests that have spanned months.
The charges Hajipour faces involve up to six years in prison. The singer is also banned from leaving Iran.
Biden, who took the Grammy stage decked out in a metallic Oscar de la Renta gown, said a song “can unite, inspire and ultimately change the world.”
“This song became the anthem of the protests for Mahsa Amini, a powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights,” Biden said. “Shervin was arrested, but this song continues to resonate around the world with its powerful theme: women, life, freedom.”
Those gathered at the Grammy ceremony in Los Angeles cheered Biden’s words. On Instagram, Hajipour wrote only: “We won.”
At the moment there were no reactions in Iranian state media to Hajipour’s win. The singer is one of about 19,600 people arrested over the demonstrations, according to Activists for Human Rights in Iran. At least 527 people have been killed in a violent crackdown on protests by authorities.
On Sunday, Iran’s supreme leader reportedly ordered an amnesty or reduced prison sentences for “tens of thousands” of people detained over the protests, acknowledging for the first time the scale of the harsh measures imposed.