Iranian singer finds voice in Germany

DW (English)

Samin Ghorbani sings classical Iranian music. But she can't perform in Iran, because the Shia clerics who rule the country consider female voices too corrupting. With the help of a scholarship, she came to Germany.

Transcript

00:00 Doing what she loves most, in public and without fear.

00:06 For Zamin Ghobani, it's such a new experience that she's not quite used to it.

00:12 My heart is pounding.

00:13 I keep thinking the police are about to come and ask what I'm doing.

00:23 Ghobani sings classical Iranian music.

00:26 In Azari, a language spoken by people living in Iran's northwest.

00:32 She has performed with famous artists around the world.

00:35 But that's something she can't do in Iran.

00:38 The Shia clerics who rule the country consider female voices too corrupting.

00:45 And so she took the painful decision to leave home.

00:52 The most important reason why my husband and I left is the difficult situation in Iran.

00:58 You can't lead a normal life.

01:01 And recently things have become even harder for society and people in Iran.

01:20 Because of what happened to Masa, Masa Amini, no one felt like singing anymore.

01:28 Along with two other Iranian artists, they moved to Germany with the help of a scholarship.

01:39 This scholarship primarily offers financial support.

01:45 We try to save artists who are threatened, for example in Iran, those whose lives are

01:51 in danger in their country, so they can continue their work, which they cannot continue in

01:58 their country, both here and in Europe.

02:19 Starting from scratch in a new country is not always easy.

02:23 But Samin Ghabani is thankful for the opportunity.

02:34 I'm a very hopeful person.

02:36 Otherwise I would not have endured life in Iran.

02:39 But I know this year will be very hard.

02:42 I have to learn the language and work at the same time.

02:45 I have to prove myself here.

02:50 For now, this artist in exile is using her newfound freedom to make her voice heard.

02:55 [Music]

03:08 [Music]

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