Mahsa Amini protest song receives 95,000 submissions for Grammy award

Furvah Shah
·2 min read

An Iranian protest song in response to the death of Mahsa Amini has received around 95,000 submissions for a new Grammy award.

A special category, titled “Best Song for Social Change” was created earlier this year by the Recording Academy to recognise songs with profound social influence and impact.

“Baraye” by 25-year-old Iranian musician, Shervin Hajipour, went viral following the death of 22-year-old Amini in Tehran, Iran on 16 September.

Amini – also known by her Kurdish name, Jina Amini – died after being detained by so-called “morality police” for allegedly not following the country’s strict dress code while visiting the capital city, with protests erupting worldwide in the aftermath.

“Baraye” was written in tribute to Amini, and has received more than 40 million listens across multiple social media platforms.

The word “baraye” means “for” or “because of” in Persian and in the song, Hajipour sings lyrics such as, “to dance in the streets, to kiss loved ones” and “for women, life, freedom,” which have been chanted during protests following Amini’s death.

Hajipour was reportedly arrested by Iranian authorities on 29 September following the song’s release but has since been let out on bail.

After his arrest, the song was taken down from his social media platforms over copyright infringement complaints, but the track is still gaining popularity and has been sung at demonstrations worldwide.

In an Instagram post on Sunday (9 October), Hajipour denied any links to any “movement or organisation outside the country” and said his song was only meant to “express solidarity with the people”.

A video of Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour, who rose to fame for the song ‘Baraye’ (AFP via Getty Images)
A video of Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour, who rose to fame for the song ‘Baraye’ (AFP via Getty Images)

In a statement, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr said: “The Academy is deeply moved by the overwhelming volume of submissions for Shervin Hajipour’s ‘Baraye’ for our new Special Merit Award, Best Song for Social Change.

“While we cannot predict who might win the award, we are humbled by the knowledge that the Academy is a platform for people who want to show support for the idea that music is a powerful catalyst for change.

“The Academy steadfastly supports freedom of expression and art that’s created to empower communities in need. Because music serves the world, and the Recording Academy exists to serve music.”