Iran's pop diva Googoosh returns to the world stage after two decades

Unable to perform since the 1979 Iranian revolution, Googoosh was recently granted permission to travel abroad to perform in concerts and a movie

In this story: 'They're going to kill you' Permission to leave granted CD reflects wiser, more mature Googoosh RELATED STORIES, SITES

Editor's note: This is Googoosh's first face-to-face interview in the United States

From Joanne Suh
CNN WorldBeat Correspondent

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Before the Iranian revolution, Googoosh was revered as the Persian pop diva, a Madonna-type performer whose every move was watched by her adoring countrymen.

But all that ended in the Islamic coup in 1979, when she was forbidden to perform in public.

So, for 21 years she stayed silent -- no stage appearances, no new recordings. Still, her following grew. A new generation discovered her and bought the singer's bootleg tapes.

VIDEO Talking about her fans brings Googoosh to tears Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Googosh talks about life during the past 21 years Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) What to expect on her new CD Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

Today, her music still outsells that of any other Iranian artist.

Now, at 50, Googoosh is making a comeback. She's shooting a movie outside Iran, giving concerts throughout North America and releasing a new CD, "Zoroaster."

She gave her first concert in Toronto, Canada, in July for 12,000 people. The audience's outpouring of emotion overwhelmed her.

"I felt like crying when I see this huge (crowd of) people," said Googoosh, speaking carefully in English instead of her native Farsi. "When I see people kept loving my songs, my performance, I'm trying to keep this love for them on the stage."

Googoosh, whose real name is Faegheh Atashin, said she heard that people bought her music and watched her movies over the past couple of decades. But she didn't know what to expect when she started performing again.

"I didn't have any new songs, any new performances during these 21 years," she said. "Three generations are in touch with me and they have a connection with my songs. That makes me surprised."

What was life like for Googoosh, living in a Tehran apartment since 1979?

"Very normal life I had, like everyone in Iran," she said. "I used to live ... very quietly. At the war, the eight-years war (with Iraq), I was in the center of problems with bombs and everything. (Still) I used to go out buy fruit and foods. ... I didn't have any special life."

Googoosh was in the United States when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown 21 years ago and Ayatullah Ruhollah Khomeini took his place. She returned three months later. Googoosh said she never really felt she had a choice: Going back to Iran was the only option, albeit a scary one.

"At that time, everyone used to tell me they're going to kill you," she said. "I didn't have a choice. I went back, and nothing happened to me."

Not many Iranian artists could follow her footsteps.

"I don't think that any artist can face it, if you tell them they can't sing or can't act or can't live with your art for this long -- for 20 years you can't work," Googoosh said.

A movie offer prompted her to resurrect her artistic career.

"Someone came and asked about a movie, and he talked to my husband and we agreed to make a contract for a movie," she said. "But they told us that it's better to have a shoot out of Iran."

A more-moderate government, headed by President Mohammad Khatami, granted her permission to leave.

The movie, set to begin production next month, is based on the novel "Scarecrow Lover," by Phyllis Hastings. Googoosh's husband Massood Kimiai is slated to direct, and Ennio Morricone is providing the score.

With a film offer, came another pitch for a concert tour.

"It was a miracle for me because I didn't have any plan to have a concert. I always wanted to have a concert in my country for 70 million people -- my people," she said. "But I haven't this chance to have this performance, and I forgot about performance.

"Finally, a concert became more powerful than the movie. That's why it's a miracle for me.

Googoosh says the songs on her new CD differ from her older ones, which were about love and fun. "Zoroaster," whose songs are sung in Farsi, reflects more mature subjects.

"My new CD is talking about particular life in Iran, about soldiers, about not singing, about life, and somehow, covered by love," she said. "The music is mixed by baroque and pop music."

Googoosh, who has been performing on stage since she was 3, said the emotion in her songs is sincere -- not something acted out or learned.

"When I was a little girl, I start to learn how to perform on the stage," she said. "I'm not trying to make my songs in special ways. It comes by itself. It's only love, from bottom of my heart.

"I'm trying to give art anything I have inside of me. I'm trying to give til it's the end."

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Persian pop stars: Listening for more music
May 19, 1999

Googoosh (Official site)
Googoosh.com (Fan site)
Iran Media: Googoosh

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.