"Woman Life Freedom" is a chant heard at the protest erupting across Iran last autumn following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini while in custody of the "Morality Police." Woman Life Freedom is also the title of a new compilation album released last week as a fund raiser for Free Them Now, an organization advocating for the release of Iranian protestors currently being detained by the Iranian authorities. It is the second volume in this compilation series organized by Katja from the band Holiday Ghosts. Featured on Woman Life Freedom - Music for Iran Volume Two are contemporary artists from across Europe, Great Britain, the United States and Australia.
Katja's family left Iran in the mid-'70s due to the politically unwelcoming climate at the time. She heard about Free Them Now and wanted to get involved. "I spoke to them and it felt like the work they are doing is quite important. They campaign for the release of prisoners. A lot of the effective work for the release of the prisoners is through pressure from outside groups. The government knows they are being watched by the world."
Katja has worked as a volunteer translator and editor of Free Them Now's English language website. She wanted to do more to help the cause of the people imprisoned for speaking out against the current Iranian regime and came up with the fundraising compilation idea. "Woman Life Freedom" seemed like the appropriate name for the project. "It's the slogan of the revolution, the main chant everyone is shouting in the protests. I wanted to echo it as the name of the compilation."
Since the compilation was released August 4 there has been positive press in the United Kingdom, and radio play from as far off as Australia. Katja points out "Its nice to have so much positive feedback and people getting involved, since the first Volume came out at a time the headlines were still fresh. The second Volume was released when there's not been the sort of attention on the Iranian protests in the press. This acts as a good reminder the revolution is still ongoing."
The Woman Life Freedom - Music for Iran Volume Two benefit compilation can be found at Bandcamp. Please give a listen, and your financial support for Free Them Now.
Below is a gallery of some Woman Life Freedom - Music for Iran Volume Two contributing artists:
Katja of Holiday Ghosts
