London’s Iranian community was out in force last night. It was a gala concert by pop diva Googoosh — a night of figure-hugging dresses, high heels and mirror balls.
Googoosh’s story is incredible. In the Seventies she was Iran’s most famous singer, film star and fashion icon. After the Islamic revolution of 1979, she stayed in Iran but, as female singers were forbidden, had to stay silent. After 20 years she suddenly moved to Los Angeles and re-started her career. I was expecting a concert by a sixtysomething trying to re-claim her past but instead saw a blonde bombshell deliver power ballads to 5,000 people like putty in her hands.
Googoosh only spoke in Farsi, most of the songs were her classics from the Seventies and she never mentioned Iran. The 29-year-old sitting next to me said she sang for his grandparents, parents and, he hoped, for his children as well. I felt like a Zimbabwean at a Lulu concert and loved it — particularly the Latin influence in the music, helped by Puerto Rican percussion and the dynamic Pedro Eustache from Venezuela on flutes.
The evening was organised by Manoto TV, one of the most popular Iranian exile TV stations, whose Googoosh Music Academy talent show is their most popular programme. I understand why.
