Xaniar Khosraviโs work has until now been confined to the internet and illicit venues
Tehran: An underground Iranian pop singer will be allowed to perform in public for the first time, it was reported on Sunday, prompting him to announce a concert that quickly sold out.
Xaniar Khosravi, whose work has until now been confined to the internet and illicit venues, announced on Facebook that he would play a gig in Tehran on April 24, after the official IRNA news agency said his concert had been approved.
โKhosravi has previously released his work online, unofficially, or in other words, underground,โ the report said, referring to his first album, titledย 28ย noting that he was now โofficially allowed to perform for his audienceโ.
โI am happy to see you all,โ the singer said on Facebook, referring to those who managed to snap up tickets for his unexpected and oversubscribed gig, which left many admirers disappointed.
โI am so sad I couldnโt get a ticket,โ one unlucky fan wrote on the singerโs Facebook page. โI wanna die.โ
Iranโs morality police have previously warned underground musicians not to perform without permission and to โchannel their work through legal and real networks.โ
Under Iranโs Sharia, musicians must be approved by the culture ministry, which checks whether a songโs lyrics and music are deemed in line with the countryโs moral values.
But many bands release albums without seeking permission.
