First lady Jill Biden got a standing ovation as she presented the first ever Grammy for Best Song for Social Change.
The award went to Iranian artist Shervin Hajipour for his song “Baraye.” The song has been labeled the anthem for Iran’s protest movement, sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.
“This song became the anthem for the Mahsa Amini protests. A powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights,” Biden said.
Biden noted that Hajipour has been arrested by Iranian authorities.
Hajipour posted the video of himself singing “Baraye” on Instagram on Sept. 27, 2022, and was arrested two days later. The song was viewed over 40 million times on his Instagram page before he took it down on the day of his arrest.
“Baraye,” which in English translates to “For…,” has been watched by millions across the globe.
The poignant two-and-a-half-minute ballad is based on tweets composed by Iranians expressing their anger and frustration with the government. Hajipour despondently sings about reasons why Iranians feel called to protest, including “for dancing in the street,” “for yearning for a normal life ” and “for the children who pick through the trash in search of their dreams.”
CNN’s Artemis Moshtaghian, Celine Alkhaldi and Ramin Mostaghim contributed to this report.
