Iranian-born refugee-turned-pop star SHAB has turned her flight to freedom into an album.
SHAB, who has amassed more than 20million streams worldwide, tells her personal story on her second album, One Suitcase. Its 21 tracks relate her escape from religious fundamentalism in Tehran to forge a new life in the USA, and she still speaks out against the “gangster regime” in her birthplace.
The singer, who releases her new single Swerve today, has been appointed as an ambassador for the UK-based refugee charity Choose Love, and will donate all profits from the new album to them.
SHAB, born Shabnam Kamoii, made her biggest impact with last year’s hit single VooDoo, her collaboration with New York hip hop legend Fat Joe – a success in the both the pop charts and the R&B chart.
But her love of dance music will not stop her speaking out against the tyranny of her homeland.
She told the Sunday Express, “One thing misunderstood by the West is that current tensions do not reflect inherent animosity between the Persian and Jewish peoples – or even Americans.
“It is well-documented that cooperation and mutual respect, rather than conflict, has traditionally marked the relations between the Jewish and Persian cultures.
“The ongoing hostilities are simply part of the struggle by a small circle of Iranian autocrats for influence in the Middle East, which views Israel as a direct extension of American power in the Middle East and employs religious rhetoric as a poorly-veiled facade to maintain control and justify its regional aggressions.
“The West sees street protests where crowds chant ‘Death to America, Death to Israel’ but does not see how the protesters are paid or otherwise coerced by the state’s security forces.
“Almost all the projectiles daily lobbed at Israel are paid by Iran – and by proxies sustained, well-funded and directed by the gangsters in Tehran. That fact alone should highlight the Iranian regime’s commitment to deniably expanding its influence while consistently prioritizing their survival and status over the well-being of its citizens.
“Ultimately, my hope is that the Iranian masses rise against this oppressive and misogynistic ruling minority that has held them back for decades. The average Iranian longs to reconnect with the modern world for its freedoms and a better future. And I cannot wait for the day when my Persian brothers and sisters rise up to cast off the shackles imposed by these backward-looking, self-proclaimed mullahs who rule the nation.”
Texas-based SHAB released her first single Spell On Me (co-written with Damon Sharpe and Eric Sanicola) in 2020.
During lockdown she amassed five consecutive Top 3 hits on the Music Week Commercial Pop charts. To date she has notched up more than 25 million YouTube views and 13 million Spotify streams.
SHAB arrived alone as a young teenage refugee in New York, speaking only Farsi and German and carrying all of her worldly possessions in a single suitcase. She learned English while in secondary school while working in three different jobs, but not only graduated from university but also briefly attended law school before leaving to pursue writing and performing music full-time.
SHAB since has become a leading entertainment industry voice for women’s rights in Iran and in bold defiance of what she has labelled ‘the gangster regime’ in Tehran.
New single Swerve – which has its exclusive video premiere today on the Express online – delves into the thrill of a new romantic relationship, turning the initial uncertainties into a playful game for two. The song combines an infectious heavy club beat with a dark, edgy vibe.
She co-composed the song with Damon Sharpe (Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, Kylie Minogue), and JHart (Justin Bieber, Kygo, Sabrina Carpenter),
SHAB toured Europe in 2022 and opened for JLS on their 18-date 2023 tour of the UK and Ireland, including two sold-out dates at The O2 in London.
