Khosh oomadi
Googoosh's historic comeback
By Jahanshah Javid
June 19, 2000
The Iranian
Googoosh is back. No need to rub your eyes. It's not a dream. And no,
it's not another misprint you frequently see in The Iranian. Googoosh
arrived in Toronto last week, accompanied by a new band AND new songs,
accoding to Paris-based concert promoter Abbas Bakhtiari. Here's what he
had to say about her upcoming concert tour >>>
LISTEN
***
Last March The Iranian reported that Googoosh had decided to
sing in public for the first time in more than two decades. But the decision
to run it as a cover
story was not an easy one.
Rumors about Iran's most-loved superstar has been a favorite topic of
conversation in gatherings of younger Iranians for years. "Googoosh
is going to sing at her son's wedding," someone would say. Or, "Googoosh
HAS sung at her son's wedding." And then someone else would say with
total confidence, "Nah baabaa! Googoosh AND her son are going
to sing at a wedding."
Although our sources seemed genuine, we didn't totally believe that
Googoosh was about to make a comeback. But the story was published anyway.
I mean, what the hell?
A family friend of Googoosh called and insisted that it was all false.
Googoosh has ABSOLUTELY no plans to sing. She wants to be left alone, blah
blah blah. So I changed a few words in the story and toned it down a bit.
The original headline -- "Googoosh is back!" -- was changed to
"Gogoosh is back?!"
Well, it now turns out it was all true. Thank heaven. It's a miracle.
It really is. Iranians -- including many who didn't care much for her light
pop songs before the revolution -- have been waiting and praying for Googoosh's
return. So much so that if I were the messiah, I would be jealous.
Just read some of the flood
of emails to Googoosh.Com from
fans all over world begging her to sing again.
Googoosh has become a symbol of lost innocence, a reminder of the "good
old days". We listen to her silky-smooth voice and slip into a sad
but sweet dream where there's nothing but love and tenderness. No wonder
even today, more than 20 years after the last song she ever recorded, her
albums out-sell those by ANY other past or present Iranian singer, band
or musician.
I'll bet anything that she's going to open her first concert with "Man aamadeh-am".
Well, on behalf of all her fans who've been waiting impatiently for so
long, may I say a very sincere, deep-felt khosh oomadi...
***
Pedram Moallemian writes from Toronto: The two largest Persian-language
weeklies in Toronto have carried front-page news of Googoosh's arrival
in Toronto. See images
Both Shahrvand and Iran Star announced that Googoosh is accompanied
by her husband, film director Masoud Kimiai.
Iran Star went further announcing that Googoosh would perform her two
first concerts in over 23 years in Toronto and Vancouver. The Toronto concert
would be held at the impressive Air Canada Centre, home of the local basketball
and hocky teams. No specific date has been announced yet but rumors are
centered around two dates -- July 8th and 29th.
This is not Googoosh first trip to Toronto. She has stayed with her
brother here during past visits. For many years Toronto was also home for
Kambiz, her only son before he moved to California.
The excitement surrounding her concert is so overwhelming that a travel
agent said she a large number of Iranians had canceled their trips to Iran,
fearing they would miss THE concert of a lifetime.
Googoosh's first concert in years could easily become the largest gathering
of Iranians abroad ever. Toronto is also home to many immigrants from Turkey,
Pakistan, Tajikistan and Arab states, where Googoosh is still a popular
cultural icon. See images
