Googoosh

گوگوش

Faegheh Atashin (Persian: فائقه آتشین‎, Azerbaijani: فائقه آتشین, Faiqə Atəşin, born on 5 May 1950 in Tehran) also known by her stage name Googoosh (Persian: گوگوش‎, Azerbaijani: Ququş ) is an Iranian singer and actress. She is known for her contributions to Iranian pop music, but also starred in a variety of movies from the 1950s to the 1970s. She achieved the pinnacle of her fame and success towards the end of the 1970s. Her overall impact and contributions to Middle Eastern and Central Asian pop-music earned her the title of the most iconic female pop-singer from those regions. Due to her great talents and overall endearment to her people, she is a symbol of national pride to the Iranian people.

After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, she is famously known for remaining in Iran until 2000 and not performing again due to the ban on female singers. Still, her following grew. Younger people have rediscovered her music via bootleg recordings. Outside of Iran, she has a significant following in many Middle Eastern and Central Asian countries, and has even caught the attention of western media and press. Googoosh is rumored to reside in a four-bedroom, four-bath home in Beverly Crest, which she bought for $1.37 million from Jack M. Snyder and Stephanie E. Snyder on 13 April 2011, and continues her career, albeit in a limited manner.

According to her website, Googoosh was born 'Faegheh Atashin' on May 5, 1950 in Sarcheshmeh Street of Tehran. Her father, Saber Atashin was an Iranian Azerbaijani who emigrated back to his native Iran several years before his marriage. While Googoosh was still an infant, her father divorced her mother. She began doing impersonations of some of the singers of the time. When her father discovered this talent, he put her on stage.

In 2000, a feature-length documentary called Googoosh: Iran's Daughter was released which chronicled the singer's life and her icon-status while detailing the socio-political turmoil that led to the 1979 Revolution in Iran. Made by Iranian-American filmmaker Farhad Zamani, the documentary began production in 1998 and was made at a time when Googoosh was still forbidden to give interviews.

In January 2009 she ended her work and Carrier with Mehrdad Asemani, citing "creative differences" and in March 2009 began a new work relationship with her current management team.

On 21 and 24 March of that year, during the Nowruz holiday, Googoosh performed in Dubai. This concert was considered a homecoming for her and thousands of Iranians crossed the Persian Gulf to hear her.

On 22 July 2009, Googoosh delivered an emotional speech in which she said the outcome of the 12 June presidential election, which the protesters accused President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of stealing, inspired her to make her first foray into politics. She and the other speakers stood in front of a banner bearing the names of some of the 600 protesters believed to remain in jail. The names of those killed were written in red.

“I have come here to be the voice for the sad mothers who lost their loved ones in peaceful demonstrations,” said the singer. “I have come here to be the just voice of the grass-roots and spontaneous movement among my compatriots and to show my solidarity.”

In December 2010, Googoosh had a very notable concert in the Kurdish region of Iraq and Iran. Tens of thousands of Iranians came from Tehran and beyond. Googoosh currently tours sporadically. She makes occasional concert stops all over the globe. While not touring, she spends time on new work projects or with family. In March 2011, the popstar released a snippet via YouTube of a new song she was working on titled "Bedrood". In April 2011, Googoosh debuted her latest project. The singer launched her own cosmetic collection sold online, aptly titled "Googoosh Cosmetics". Also on 9 April 2011, Googoosh held a legendary concert at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

• 1971: first prize and golden record at the Midem trade fair in Cannes for her 7" record (as "Gougoush") featuring two songs in French: "Retour de la Ville" (A-side) and "J'entends Crier Je T'aime" (B-side).
• 1972: First prize at the Carthage Music Festival
• 1972: First medal of arts of Tunisia
• 1973: The best actress for Bita in Iranian Sepas film festival.
• 1973: The best artist of the year at San Remo Music Festival.

Googoosh's first husband was Mahmoud Ghorbani. He was a music promoter who had helped Googoosh make a name for herself throughout the '60s. They married in February 1967. They had a son, Kambiz, who currently lives in Los Angeles and who is also in the music industry. Ghorbani was extremely abusive to Googoosh. After about six years of marriage, Ghorbani and Googoosh divorced in late 1972.

In 1975, Googoosh married Iranian actor Behrouz Vossoughi. They divorced fourteen months later, in 1976.

During the late 1970s, Googoosh became involved with Homayoun Mestaghi, but after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Googoosh served a three-month jail sentence because she was living with him outside of marriage, which was illegal under the Islamic regime. Several years later, Googoosh divorced Mestaghi.

She married director Masoud Kimiai in 1991. They divorced in 2003.

Studio albums

• 1970: Do Panjareh (Two Windows)
• 1971: Mordab (The Swamp)
• 1972: Kooh (The Mountain)
• 1974: Do Maahi (Two Fish)
• 1974: Hamsafar (Co-Traveler)
• 1975: Pol (The Bridge)
• 1975: Mosabbeb (with Dariush)
• 1977: Dar Emtedâde Šab (Along the Night)
• 1978: Ageh Bemooni (If You Stay)
• Nimeh Gomshodeh Man ("My Lost Half", year unknown)
• Behtarin Fasl-e-Taazeh ("The Best Fresh Season", year unknown)
•  ?:Jadeh (The Road)
•  ?:Kavir (The Desert)
•  ?:Yadam Basheh, Yadet Basheh (Shenasnameyeh 1)
•  ?:Setaareh (The Star)
•  ?:Mann O Gonjeshkayeh Khoneh (Me and Sparrows of the Home)
•  ?: Lahzeh Bidari (Awakening Moment)

Albums since comeback

• 2000: Zartosht (Zoroaster)
• 2004: Akharin Khabar (Latest News)
• 2006: Manifest (Manifest)
• 2008: Shabe Sepid (White Night)
• 2010: Hajme Sabz" (Green Volume)
• 2012: "Ejaz" (Miracle)

Googoosh also acted in two other movies: Märd-e keraye-i (مرد کرایه ای) and Haci Feyruz (حاجی فیروز), but the production of each of these films was suspended during the final stages for unknown reasons. Googoosh has also acted in many television shows and ground-breaking commercials in Iran.

Googoosh Comeback Tour (2000–2001)

2001

• 18 August 2001 - Toronto, Air Canada Centre
• 19 July 2001 - Tunis, Menzah Stadium
• 8 September 2001 - Sydney
• September and October 2001 Stockholm

2002

• 21 September 2002- Oakland, Oakland Arena (CANCELLED)
• 28 September 2002- Los Angeles, Staples Center (CANCELLED)

2003

• 8 February 2003 - Los Angeles, The Forum
• 24 May 2003 - Anaheim, Honda Center (former Arrowhead Pond)
• 4 October 2003 - Washington, DC, Verizon Center (former MCI Center)

2004

• 25 December 2004 - Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas

2005

• 17 September 2005 - Los Angeles, The Forum
• 24 September 2005 - Fairfax, Virginia (near Washington, DC), Patriot Center
• 12 November 2005 - San Francisco, Bill Graham Civic Auditorum
• 24 December 2005 - Las Vegas, Thomas & Mack Center

2006

• 11 March 2006 - Dallas, Nokia Theatre
• 27 May 2006 - Vancouver, GM Place
• 3 June 2006 - Toronto, Air Canada Centre
• 9 September 2006 - San Diego, Symphony Hall
• 7 October 2006 - Los Angeles, Kodak Theater
• 8 October 2006 - Los Angeles, Kodak Theater
• 21 October 2006 - New York, Madison Square Garden

2007

• 13 January 2007 - Atlanta, Atlanta Civic Center
• 20 January 2007 - Flint Center, Cupertino (near San Jose)
• 7 July 2007 - Toronto, Air Canada Centre
• 15 September 2007 - Miami, Knight Concert Hall
• 1 December 2007 - Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Theatre
• 25 December 2007 - Oberhausen, Arena Oberhausen
• 27 December 2007 - Stockholm, Globen Arena
• 29 December 2007 - London, Hammersmith Apollo

2008

• 15 March 2008 - Houston, George R. Brown Convention Center
• 26 March 2008 - Dubai, Dubai Media City
• 28 June 2008 - Ledyard, CT, MGM Grand at Foxwoods Resort & Casino
• 23 August 2008 - Los Angeles, Nokia Theatre

Memory Lane Tour(2009–2010)

• 21 March 2009- Oakland- Paramout Theatre
• 6 June 2009- Washington, DC- DAR Constitution Hall
• 7 August 2009- Melbourne, Australia- Dallas Brooks Centre
• 8 August 2009- Sydney, Australia- Sydney Convention Centre
• 19 September 2009-, Malaysia-Kuala Lumpur, KLCC Concert Hall
• 29 November 2009- Dubai, World Trade Center

• 21 March 2010 - London, Wembley Arena
• 23 March 2010 - Dubai, World Trade Center
• 17 April 2010 - Toronto, Ricoh Coliseum
• 30 July 2010 - Bahrain, International Exhibition Centre CANCELLED
• 1 August 2010 - Antalya, Konyaalti Open-Air Amphitheatre
• 12 September 2010 - Erbil, Kurdistan region Iraq, Babylon world Amphitheatre
• 15 September 2010 - Istanbul, Istanbul Convention Center
• 18 September 2010 - Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Theatre
• 24 December 2010 - Stockholm, Kista Massan
• 25 December 2010 - Germany, Koln, Koln Arena

2011

• 26 February 2011 - Cupertino, Flint Center
• 24 March 2011 - Istanbul, Istanbul Congress Center
• 27 March 2011 - Kuala Lumpur, Merdeka Hall
• 9 April 2011 - Los Angeles, Nokia Theatre
• 23 July 2011 - Monaco,Monte-Carlo,Grimaldi Forum Monaco
• 25 July 2011 - Antalya, Konyaalti Acikhava Amphitheater
• 2 September 2011 - Dubai, Shoppiesta,Meydan Dubai
• 23 December 2011 - Germany, O2 World, Hamburg
• 26 December 2011 - Paris,Théâtre du Châtelet

2012

• 3 March 2012 - Vancouver, Queen Elizabeth Theatre
• 17 March 2012 - Washington, DC- DAR Constitution Hall
• 20 March 2012 - London, Royal Theater Drury Lane
• 14 April 2012 - Canada, Montreal, Place des arts
• 28 April 2012 - Toronto, Powerade center
• 18 August 2012 - Antalya, Konyaalti Acikhava Amphitheater
• 25 August 2012 - San Francisco,Louise M. Davies Symphony Hall
• 15 September 2012 - Houston, The Hobby Center
• 6 October2012 - Canada,Calgary,Southern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium
• 27 October2012 - Los Angeles, Nokia Theatre
• 23 December 2012- Stockholm, Sweden,Radisson Waterfront Congress Centre
• 25 December 2012- Germany, Koln, Koln Arena

• Homecoming For Googoosh