September 25, 2026 — On Friday, September 25, 2026, members of the "Hivazhin" women's artistic and musical ensemble in Sanandaj honored the memory of Fataneh Walidi, a pioneering figure in Kurdish music, by performing her iconic song "Lay Lay Delam Lay" on the anniversary of her passing.

Fataneh Walidi (Shirin)

Fataneh Walidi stands as one of the most prominent, inspiring, yet tragic figures in the history of Kurdish music. In the 1960s, she became the first Kurdish woman whose voice was professionally broadcast over National Radio and Radio Sanandaj, paving the way for generations of female vocalists who followed.

Born in 1953 in the historical neighborhoods of Sanandaj, Walidi was raised in a deeply musical family. Her father, Mohammad Sharif Walidi, a renowned violinist and vocalist in Sanandaj, served as her primary mentor. Her musical talent was discovered during early childhood by Master Hassan Kamkar (founder of the Kamkars ensemble). She later attended the Tehran Superior Conservatory of Music, graduating with distinction as a accomplished player of the tar.

From the mid-1960s through the early 1970s (until roughly age 21), Walidi experienced a brief but brilliant artistic career, collaborating with masters of Iranian classical and Kurdish music, including Mohammad-Reza Lotfi, Pashang Kamkar, and Bijan Kamkar. Among her most enduring contributions to the Kurdish musical archive are "Sabri Gol-Foroush" (Sabri the Flower Seller)—the ballad that brought her widespread acclaim—alongside "Shirin Gian," "Ey Yari Nazdaram," "Ew Deli Ghaminam," "E Omidi Delam," and "Yakhoa Be Kher Bey."

The most extraordinary and painful chapter of Walidi's life was the abrupt silencing of her voice at the age of 21. While various accounts exist regarding her withdrawal from public life, local cultural history attributes her silence to severe heartbreak and unrequited love. Following this event, she suffered from acute depression and psychological distress, permanently stepping away from the music world.

Walidi spent the remaining five decades of her life in seclusion within an old home in Sanandaj, under the care of her father and, after his death, in complete isolation and illness. Renowned Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi based the primary character and storyline of his celebrated film Half Moon (Niwemang) on her tragic, legendary life and the struggle to revive women’s artistic voices.

Fataneh Walidi passed away in her hometown of Sanandaj on September 24, 2024, at the age of 71, following years of illness and isolation. Her funeral on September 27, 2024, transformed into a symbolic cultural event: her body was carried on the shoulders of Sanandaj women accompanied by the sound of daf drums and traditional Kurdish songs. The massive attendance of women and civil activists served as a tribute to a pioneer who was silenced for decades by personal trauma and systemic suppression of female artists.

In the oral history of Kurdistan, Fataneh Walidi is remembered not merely as a singer, but as a dual symbol of voice and suffering. Creating timeless works during her youth that continue to be sung by new generations half a century later, she remains a legend in Kurdish music.

Hivazhin Ensemble

The "Hivazhin" (meaning Hope of Life) artistic and musical ensemble was formed in January 2020 by approximately 70 to 80 retired women and mothers—primarily former teachers and public employees—in Sanandaj. Overcoming isolation in their senior years, the group turned collective singing into a platform for social engagement, community vitality, and hope. Dressed in traditional Kurdish attire, members of Hivazhin frequently perform authentic folk pieces and covers of prominent female Kurdish singers in public and historical venues across Sanandaj—such as the foothills of Mount Abider and the Malek al-Tojar Mansion—preserving the region's cultural identity and linguistic heritage.