Snapshot from the video for Auschwitz, by Mehdi Yarrahi.
While the US and Israel wage war on Iran, Iranian singer-songwriter Mehdi Yarrahi has released one of his most striking and politically charged works to date. Titled Auschwitz, the song dropped in early 2026 following a crackdown on protesters in Iran, continuing Mehdi’s tradition of using music as a way of speaking out against his own government.
Yarrahi first gained recognition through pop records such as Mano Raha Kon and Emperor, but his artistic trajectory has increasingly shifted toward social critique. Over the years, he has included themes of inequality, environmental decline, and civil rights in his work—actions that have drawn the attention of authorities and led to harsh restrictions on his career.
His support for the labor protests in Khuzestan in 2018, followed by his song Roosarito, released in solidarity with the Woman, Life, Freedom movement, intensified scrutiny against him, culminating in his arrest and sentencing in 2023.
Auschwitz can be seen as a stark continuation of this defiance. The song, which uses the Holocaust as a reference, employs imagery associated with systematic violence and dehumanization, which it uses to comment on current realities. It does not use this reference as a comparison but as a symbol, which challenges the audience to consider the normalization of brutality and the lack of safety in their daily lives.
The lyrics of the song, written by Hossein Shanbehzadeh, provide another form of resistance. Shanbehzadeh himself was sentenced to prison for a seemingly minor offense of online dissent and, in return, earned him the nickname “Dot Prisoner.” The combination of his work with Yarrahi brings together two voices all too familiar with censorship and oppression.
The song feels both like an anthem and a warning—one that refuses to look away from what many are forced to endure. And by releasing this music, Yarrahi once again demonstrates how art can bear witness in times of crisis, even when the personal cost is severe.
Snapshot from the music video for “Balidan” by Balen.
When people think of protest music entering politics, the examples that usually come to mind are folk singers addressing different issues in their lyrics and sometimes even performing on the streets – surrounded by people demanding justice. One former hip-hop artist in Nepal did exactly that – only he took it a few steps further.
Balendra Shah, or Balen, is a musician who first rose to fame as a socially active rapper in the emerging Nep-hop scene (Nepalese hip-hop). His songs dealt with issues such as corruption and inequality and lifted up the voice of a generation of disenchanted young people in Nepal.
Nep-hop, Nepal’s growing hip-hop scene, emerged in the early 2000s and has increasingly become a platform for social commentary and political criticism among young artists.
Shah’s rise in politics began when he won a surprise victory as Mayor of Kathmandu in 2022, running as an independent candidate and defeating politicians from Nepal’s established parties. The win highlighted a major shift in the country’s political landscape, driven largely by younger voters seeking change.
Now, after his extraordinary journey from socially conscious artist to political reformer, Shah is expected to become Nepal’s next prime minister. His wild trip from underground rap battles to the top of national politics highlights just how powerful a vehicle for political change music can be.
Whether governing proves as powerful as his music remains to be seen. But if he does take office, Nepal may soon be led by a prime minister whose political vision was first delivered through music.
Here are four songs from the time Balen used a mic and a beat to effect change.
1. “Balidan” (Sacrifice)
One of Shah’s most famous songs, Balidan is an uncompromising attack on corruption in Nepalese politics. The track calls out leaders who, in Shah’s words, have betrayed the people they claim to represent.
The song resonated widely among young listeners who felt locked out of opportunity by a political system dominated by old elites. It quickly became an anthem for frustration with corruption and mismanagement.
2. “Ma Nepal Haseko Dekhna Chahanchu” (I Want to See Nepal Smiling)
While sharply critical of political leaders, this song carries a hopeful message. Shah imagines a Nepal where citizens live with dignity and opportunity rather than political instability and corruption.
The track’s vision of a better future made it particularly popular among youth activists and students calling for reform.
3. “Sadak Balak” (Street Child)
In Sadak Balak, Shah turns his attention to social inequality. The song tells the story of children forced to survive on the streets, shining a light on poverty and social neglect in Nepal’s cities.
The track showed that Shah’s political consciousness extended beyond party politics to broader questions of justice and human dignity.
4. “Nepal Haseko” (Nepal Smiling)
Another widely shared track, Nepal Haseko continues Shah’s theme of imagining a happier and more just country. Its hopeful tone contrasts with the harsh political criticism found elsewhere in his catalogue, but the underlying message remains clear: Nepal deserves better leadership.
The song has often been used at youth rallies and reformist gatherings, reinforcing Shah’s connection with a younger generation of voters.
Across the world, protests have witnessed the power of music to become a rallying call and a beacon of hope. Chants turn into songs, and songs turn into anthems, all carrying the emotions of the people who might otherwise not have a platform to express themselves. In the past few years, the Iranian protest movement has seen the emergence of some incredible music that reflects the emotions of the people, including the pain, anger, courage, and hope they have managed to express through their songs.
Man Zendeam Hanooz: A Protest Song from Iran’s Resistance Movement
Among the latest additions to the growing list of songs and music emerging from the Iranian protests is the powerful protest song “Man Zendeam Hanooz” (“I Am Still Alive”) by Iranian composer Adib Ghorbani, with lyrics by Vienna-based, Iranian poet Pooyan Moghaddassi.
This song, released in the early part of 2026 and performed by Iranian music students and a choir, has already begun to circulate on the web and among the supporters of the Iranian pro-democracy movement.
The sound of a movement
To fully comprehend the effect of “Man Zendeam Hanooz,” it is necessary to briefly discuss the cultural context in which this piece emerged. Following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, Iran is facing one of the largest protest movements in its modern history.
As a result of this protest, which featured slogans such as “Woman, Life, Freedom,” the Iranian people challenged their government and expressed their desire for a change in their social and political systems.
In this context, music emerged as a key component of this protest movement. Perhaps the most famous piece of music to emerge from this protest is “Baraye” by Shervin Hajipour, a piece of music in which a variety of protest slogans were combined into a set of lyrics.
Man Zendeam Hanooz also emerged in this context, as the lyrics of the song are based on the slogans the Iranian people were sharing on social media in the aftermath of the recent internet shutdown. When people regained access to the internet, they started letting friends and family know: “I am still alive.”
“I am still alive”
“Man Zendeam Hanooz” is a song that is performed in less than two minutes, but its brevity is part of its strength. The title is a powerful phrase, and on the most individual level, it speaks to survival – as thousands of Iranians have faced arrest or worse during the protests. But the phrase is more than that.
It is also a statement that speaks to the collective group as a whole. It is a statement that says even if people as individuals are silenced, they as a whole are still here. They are still alive.
Ghorbani writes on his Soundcloud page: “With the eternal memory of the homeland and dedicated to the noble people of Iran; to the courage that lives and the life and revolution that does not fade away.”
Art under pressure
However, the production of protest music in Iran is not without peril. Artists have been arrested, interrogated, and banned from professional practice. Some artists have opted to produce the protest music anonymously or from exile.
Despite the challenges, protest music is still being produced. This is due to the ease of disseminating the information through the internet, which helps the activists within Iran connect with the Iranian diaspora and the international community.
Thus, the protest music acts as a bridge for the Iranian people, the diaspora, and the international community, which is otherwise divided by the Iranian government’s censorship.
To artists like Ghorbani, the production of such protest music is a statement of intent. It is a statement that the government cannot control art, and that art is a powerful form of protest.
It is precisely because of its simplicity that “Man Zendeam Hanooz” is so compelling. It does not require any complex lyrics or storytelling. It is simply a declaration of existence.
In situations where people are uncertain and afraid, words like these are incredibly empowering. They remind people that resistance is not simply about acts of defiance, but also about determination – the determination to continue speaking, singing, and living, in spite of those who seek to silence them.
Throughout history, protest songs have been a key tool in this kind of resistance. Whether it is civil rights music, anti-war songs, or any other kind of protest music, it gives people a common language to speak in terms of resilience and determination. Ghorbani’s piece is a perfect example of this.
To those outside of Iran, the song “Man Zendeam Hanooz” is a window into the inner workings of the Iranian protest movement. While the headlines tell of conflict, arrests, or political pronouncements, the song represents another level of the protest movement.
Ultimately, the strength of the song is not in the tune itself, but in what the song represents. It represents the fact that in the midst of repression, people continue to make music, to sing, to proclaim their existence.
