Music's hidden message: Israeli drag queen and exiled Iranian singer send a message of freedom

An unlikely collaboration between Israeli drag queen Nona Chalant and exiled Iranian singer Jeanette R. Yehudaiyan has produced a powerful techno dance rendition of "Do Kaftar" ("Two Doves"), a poignant Persian folk song.

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Two doves, by sorrow torn apart, took flight, Two lovers, cruelly severed, lost to sight, One sought solace in flames, a fiery nest, The other soared beyond, to realms divinely blessed.

This modern interpretation, created with music producer Sailo (Lidor Saadia), is presented as "a powerful call for peace, freedom, and the ultimate bridge between ancient culture and the modern world." The original song, penned by the late poet Qahar Asi, speaks of lovers torn apart, a theme that resonates deeply with Yehudaiyan's own life.

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a powerful call for peace, freedom, and the ultimate bridge between ancient culture and the modern world.

Yehudaiyan's personal history is intrinsically linked to the song's message of suppressed expression. Fleeing Iran at 15, she recounts a childhood where her singing aspirations were curtailed by societal restrictions, including being told she had "no place" in public performance. Her subsequent journey to Israel was a long struggle against social conventions and family expectations.

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From that moment on, I realized that a girl like me had no place there.

"When I was a girl in Iran, I wasn’t just fighting for the right to sing," Yehudaiyan explained. "I was fighting for the right to be who I am." This profound connection to the struggle for self-identity fuels her participation in the song, which she sees as a continuation of that fight. The collaboration aims to amplify this message of freedom and cultural connection across borders.

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Finally, when I was 15, my father agreed to sign my release through the Youth Aliyah, on the condition that I be educated in a religious institution.