Dariush sings his Bittersweet Songs on US soil

Iranian singer-songwriter Dariush Eghbali has long been regarded as one of Iran's most prominent musicians. With a mournful baritone, his pensive ballads and protest songs reflect the tumult and changing history of his beloved homeland. Having performed before and after the Islamic Revolution of 1971, Dariush found himself in the firing line for his criticism of the political system forcing the singer to leave Iran. As such his music contains a bittersweet quality, a yearning to return home.

A member of Amnesty International, the Persian singer is a social rights activists beyond the subject matter of his songs. An advocate of education in preventing social injustice and preventable illnesses like AIDS, Eghbali also oversees the Ayeneh Foudnation, a non-profit drugs rehabilitation programme.