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| Sara Koral |
According to Sara Koral, a musician and singer from Tabriz living in Turkey, southern artists who face fundamental restrictions in Iran may leave the country and overcome many obstacles, but they still encounter some difficulties in Azerbaijan and Turkey.
In an interview with Voice of America, Sara Koral discusses the reasons for leaving Iranian Azerbaijan, her music education in the Republic of Azerbaijan, and her current artistic activities in Turkey. She also talks about the challenges faced by southern artists in Iran and after leaving Iran for Azerbaijan and Turkey.
"In Southern Azerbaijan, the situation is not such that there are entertainment centers, opera, or theater halls, or clubs where artists can perform and the public can benefit from them. The education we could get in Tabriz is very limited. They had shut down the music schools there, but in general, music education in Iran is not at a high level... That’s why leaving there is not a choice."
Sara Koral points out that despite the good music education opportunities in the Republic of Azerbaijan, there is a lack of a proper working environment:
"I learned a lot in Baku, I owe a lot to Baku... But there is no environment for work there. There are people with higher education, but they don’t want to lower themselves to the level of weddings."
The artist from Tabriz highlights that just as the Turks living in Iranian Azerbaijan face an identity crisis, similar difficulties appear in their artistic lives:
"Unfortunately, southerners remain somewhat ‘orphaned’ until they stop denying their essence in Turkey, the Republic of Azerbaijan, or even in the south. Since the world doesn't officially recognize us... Personally, I encounter similar problems everywhere. Whether in Baku or here, they prefer that we perform as Iranians."
The young artist, who composes and performs songs in both Azerbaijani and Turkish, also engages in creativity and performance in dance and theater:
"Currently, we are working on a new rock band and having concerts... But I want it to be of better quality. If a person represents their homeland or a genre, they must represent it properly..." Sara Koral says she doesn’t have the necessary conditions to carry out her artistic activities in the way she desires but remains hopeful for the future.
Link to the original interview in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
Sara Koral: Təbrizi istəyərək tərk etmirik