Googoosh facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Googoosh
گوگوش (Persian)
Googoosh at the Hollywood Bowl, May 2018
Born	Faegheh Atashin (1950-05-05) 5 May 1950 (age 75) Tehran, Imperial State of Iran
Occupation	Singer actress
Years active	1953–1979; 2000–present
Spouse(s)	Mahmoud Ghorbani ​ ​ (m. 1967; div. 1972)​ Behrouz Vossoughi ​ ​ (m. 1975; div. 1976)​ Homayoun Mesdaghi ​ ​ (m. 1977; div. 1989)​ Masoud Kimiai ​ ​ (m. 1991; div. 2003)​
Children	Kambiz Ghorbani
Musical career
Labels	Avang, Caltex, MZM, Pars Video, Taraneh, RCA Italiana, RCA Victor, Barclay

Faegheh Atashin (Persian: فائقه آتشین; born May 5, 1950), who is known by her stage name Googoosh, is a famous Iranian singer and actress. She is considered a pop icon and is one of the most popular entertainers from Iran. Her career has lasted for more than 60 years.

Googoosh is known for her work in Iranian pop music and for starring in many Persian movies from the 1950s to the 1970s. She became extremely famous in the 1970s. During that time, many Iranian women looked up to her and copied her style, including her short haircut, which became known as the "Googooshi."

After the Iranian Revolution in 1979, new rules were put in place, and female singers were not allowed to perform. Googoosh stayed in Iran but could not sing publicly for 21 years. Even so, younger Iranians found her music through secret recordings. In 2000, she left Iran and began performing again.

Since her return, she has performed in famous venues all over the world, like Madison Square Garden in New York and the Royal Albert Hall in London. She has recorded songs in many languages, including Persian, Turkish, English, Spanish, and French.

Early Life and Family

Googoosh began singing and acting at a young age with her father, Saber.

4-year-old Googoosh with her mother Nasrin Atashin.

Googoosh was born Faegheh Atashin on May 5, 1950, in Tehran, Iran. Her parents were from an Azerbaijani family. From a young age, people called her "Googoosh," which is an Azerbaijani name usually for boys. This became her famous stage name.

Her father, Saber, was an acrobat and entertainer. Googoosh started her career very young, performing on stage with him as a singer and dancer.

A Star on the Rise

Googoosh acting as a child in the late 1950s.

Career Before 1979

Googoosh performing on stage in Tehran.

As a child, Googoosh acted in several movies. By the 1970s, she was a huge star. She was known for her amazing fashion and stylish outfits. Many women in Iran were inspired by her modern look.

Her music was a mix of pop songs and emotional ballads about love and loss. She was popular not just in Iran but in other countries too. She starred in over 25 movies, and one of them became the most successful Iranian film of its time. Googoosh was also a favorite of Iran's royal family and performed for them many times.

Poster for Googoosh's 1972 award-winning film Bita.

A Long Silence

When the Iranian Revolution happened in 1979, Googoosh was in Los Angeles but decided to return to her home country. After the revolution, the government created new laws that banned female singers from performing in public.

Because of this, Googoosh could not sing or act for 21 years. She stayed in Iran during this time. Even though her music was banned, people, especially the younger generation, continued to listen to her songs through secret copies.

A Big Comeback

Googoosh in one of her concerts, 2006.

In 2000, Googoosh was finally able to leave Iran and move to Canada. She immediately started her comeback tour. Her first concert in Toronto sold out, with over 12,000 fans excited to see her perform again after so many years. Her return was seen as a major cultural event, connecting a new generation to Iran's past.

In 2000, a documentary called Googoosh: Iran's Daughter was released. It told the story of her life and why she became such an important figure in Iran.

From 2011 to 2014, she was the head judge on a popular TV talent show called Googoosh Music Academy. The show, broadcast from London, searched for new singing talent.

Personal Life

Googoosh playing tennis in the 1970s.

Googoosh has been married four times. Her first husband was Mahmoud Ghorbani, and they had a son named Kambiz. She was also briefly married to the famous Iranian actor Behrouz Vossoughi. Her later marriages were to Homayoun Mesdaghi and director Masoud Kimiai.

In 2014, Googoosh released a music video for her song Behesht to show her support for the gay and lesbian community in Iran. This made her one of the first major Iranian stars to speak out on this topic.

In 2023, Googoosh announced that her "Final Chapter" tour would be her last world tour, marking a farewell to her fans around the globe.

Googoosh and Behrouz Vosooghi in the 1970s.

Discography

An album cover which contains the Bigharar song.

Studio Albums (Before 1979)

• 1970: Do Panjereh (Two Windows)
• 1971: Mordab (The Swamp)
• 1972: Kooh (The Mountain)
• 1974: Do Mâhi (Two Fish)
• 1975: Pol (The Bridge)
• 1977: Dar emtedâde shab (Along the Night)

Studio Albums (Since 2000)

• 2000: Zartosht
• 2003: QQ Bang Bang
• 2004: Akharin Khabar (Latest News)
• 2005: Manifest
• 2008: Shabe Sepid (White Night)
• 2010: Hajme Sabz (Green X)
• 2012: Ejaz (Miracle)
• 2015: Akse Khosoosi (Private Portrait)
• 2021: Twenty One

Filmography

Awards and Achievements

Googoosh on the cover of Javanan e Emrooz Magazine, 1974

• 1971: Won first prize at the Midem trade fair in Cannes, France.
• 1972: Received the first medal of arts of Tunisia.
• 1973: Won Best Actress for the film Bita at an Iranian film festival.
• 2014: Named Best Iranian Singer at the World Music Awards.
• 2017: Won Best Music Video for Do Panjereh at the Festigious Film Awards.
• She has also received awards for record-breaking performances at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.

Images for kids

• 

  Googoosh with a Chador for a visit to the Imam Reza shrine in 1972.

• 

  Googoosh in concert at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

See also

In Spanish: Googoosh para niños

• List of Iranian women